Three-dimensional temperature measurements in enclosures by using multiview interferometric tomography

Optical tomography using interferometric data is applied in this study to measure three-dimensional flow and heat transfer phenomena in a differentially heated cubic enclosure. The interferometric recording and reconstruction system, associated fringe readout and tomographic reconstruction procedures, and the results from this analysis are described, highlighting the specific challenges facing application of the technique to enclosure flows. The features unique to the investigation of enclosure flows using interferometric tomography include limited view angle, refraction effects and the lack of a visible reference fringe. The experimental results are verified by comparison with independent temperature measurements. The comparisons indicate that this experimental technique can yield three-dimensional perspectives of complex flows having sufficient spatial resolution to verify detailed three-dimensional direct numerical simulations.