Experimentally analyzing and quantifying flow structures remains at the forefront of fluid mechanics research. The inability of simple particle image velocimetry (PIV) to fully capture phenomena in a flow field is directly related to its 2D nature. Attempts to remedy this and produce 3D flow fields have been generally successful through methods such as multi-plane stereo PIV and tomographic PIV. However, these methods require many cameras and complicated setups. Instead, a plenoptic camera can capture a 3D flow field instantaneously with only one camera. Through the addition of a microlens array, the camera is able to capture the complete angular and spatial distribution of light rays in a photograph (the “light field”). This means that a single camera can not only identify the x-axis and y-axis location of a particle, but also the z-axis location. This data in the camera is then reconstructed using advanced algorithms such as the multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique (MART) to produce a 3D field of the particles, and ultimately, an instantaneous 3D velocity field.

The main goal of this project is to implement a plenoptic camera into the CeFPaC facility that allows for the taking of plenoptic PIV (PPIV) measurements on a variety of current and future projects. Current experimentation using PPIV includes flow field analysis of vortex rings from a free jet, laminar flow over an airfoil, and the flow field created by a pitched and plunging airfoil.