TRIPLE LASER SHEET VELOCIMETRY WITH ONE CAMERA

A method and a system to characterize the velocity of a fluid flow through a flow channel using particle image velocimetry with one camera is provided. The method includes introducing a fluid flow into the fluid channel. The fluid includes fluid particles and tracer particles. At least two planar cross sections of the fluid flow are illuminated by a light source of a different color and spaced apart by a fixed distance. Successive images are captured with a single image receiver such as a camera such that each illuminated planar cross section is captured separately with the image receiver. From the captured images, a velocity of the fluid flow through the channel is determined by a processor.