Particle Image Velocimetry
Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is a non-intrusive optical technique in fluid mechanics that measures instantaneous velocity fields. By adding tracer particles to a fluid, illuminating them with a pulsed laser sheet, and capturing sequential frames with a high-speed camera, PIV calculates particle displacement to map fluid velocity across an entire plane.
This method provides quantitative flow visualization with velocity vectors (speed and direction), making it essential for aerodynamics, combustion, microfluidics, and other advanced fluid dynamics research, often producing detailed velocity maps of complex flow patterns.
Chronos High-Speed Cameras allow for:
Balloon Burst - Airflow and Vortex Analysis Using Chronos 4K12
High-speed imaging captures rapid air displacement from a bursting balloon, revealing transient velocity and vortex structures formed in the surrounding flow.
Res/FPS: 4K Res @ 1006 FPS, 10-bit, Monochrome
More video examples below.
Why High-Speed Imaging Matters
High-speed cameras are essential for Time-Resolved Particle Image Velocimetry (TR-PIV), where flow events occur in milliseconds, enabling high-frame-rate capture for accurate fluid velocity mapping and turbulence analysis.
Why Choose Chronos for PIV
Open Workflow Without Proprietary Lock-In
Chronos high-speed cameras integrate easily with open-source and custom PIV workflows, giving researchers the flexibility to use tools like OpenPIV, PIVlab, MATLAB, and Python without expensive proprietary software dependencies.
Cost-Effective and Compact for Flexible PIV Setups
Designed for modern research environments, Chronos cameras combine affordability with a compact form factor, making multi-camera PIV systems, wind tunnel experiments, and custom laboratory setups more accessible and easier to deploy.
High Frame Rates for Fast Flow Analysis
Chronos cameras support frame straddling for precise timing in high-speed PIV workflows.
They capture transient flow phenomena such as turbulence, vortex shedding, droplet breakup, combustion, and cavitation with the frame rates and temporal resolution required for accurate PIV analysis.
Flexible Triggering & System Synchronization
Chronos cameras support precise triggering and synchronization with lasers, sensors, DAQs, and external instruments, enabling seamless integration into advanced PIV and experimental fluid mechanics workflows.
Frame Straddling for Precise PIV Timing
Chronos high-speed cameras enable precise PIV with high frame rates and accurate temporal resolution for advanced fluid flow analysis.
While PIV commonly uses sequential image capture to measure particle displacement between frames, faster flows can be analyzed using frame straddling. This technique captures two images with an extremely short, controlled time separation between exposures. The increased temporal resolution allows to resolve fast flows.
Chronos cameras support frame straddling for enhanced temporal resolution in high-speed PIV and fluid dynamics research.
Frame Straddling Times:
- Chronos 1.4: 5.56 µs
- Chronos 2.1-HD: 6.67 µs
- Chronos 4K12: 34.00 µs
Key Use-Cases
Measuring air-fuel mixing, flame-vortex interaction, and exhaust gas recirculation in engines and gas turbines.
Investigating bubble dynamics and particle-laden flow in pumps, turbines, or underwater applications.
Analyzing blood flow patterns, micro-scale mixing, and drug delivery mechanisms.
Studying transient vortical structures in jets, wakes, and boundary layers.
Capturing rapid flow structures in high-speed aerospace and defense applications.
Real-world Particle Image Velocimetry Examples
Filmed with Chronos High-Speed Cameras
Plopper in Air - PIV Flow Visualization
Filmed in slow motion, this PIV sequence visualizes the airflow and vortices generated as a plopper travels through the air, highlighting aerodynamic patterns.
Camera: Chronos 4K12 (Mono)
Res x FPS: 4K Res @ 1006 FPS, 10-bit
Shot by: Dr. William Thielicke - Optolution
Candle Steam Boat - PIV Jet Propulsion Analysis
Slow-motion visualization reveals jet propulsion of a candle-powered steam boat, visualizing velocity fields and fluid flow generated by heating and water displacement.
Camera: Chronos 4K12 (Mono)
Res x FPS: 4K Res @ 1006 FPS, 10-bit
Shot by: Dr. William Thielicke - Optolution
Plopper in Water - PIV Flow Visualization
Filmed in slow motion, this PIV sequence visualizes the velocity and vortices generated as a plopper travels upward through water, highlighting detailed fluid dynamics.
Camera: Chronos 4K12 (Mono)
Res x FPS: 4K Res @ 1006 FPS, 10-bit
Shot by: Dr. William Thielicke - Optolution
Explore More Resources
- Chronos in Publication
- Research Papers & References
- Blogs/Tutorials
- Fu, S., & Raayai-Ardakani, S. (2023). Double-light-sheet, consecutive-overlapping particle image velocimetry for the study of boundary layers past opaque objects. arXiv.
- Luberto, L., & De Payrebrune, K. M. (2021). Examination of laminar Couette flow with obstacles by a low-cost particle image velocimetry setup. Physics of Fluids, 33(3), 033603
- Chalich, Y., Mallick, A., Gupta, B., & Deen, M. J. (2020). Development of a low-cost, user-customizable, high-speed camera. Review of Scientific Instruments, 91(6), 063703
- Duke, D. J., Knast, T., Thethy, B., Gisler, L., & Edgington-Mitchell, D. (2019). A low-cost high-speed CMOS camera for scientific imaging. Measurement Science and Technology, 30(7), 075403.
- Duke, D. J., Knast, T., & Edgington-Mitchell, D. (2018). Low cost high speed digital cameras for experimental fluid mechanics. In T. C. W. Lau & R. M. Kelso (Eds.), Proceedings of the 21st Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference. Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society.
- Willert, C. (2025). Event-based particle image velocimetry for high-speed flows. Measurement Science and Technology, 36(7), 075302.
- Maya, L., Fan, L., Durocher, A., Savard, B., & Vena, P. (2025). An evaluation of event-based cameras for particle image velocimetry. Experiments in Fluids, 66(204).
- Zhang, Y., Xiong, B., Zhou, Y., Su, C., Cheng, Z., Yu, Z., Cao, X., & Huang, T. (2025). Spike imaging velocimetry: Dense motion estimation of fluids using spike cameras. arXiv.
- Raffel, M., Braukmann, J. N., Willert, C. E., Giuseppini, L., & Wolf, C. C. (2024). Feasibility study of in-line particle image velocimetry. Experiments in Fluids, 65(35).
- Yamamoto, F. and Ishikawa, M., 2022. A Review of the Recent PIV Studies.
- Aguirre-Pablo, A. A., Langley, K. R., & Thoroddsen, S. T. (2020). High-speed time-resolved tomographic particle shadow velocimetry using smartphones. Applied Sciences, 10(20), 7094.
- Howell, J., Hammarton, T. C., Altmann, Y., & Jimenez, M. (2020). High-speed particle detection and tracking in microfluidic devices using event-based sensing. Biomedical Engineering Research.
- Cely, M.M.H., Baptistella, V.E. and Rodriguez, O.M., 2018. Study and characterization of gas-liquid slug flow in an annular duct, using high speed video camera, wire-mesh sensor and PIV. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 98, pp.563-575.
- Fan, L., Gao, Y., Hayakawa, A., & Hochgreb, S. (2017). Simultaneous, two-camera, 2D gas-phase temperature and velocity measurements by thermographic particle image velocimetry with ZnO tracers. Experiments in Fluids, 58(34).
- Hashimoto, K., Hori, A., Hara, T., Onogi, S., & Mouri, H. (2012). Dual-camera system for high-speed imaging in particle image velocimetry. arXiv.
- Towers, D. P., & Towers, C. E. (2004). Cyclic variability measurements of in-cylinder engine flows using high-speed particle image velocimetry. Measurement Science and Technology, 15(7), 1372–1381.
- Grant, I., & Wang, X. (1995). Directionally-unambiguous digital particle image velocimetry studies using an image intensifier camera. Measurement Science and Technology, 6(7), 809–815.
- Fu, S., & Raayai-Ardakani, S. (2023). Double-light-sheet, consecutive-overlapping particle image velocimetry for the study of boundary layers past opaque objects. arXiv.
- Luberto, L., & De Payrebrune, K. M. (2021). Examination of laminar Couette flow with obstacles by a low-cost particle image velocimetry setup. Physics of Fluids, 33(3), 033603
- Chalich, Y., Mallick, A., Gupta, B., & Deen, M. J. (2020). Development of a low-cost, user-customizable, high-speed camera. Review of Scientific Instruments, 91(6), 063703
- Duke, D. J., Knast, T., Thethy, B., Gisler, L., & Edgington-Mitchell, D. (2019). A low-cost high-speed CMOS camera for scientific imaging. Measurement Science and Technology, 30(7), 075403.
- Duke, D. J., Knast, T., & Edgington-Mitchell, D. (2018). Low cost high speed digital cameras for experimental fluid mechanics. In T. C. W. Lau & R. M. Kelso (Eds.), Proceedings of the 21st Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference. Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society.
- Willert, C. (2025). Event-based particle image velocimetry for high-speed flows. Measurement Science and Technology, 36(7), 075302.
- Maya, L., Fan, L., Durocher, A., Savard, B., & Vena, P. (2025). An evaluation of event-based cameras for particle image velocimetry. Experiments in Fluids, 66(204).
- Zhang, Y., Xiong, B., Zhou, Y., Su, C., Cheng, Z., Yu, Z., Cao, X., & Huang, T. (2025). Spike imaging velocimetry: Dense motion estimation of fluids using spike cameras. arXiv.
- Raffel, M., Braukmann, J. N., Willert, C. E., Giuseppini, L., & Wolf, C. C. (2024). Feasibility study of in-line particle image velocimetry. Experiments in Fluids, 65(35).
- Yamamoto, F. and Ishikawa, M., 2022. A Review of the Recent PIV Studies.
- Aguirre-Pablo, A. A., Langley, K. R., & Thoroddsen, S. T. (2020). High-speed time-resolved tomographic particle shadow velocimetry using smartphones. Applied Sciences, 10(20), 7094.
- Howell, J., Hammarton, T. C., Altmann, Y., & Jimenez, M. (2020). High-speed particle detection and tracking in microfluidic devices using event-based sensing. Biomedical Engineering Research.
- Cely, M.M.H., Baptistella, V.E. and Rodriguez, O.M., 2018. Study and characterization of gas-liquid slug flow in an annular duct, using high speed video camera, wire-mesh sensor and PIV. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 98, pp.563-575.
- Fan, L., Gao, Y., Hayakawa, A., & Hochgreb, S. (2017). Simultaneous, two-camera, 2D gas-phase temperature and velocity measurements by thermographic particle image velocimetry with ZnO tracers. Experiments in Fluids, 58(34).
- Hashimoto, K., Hori, A., Hara, T., Onogi, S., & Mouri, H. (2012). Dual-camera system for high-speed imaging in particle image velocimetry. arXiv.
- Towers, D. P., & Towers, C. E. (2004). Cyclic variability measurements of in-cylinder engine flows using high-speed particle image velocimetry. Measurement Science and Technology, 15(7), 1372–1381.
- Grant, I., & Wang, X. (1995). Directionally-unambiguous digital particle image velocimetry studies using an image intensifier camera. Measurement Science and Technology, 6(7), 809–815.