Hydraulics

Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

Velocity Measurement by Flow Visualisation

Following material is taken from: Meenakshisundaram. S. "Flow visualisation by
Hydrogen bubble technique and its use in some Fluid problems". M.S.Thesis
Department of Applied Mechanics. IIT-Madras, February 1980.

What is Flow Visualisation

Flow Visualisation is a powerful tool in experimental fluid mechanics. The unique
advantage of this technique is that certain properties of the flow field become directly
accessible to visual perception and the insight into a physical process becomes clearer.
Most fluids are transparent media and their motion remains invisible to the human eye
during direct observations. However, the motion of such fluids can be recognized by
making use of techniques by which the flow is made visible and such techniques are
called flow visualisation techniques.
It is also possible to derive quantitative data from the flow pictures obtained by such
techniques. Information about the complete flow field can be arrived without physically
interfering with fluid flows. Flow measuring methods involve the use of a sensing device
or probe causing disturbance to the flow field. Also probe measurements provide data at
only one point at any given instant. It is therefore necessary to introduce a number of
probes to collect data from many points in a section at any given instant. Introduction of
a number of probes may completely change the flow conditions. Such difficulties can be
overcome by use of flow visualisation techniques.

Methods of Flow Visualisation

The methods of flow visualisation can be normally classified into three groups [l]
Injection of foreign material to the flowing fluid, [2] Optical method for compressible
flows, and (3) Introduction of contaminants in the form of heat or electrical energy.
In the first, a visible foreign material is introduced into the fluid. The essential condition
is that the particles of which the material is composed, must be small enough to follow
the fluid motion so closely that this velocity may be considered to be the same as that of
the fluid itself both in direction and magnitude. The relative motion between the fluid and
the foreign material particle should be minimum. These methods can be adopted for

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Hydraulics

Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

steady flows and give excellent results. However, errors can become enormous in the
case of unsteady flows owing to the finite size and inertia of the particles. The hydrogen
bubble technique of flow visualisation belongs to this group. The hydrogen bubble
technique can be used only if water is the flowing medium since the basic process
involved is electrolysis of water.
Since the flowing medium is ordinary tap water which is an electrolyte, gas bubbles can
be generated by the electrolysis of water. The electrolysis takes place when two
electrodes are immersed in water and a voltage applied, between them. Oxygen is
evolved at the anode and hydrogen at the cathode. The hydrogen bubbles so produced
are much smaller in size than the oxygen bubbles and the volume of hydrogen formed
is twice that of oxygen. Hence the hydrogen bubbles are used as tracer particles for
visualisation. If the cathode is a fine wire small hydrogen bubbles are produced from the
wire. Therefore the cathode is selected as the bubble producing wire and the anode
may be any conducting material or terminal immersed elsewhere in water. Normally the
cathode is a very thin wire of diameter 0.05 mm or less. Very thin wires produce very
small hydrogen bubbles in size and the buoyancy forces become negligible compared
to hydrodynamic drag forces causing little disturbance of actual flow conditions.
For the purpose of visualisation in air in wind tunnel experiments smoke lines are used
in the same way as dyes and other injecting materials in liquid flows. Smoke is usually
generated by vaporization of a mineral oil or by the burning or smoldering of wood,
paper or tobacco. Velocity profiles can also be visualized in liquids and air by electrolytic
and photochemical dye production. Controlled rate of dye production is done electrically
to determine the time and magnitude of voltage applied between electrodes. The dye
production can be carried out at all points or along a defined curve, but exact temporal
control should be maintained for better and accurate results.
The Schlieren method is the most frequently used optical visualisation technique in
aerodynamic and thermodynamic laboratories. This method utilizes a relatively simple
optical arrangement with a high degree of resolution.
In the third group of visualisation technique (which is a combination of the above
mentioned technique) a foreign substance is introduced into the flowing fluid in the form
Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Hydraulics

Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

of heat energy or electric discharge. The increased energy level of the fluid elements
needs an optical visualisation method for discrimination from the rest of the fluid. The
foreign substance in this case is immaterial since it is energy which is being transported
down the flow. These energy pockets of fluid elements behave like tracers in the flow
and can be discriminated from the rest of the fluid.

Comparison of the Hydrogen Bubble Technique with the Other

Methods
Experimental investigations in flow problems in water have played a significant role.
However, hydraulic engineers have several times used data from air flow for their
studies in water. Thus it becomes sometimes necessary to obtain reliable and direct
information from measurements in water. The hydrogen bubble technique which has
been used in water flow problems provides several advantages over other conventional
methods. They are as follows.
(1) As a tracer material, hydrogen bubbles never contaminate the flowing water and are
eminently suitable for recirculation systems.
(2) Controlled rate of injection of bubbles with high precision leads to a better evaluation
of quantitative data.
(3) Discrete lines are visible without diffusion and thus are suitable for photographic
analysis.
(4) Computation of velocity distribution over an entire cross-section of flow at one time
becomes possible.
(5) The bubble technique set up can be installed without the need for much elaborate
equipment.

Bubble Formation
As soon as the voltage is applied between the electrodes, bubbles are generated and
they tend to rise vertically under the influence of buoyancy forces. Initially at lower
values of current, the bubbles cannot be distinguished as they have a 'smoky'
appearance. Further increase in the current makes the bubbles distinct in appearance
and the diameter of the bubbles and rise velocity increase.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Hydraulics

Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

Bubble size and Buoyancy

The two forces acting on a bubble rising through water at a steady velocity V, are the
buoyancy force B and a drag force D. The buoyancy force acts vertically upwards and
the drag force acts downwards.
After equating the buoyance and drag forces for spherical bubble and rearranging one

d 2g
gets V =
. In which d is the diameter of the bubble, g is the acceleration due to
12
gravity, is the kinematic viscosity of water.
14.0

__
12.0

10.0

V = ___
d2 g
__ 12
V = Velocity of rising bubble
d = Bubble diameter
= Kinematic viscosity of water

8.0

6.0

4.0

2.0

0
0

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

0.14

Bubble diameter (mm)

VARIATION OF VELOCITY OF THE RISING BUBBLE WITH
BUBBLE DIAMETER BASED ON STOKES LAW
Fig 1 shows the theoretical variation of buoyancy velocity with diameter of the bubble.
Photograph-1 shows the velocity distribution along the centre line of the flume.
Shedding frequency 40 Hz and Reynolds number 18,800.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Hydraulics

Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

Plate-2: Velocity distribution in the test section at the centre of the flume- bubble
shedding frequency - 40 Hz, Re 18800

Flow

Plate 2: Velocity distribution in the test section at the centre

of the flume- bubble shedding frequency - 10 Hz, Re 18800
Plate 2 shows the velocity profile lines taken at an instant values of shedding frequency
of 10 Hz and Re = 18800. Flow is from right to left and cathode wire is seen as a
straight line. The instantaneous velocity is given by the product of the frequency of the
bubble shedding and the distance traveled in the x-direction.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Hydraulics

Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

The phenomenon of boundary layer separation can also be visualized with the flow past
circular cylinders. The regular pattern of vortices which move alternatively clockwise
and counter-clockwise (known as Karman vortex street) were studied for different
diameters of the cylinders by Meenakshisundaram. Fig. 4.

Fig. 4. Vortex shedding behind a cylinder without

pulsing of bubbles

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Hydraulics

Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

To observe the three dimensional flow patterns around models of obstructions, short
sections of models were placed in the flume without spanning the entire width of the
flume.
Figure 5 show the patterns of flow when the wire is placed at the centre line indicating
the vortex pattern for the same conditions of flow.

Fig. 5. Flow around a building Vortex Pattern - higher velocity - U = 0.17 m/s

Indian Institute of Technology Madras