Particle Image Velocimetry

Overview

Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is a non-intrusive optical measurement technique used to capture instantaneous velocity fields across an entire plane of a fluid flow. A laser illuminates tracer particles seeded into the flow, and a high-speed camera records successive frames. Cross-correlation algorithms then compute displacement vectors for each interrogation window, producing a full two-dimensional or three-dimensional velocity map in a single measurement. This whole-field capability distinguishes PIV from point-measurement methods such as hot-wire anemometry or laser Doppler velocimetry. HSI Inc. supplies complete PIV systems from Microvec, including synchronized pulsed lasers, calibration targets, and analysis software, along with Cavitar laser illumination for highly reflective or opaque flow environments.