Project overview
The project aims to develop a Laboratory that will house Flow Facilities with Refractive-Index-Matched Solution (FoRMS lab). The lab comprises of two recirculating fluid flow loops designed to carry out experiments by matching the refractive index of the fluid with that of clear-solid models. Typically, laser diagnostics provides full-field information in areas of a flow where there is optical access. However, it is impossible to gain optical access in most complex flows where the important information is near the surface, within the substrate or is obscured by the model. This inaccessibility can be solved by matching the refractive index of the solid to the fluid, which allows access to laser-based flow diagnostics techniques like particle image velocimetry (PIV) and obtaining full-flow field data in previously inaccessible locations. We aim to use to Sodium Iodide salt solution that has the same refractive index as most PMMA. Therefore, models made from acrylic/perspex etc as well as silicone elastomers will have the same index of refraction as the fluid. These materials are ideal for rapid manufacture of model using a combination of 3D printing as well as casting and moulding techniques. We will be able to carry out high-fidelity experiments where new full-field velocity information can be obtained in complex flows that enables using transition to a data-driven modelling paradigm that has remained elusive for these complex flows.
