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The grid turbulence past a grid made of row of prismatic circular rods (rod diameter = 10 mm, rod spacing = 20 mm) perpendicular to the flow is observed by using a pair of PIV cameras. The first one has field of view larger (81 mm), the second one smaller (31 mm), which increases the dynamical range, where the spectral turbulence properties can be explored. Energy spectra displays usual behavior approximately following k −5/3 law, the anisotropy originates at larger scales and the flatness describing strong rare events is connected with smaller scales. The spectral properties of vorticity do not collapse due to the different lengthscale of differentiation, which make questionable the previous research based on the vorticity statistics. Research background: Grid turbulence is the best experimentally accessible prototype of ideal homogenous and isotropic turbulence, although it is known, it is not exactly the ideal one. Purpose of the article: This contribution explores the possibility of expanding the limited dynamical range of PIV method. Methods: Particle Image Velocimetry is based on observing the motion of small particles carried by the flow. Findings & Value added: Anisotropy connected with large scales, flatness with small scales; it does not work for vorticity.

This paper presents the results of the drag coefficient estimations for different types of NREL airfoils based on the experimental data. Namely, it was S803, S807, S813, and S817 profiles with the same chord length. The investigations were conducted at three angles of attack α=0°, α=±5°, different chord-based Reynolds numbers 0.6×105, 1.3×105 and 2.6×105. While, measuring cross-sections were placed behind the trailing edge at x∙c−1≈0.2, 0.4 and 1.0. Experimental data were collected using a hot-wire split fiber probe 55R55, which allowed us to estimate the characteristics of turbulent flow in stream-wise and crosswise directions. According to the obtained results, the highest and lowest Cd values correspond to profiles S817 and S803, respectively. Moreover, the results show that more asymmetric profiles S803 and S807 have the lowest resistance at zero angles of attack. Research background: Application of Antonia and Rajagopalan methodology to drag assessment of various stream bodies. Purpose of the article: Comparative evaluation of the drag coefficients of the NREL airfoils based on instantaneous velocity distribution behind. Methods: Hot-wire anemometry with split fiber probe 55R55. Findings & Value added: The highest drag coefficient corresponds to the S817 profile. The asymmetry of the airfoil shape has a significant impact on its drag characteristics.

A circular cylinder in crossflow is subjected to the study of 3D dynamical structure of its wake. The typical dynamics is characterized by quasi-periodic behaviour called Kármán – Bénard vortex street with the typical frequency in dimensionless form known as Strouhal number. The experimental study relies on stereo Particle Image Velocimetry method, the plane of measurement is perpendicular to the flow in the distance 3.8 cylinder diameters in streamwise direction. Reynolds number was around 5 thousand. The structure and dynamical behaviour of the wake along the cylinder axis is studied in details. On the top of the known streamwise velocity deficit definition of the wake, the streamwise oriented dynamically evolving vortices are detected. For the detailed dynamics examination, the Oscillation Pattern Decomposition method was used. Waves of various structures travelling along the cylinder axis as well as some pulsations were identified. The wake dynamics is characterised by the streamwise velocity component deficit and the streamwise vorticity concentration. Both structures are moving periodically in transversal direction with the same frequency, the velocity deficit is shifted by a quarter of period behind the vorticity concentration in the shedding process.

The circular cylinder turbulent wake is studied experimentally using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) method. The vorticity component parallel to the cylinder axis is evaluated from measured velocity field. Dynamics of the vorticity field is analysed using the Oscillation Pattern Decomposition (OPD) method. The 3 dominant modes corresponding to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd harmonics of Strouhal frequency are detected and presented. The corresponding topologies are characterized by waves of vortical systems. The results are similar to the dynamics of velocity field, however the procedure is much easier to implement, as only half number of degrees of freedom are active.

This work aimed to investigate the turbulence characteristics behind different parts of the wind turbine blade. Airfoils S807, S813, S817, and S803, which characterize the shape of the blade at different lengths, were selected for estimation. During the experiment, the chord-based Reynolds number was 2.6×105, while the angle of attack was zero. Measuring crosssections were placed behind the trailing edge at x·c-1≈0.2, 0.4 and 1.0. For the determination flow topology, we used a Hotwire anemometry with a split fiber probe 55R55 and a miniature X-wire probe 55P64. The obtained data allowed us to determine and compare the evolution of the wake behind different types of airfoils in streamwise and spanwise directions. Thus, the largest and smallest velocity deficit located behind S817 and S803 airfoils, respectively. This trend is also evident in the Normalized Reynolds shear stress distributions. Finally, we determined the spectrum and calculated the Integral length scale, the Taylor and Kolmogorov microscale of turbulent flow. According to the results, profile S817 contributes to the formation of a flow with a large scale of turbulence, while the S803 is contrary.

This paper is devoted to the development of a new probe to measure a drift from cooling towers. The probe was named DPIK (Drop Hunter Isokinetic) and its development consists of a design of the aerodynamic and microelectronic part of the probe, verification methods, design and testing, verification tests in laboratory conditions and measurements on a model of the cooling tower. The paper deals mainly with the verification tools, as these methods are very closely related to the aerodynamic part of the probe design. Two options were chosen for verifying the probe principle. The first of these was the Interferometric Particle Imaging (IPI) method, the second was another optical method using similar experimental equipment Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV).

The Particle Image Velocimetry is utilized to investigate flow behind a cylinder of finite length with subcritical value of Aspect Ratio (AR). The cylinder is submitted to uniform freestream with very low intensity of turbulence and thin laminar boundary layer. The flow field cannot be expected as 2D even for time-averaged quantities. The Strouhal number is evaluated in various planes of measurement. The wake is fully turbulent and is composed of many streamwise and spanwise-oriented structures. Such complex flow is very convenient to be subjected to dynamical decomposition analysis.

Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is an experimental method of fluid research resulting into a spatially resolved two-dimensional velocity field. We measured the velocity inside a single-stage axial test turbine at the Czech Aerospace Research Centre. We studied the axial × tangential plane just behind the rotor wheel at the tip radius under three regimes: underloaded, designed and overloaded ones. We found individual vortices in the instantaneous snapshots and we analyze their properties statistically.

We observe that decreasing the inner nozzle surface by adding longitudinal ribs increases the jet stability in terms of the amount of turbulent kinetic energy in the near shear layer. We try to explain our observation as a stabilization effect of secondary flow vortices emerging in the corners of the ribs. These stream-wise vortices damage the development of larger-scale structures in the near shear layer. This explanation is supported by autocorrelation function of the stream-wise velocity component, which displays slightly smaller integral length-scale in the case with ribs than in the case of smooth nozzle. The experiment is performed at Reynolds number 2.2 × 105 (based on the nozzle diameter 50 mm); the Stereo-PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) measurement takes place at the plane perpendicular to the jet axis one diameter past the nozzle exit. Optical 3D scanner controls the real nozzle geometry. This article presents preliminary measurement at single position and single velocity only; further exploration of this problem is needed.

Flow in a branched channel is studied experimentally using the PIV technique. The branches are issuing from the main channel perpendicularly, all channels are of rectangular cross-section. The flow dynamics in one particular branch is investigated using the OPD method.