Particle image velocimetry measurements in complex geometries

One of the advantages of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is its ability to determine the instantaneous flow field over two- or three-dimensional domains. Yet PIV has had limited application to complex flow passages because of the difficulty in replicating these geometries with optically transparent materials. In this work, we describe a method for overcoming this difficulty using rapid prototyping techniques. As an illustrative example, the technique has been used to characterize flow in a model of the human nasal cavity.