System for measuring fluid-flow velocity distribution

• US 5,249,136 A
• Filed: 09/14/1992
• Issued: 09/28/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: YOZAN, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ezel, Inc.
• Inventors: Kumagai, Ryohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARK, COLLIN
• Application Number:
  US07/944,734
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 364/509, 364/510, 364/555, 364/560, 364/561, 364/565, 358/105, 358/107, 358/139
• US Class Current: 702/45
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 5/001 Full-field flow measurement, e.g. determining flow velocity and direction in a whole region at the same time, flow visualisation

Abstract

A system for determining a velocity of fluid flowing around an object generates a signal for an image of a fluid-flow surrounding the object. Based on the signal, the system determines a centroid for each particle in the fluid-flow, and calculates distances between centroids of two nearest particles. The system then determines a velocity distribution of the fluid-flow based on the distances.

Claims

1. A system for determining the velocity of fluid flowing around an object comprising:

input means for generating a signal relating to an image of a fluid-flow surrounding an object, said signal being created at predetermined time intervals, said fluid-flow including particles;

means for converting said signal into a digital signal and analyzing said digital signal to determine a centroid for each of said particles in said fluid-flow;

means for calculating distances between said centroids of the two nearest particles in composite images generated from successive pairs of images; and

means for generating a signal relating to a velocity distribution of said fluid-flow by dividing said distances by said predetermined time interval.