New adaptive sampling method in particle image velocimetry

This study proposes a new adaptive method to enable the number of interrogation windows and their positions in a particle image velocimetry (PIV) image interrogation algorithm to become self-adapted according to the seeding density. The proposed method can relax the constraint of uniform sampling rate and uniform window size commonly adopted in the traditional PIV algorithm. In addition, the positions of the sampling points are redistributed on the basis of the spring force generated by the sampling points. The advantages include control of the number of interrogation windows according to the local seeding density and smoother distribution of sampling points. The reliability of the adaptive sampling method is illustrated by processing synthetic and experimental images. The synthetic example attests to the advantages of the sampling method. Compared with that of the uniform interrogation technique in the experimental application, the spatial resolution is locally enhanced when using the proposed sampling method. (technical design note)