Plenoptic Flow Imaging for Ground Testing

Instantaneous volumetric flow imaging is crucial to aerodynamic development and testing. Simultaneous volumetric measurement of flow parameters enables accurate capture of temporally dynamic or transient flow phenomena. Nanohmics, Inc. proposes to develop a high-speed, high-resolution plenoptic lightfield flow imaging system to capture a rapid time sequence of simultaneously measured density, velocity and pressure throughout a test volume seeded for laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). The plenoptic imager leverages Nanohmics' existing AOI Plenoptic technology based on commercial-off-the-shelf components, providing a rapid route to commercialization. The proposed Nanohmics plenoptic flow imager is instantaneous and therefore able to capture rapidly evolving or oscillatory flow phenomena such as turbulence or vortices (unlike existing plane-scanning techniques). Our Phase II objectives include capture rates of 200,000 Hz or more, and volumetric resolution of over one million volume elements (voxels) – well beyond existing volumetric flow imaging demonstrations. We will leverage two of Nanohmics' current core technologies: our AOI Plenoptic lightfield camera (currently at TRL 7) and our FlashLED illumination system (currently at TRL 6). Leveraging efficient computation hardware developed for plenoptic (wavefront sensing) applications, we will extend our existing plenoptic 3D processing algorithms and to enhance the extraction of volumetric flow density, and combine these with iterative application of fluid equations to extract volumetric velocity and pressure fields. The Phase I objective is to design and fabricate an instantaneous volumetric 3D plenoptic flow imaging system, tested in a wind tunnel seeded for laser-induced fluorescence. The Phase II objective includes increases in speed and resolution, and advancing to TRL 7.

A plenoptic flow imaging system would provide fast, instantaneous volumetric flow capture for use in aerodynamic development and testing, including for future NASA vehicles with non-traditional aerodynamic geometries or advanced propulsion or flow control surfaces. The plenoptic approach may be the only means for capturing volumetric flow data simultaneously, allowing researchers to see for the first time rapidly evolving volumetric flow features – with time increments as small as 5 microseconds or less. Our cost-effective, high-performance plenoptic flow imaging system would be a valuable tool for aerodynamic research and the development of faster and more efficient air vehicles.

Leveraging our on-going commercialization and sales of plenoptic imagers, we expect our cost-effective, high-performance plenoptic flow imaging system to be a valuable tool to government (including Department of Defense), commercial, and university aerodynamic R&D, for the development of faster and more efficient air vehicles, and for use in aerodynamic development and testing, including for future vehicles with non-traditional aerodynamic geometries or advanced propulsion or flow control surfaces. The plenoptic flow imaging system will allow researchers to see rapidly evolving volumetric flow features – with time increments as small as 5 microseconds or less. Nanohmics spin-off – Austin Optical Innovations – will help reduce cost of our core plenoptic camera technology through commercialization, including for applications such as plenoptic wavefront sensing. Other potential applications go beyond aerodynamic measurement. A number of applications involve fluid flow that can be seeded or perhaps provide their own photon emissions, for example: visualizing flow and reactant concentration in chemical reaction vessels; semiconductor deposition processes like chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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