Custom-made spherical fluorescent tracer particles for laser Velocimetry Laboratory Experiments

This article introduces a method for creating custom-made spherical fluorescent particles tailored for fluid mechanics optical velocimetry laboratory measurements techniques such as Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) measurement techniques. The incorporation of the fluorescent dye Rhodamine B into the particle bulk significantly reduces direct light reflections and enhances particle detection when enlightened by a laser and using a band-pass filter on the optical measurement device. Furthermore, the study offers a clear guide for adjusting particle diameter by modifying various parameters such as the stirrer used, its stirring speed, the surfactant concentration, and the type of polymer. This allows for the customization of particles best suited for water multiphase flow characterization and transport studies. The resulting particles exhibit excellent sphericity, making them suitable for a wide range of fluid mechanics investigations, from small to large scale. Experimental validations, including size measurements, density assessments, emission spectra analyses, and applicability in a confined flow affirm the effectiveness of the proposed methodology by exhibiting a signal-to-noise ratio four to five times higher than fluorescent surface-stained and non-fluorescent particles.