Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026

10:09
Fast Imaging Technique to Study Drop Impact Dynamics of Non-Newtonian Fluids
Published on: March 5, 2014
Single-camera method to determine the optical axis position of ellipsoidal drops
B K Jones1, J R Saylor, L F Bliven
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, USA.
Applied Optics
|March 6, 2003
Summary
This study enhances droplet size measurement by accurately locating non-spherical drops using optical imaging. This allows for increased depth of field, improving measurement accuracy for deformed water drops and other objects.
Area of Science:
- Optical imaging
- Fluid dynamics
- Metrology
Background:
- Droplet sizing via optical imaging often necessitates a shallow depth of field to maintain consistent magnification.
- Accurate droplet localization along the optical axis can enable variable magnification, thus increasing the depth of field.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the ability to locate the position of objects that deviate from sphericity.
- To extend previous methods for droplet localization to non-spherical objects, including deformed water drops.
Main Methods:
- Utilized back-illumination of objects to capture image characteristics for positional determination.
- Tested the method with spherical glass objects, deformed water drops, and glass ellipsoids.
- Investigated the influence of refractive index on positional accuracy.
Main Results:
- Successfully demonstrated the localization of non-spherical objects, including deformed water drops.
- Validated the ability to determine object position even when deviating significantly from a spherical shape.
- Provided insights into the role of refractive index in the localization process.
Conclusions:
- The developed method allows for accurate positioning of non-spherical objects, overcoming limitations of previous techniques.
- This approach enables increased depth of field in optical imaging for droplet sizing, improving accuracy for real-world scenarios like large raindrops.
- The findings are applicable to various fields requiring precise measurement of non-spherical fluid interfaces.
Related Concept Videos
Geoid and Ellipsoid
The Earth's shape is best described as an ellipsoid, a slightly flattened sphere created by rotating an ellipse around its minor axis. This flattening results in the polar axis being about 21 kilometers shorter than the equatorial axis. In contrast, the geoid represents the Earth's gravitational shape and aligns with the mean sea level (MSL). The geoid is an irregular equipotential surface where gravity is perpendicular at every point. Variations in Earth's mass distribution cause geoid...
Ellipses
An ellipse is formed when a right circular cone is intersected by an inclined plane that does not cut through its base. This intersection yields a closed, symmetric curve characterized by distinctive geometric properties. Most notably, an ellipse is defined as the collection of all points in a plane for which the combined distances to two fixed points—called the foci—remain constant.The ellipse features two principal axes: the major and the minor axes. The major axis is the longest diameter,...
Eccentricity of an Ellipse
An ellipse is a fundamental conic section defined by the constant sum of distances from any point on its curve to two fixed points, known as the foci. This geometric property can be physically demonstrated using a pencil, string, and two pins. By anchoring the string at both ends and maintaining it taut with a pencil, one can trace the outline of an ellipse.The shape and extent of the ellipse are determined by its eccentricity, e, defined as the ratio of the distance between the center and a...

