Abstract
This paper describes three-dimensional particle tracking velocimetry (3D PTV) technique, which enables us to obtain remarkably larger number of velocity vectors than previous techniques. In stead of the usual stereoscopic image recordings, the present 3D PTV technique visualizes an entire three-dimensional flow with the scanning laser-light sheets generated from a pair of optical scanners and the images are taken by a high-speed video system synchronized with the scannings. The digital image analyses to derive velocity components are based on the numerical procedure with sub-pixel accuracy. It is demonstrated that the 3D velocity components are satisfactorily captured and that they are in good agreement with the numerically predicted results.
