Title: A PIV system for two-phase flow with nanoparticles

Authors: Xuefeng Xu, Jianbin Luo, Jing Yan

Addresses: State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

Abstract: The two-phase flow with nanoparticles (the solid liquid two-phase flow in which solid particles are from 1 nm to 100 nm) has been widely used in industries. A fundamental understanding of dynamics of nanoparticles in the flow is important and critical. In this study, a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system has been developed to measure the movement of nanoparticles in the flow. The system utilises fluorescent core–shell SiO₂ nanoparticles with a diameter around 55 nm as tracing particles. The error analysis of the system shows that the Brownian motion of particles plays a significant role in the accuracy of velocity measurements. By using the system, the velocity profile of nanoparticles in a channel flow is obtained and analysed.

Keywords: two-phase flow; nanoparticles; fluorescent core–shell nanoparticle; PIV; particle image velocimetry; nanotechnology; velocity measurements; channel flow.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSURFSE.2008.018975

International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering, 2008 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.168 - 175

Published online: 26 Jun 2008 *

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