LaVision’s ParticleMaster IMI imaging system is optimized for spray investigations of smaller droplets at low and medium droplet densities. Defocused Mie scattering is used to generate a fringe pattern from each droplet with its fringe spacing related to the droplet size. This intererometric sizing method is limited to transparent and spherical droplets. The ParticleMaster IMI system is hardware compatible with LaVision’s FlowMaster 2D or Stereo PIV systems.
Both, ParticleMaster Shadow and IMI are based on imaging techniques to measure particle size. Their limit to smaller size is determined by the nature of light. While the shadowgraphy technique uses a direct image, IMI is based on coherent light scattering and allows to extend the range of detectable droplets to even smaller sizes.