Self-Aligned Focusing Schlieren System
Category: Analytical/Test
Developers: NASA Langley Research Center
Product Description:SAFS is a significant improvement in focusing schlieren, a well-established yet plateaued airflow visualization measurement technique. SAFS enables visualization of airflow structures on complex three-dimensional bodies that are difficult to observe with conventional schlieren systems. It is simpler to set up, more compact, vibration-resistant and more sensitive than traditional devices. It reduces setup time from weeks to mere minutes, and it requires optical access only from one side of the measurement region, eliminating the need for through-tunnel setups. The SAFS system also eliminates window glare by manipulating light polarization and is immune to vibrations thanks to retro-reflective materials. With these innovations, the SAFS system opens up new possibilities for more efficient, accurate and accessible flow visualization. By leveraging the power of light polarization, the SAFS system eliminates the need for separate grids, instead using a single grid element that serves as both the source and cutoff grid simultaneously. This innovation makes the system inherently self-aligned, reducing setup time and complexity while allowing for adjustments to sensitivity, field-of-view, and focus.
Developers: NASA Langley Research Center
Product Description:SAFS is a significant improvement in focusing schlieren, a well-established yet plateaued airflow visualization measurement technique. SAFS enables visualization of airflow structures on complex three-dimensional bodies that are difficult to observe with conventional schlieren systems. It is simpler to set up, more compact, vibration-resistant and more sensitive than traditional devices. It reduces setup time from weeks to mere minutes, and it requires optical access only from one side of the measurement region, eliminating the need for through-tunnel setups. The SAFS system also eliminates window glare by manipulating light polarization and is immune to vibrations thanks to retro-reflective materials. With these innovations, the SAFS system opens up new possibilities for more efficient, accurate and accessible flow visualization. By leveraging the power of light polarization, the SAFS system eliminates the need for separate grids, instead using a single grid element that serves as both the source and cutoff grid simultaneously. This innovation makes the system inherently self-aligned, reducing setup time and complexity while allowing for adjustments to sensitivity, field-of-view, and focus.
