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Measuring droplet size distributions from overlapping interferometric particle images.
Humberto Bocanegra Evans1, Nico Dam2, Dennis van der Voort1
1Faculty of Applied Physics, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|March 2, 2015
Summary
Interferometric particle imaging can now estimate droplet size distributions even with overlapping images. This new analysis method provides a reliable probability density function (PDF) for droplet sizes.
Area of Science:
- Fluid dynamics
- Optical metrology
- Aerosol science
Background:
- Interferometric particle imaging (IPI) is used to measure droplet size probability density functions (PDFs).
- Overlapping particle images in IPI data present challenges for accurate droplet size analysis.
- Existing methods struggle to reliably interpret overlapping images, limiting PDF accuracy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel image analysis algorithm for Interferometric Particle Imaging (IPI).
- To accurately estimate the probability density function (PDF) of droplet sizes from images with overlapping particles.
- To validate the new algorithm using both synthetic and experimental aerosol data.
Main Methods:
- A new image analysis approach for IPI, focusing on PDF estimation rather than precise droplet identification.
- Algorithm testing with simulated datasets to assess performance under controlled overlapping conditions.
- Application of the developed method to experimental data from spinning disk aerosol generators.
Main Results:
- The algorithm effectively estimates the PDF of droplet sizes, even with significant image overlap.
- Measurements of droplet sizes from spinning disk aerosol generators were performed.
- The mean primary droplet diameter aligned with existing literature predictions.
- A wide distribution of satellite droplet sizes was observed, indicating complex aerosol formation.
Conclusions:
- The proposed IPI analysis method successfully overcomes the challenge of overlapping particle images for PDF estimation.
- This technique enhances the capability of IPI for characterizing droplet size distributions in dense sprays.
- The study highlights the complex size distribution of satellite droplets produced by spinning disk generators.
