High-Speed Digital Imaging in Advanced Fluidics Applications

In recent years, high-speed cameras have revolutionized the visualization and analysis of complex fluid behaviors at both the micro and macro scales. For the micro scale, the ultra-fast temporal resolution of high-speed cameras enables groundbreaking discoveries in microfluidic device optimization, detailed flow visualization in microscopy and cytometry, and exceedingly accurate velocity field measurements through techniques such as particle image velocimetry (PIV). For the macro scale, Schlieren imaging and dynamical studies of magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) phenomena have emerged as increasingly popular methods of imaging invisible fluid flows and plasmas, respectively. Specifically, with MHD, high-speed imaging can capture some of the most rapid transient events including kink instabilities, magnetic reconnection, and other forms of turbulent flow (Rayleigh-Taylor, Kelvin-Helmholtz).

 

This presentation will cover the comprehensive workflow of using a high-speed camera in fluid dynamics – from image acquisition to data analysis with several case studies and results from each of these applications. By showcasing each of these examples, we aim to illustrate the significant advancements high-speed imaging has provided for the field of fluid dynamics.