Quantitative visualization techniques for aerodynamics

Abstract

Since two decades technological progress at lasers, video techniques, optoelectronics, computers and evaluation algorithms allows to extract quantitative information from images of flows. Continuous improvement of such image based measurement techniques and decreasing costs of equipment enabled many research groups to exploit these techniques for extraction of 2-dimensional or even 3-dimensional data mainly for fundamental research. Since a decade ago many image based measurement techniques have found interest in industrial applications and are even used as a matter of routine when trying to improve the understanding of complex flow phenomena. The potential of image based experimental techniques will be presented based on the experiences made at applications of such techniques in the field of aerodynamics in industrial wind tunnels and at in-flight testing.