An improved calibration methodology and uncertainty assessment in measurements of microbubble size and concentration

Journal Article (2025)
Author(s)

Marinus Stigter (TU Delft - Fluid Mechanics)

D. Fiscaletti (TU Delft - Ship Hydromechanics)

Gerrit E. Elsinga (TU Delft - Fluid Mechanics)

Tom J.C. van Terwisga (Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN), TU Delft - Ship Hydromechanics and Structures)

J Westerweel (TU Delft - Fluid Mechanics)

Research Group
Fluid Mechanics
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-024-03929-3
More Info
expand_more
Publication Year
2025
Language
English
Research Group
Fluid Mechanics
Issue number
1
Volume number
66
Reuse Rights

Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.

Abstract

Interferometric particle imaging (IPI) is used to measure both the size distribution and concentration of microbubbles (with a diameter less than 100 micron) in water. Using a new method for calibration makes it possible to obtain quantitative results for the concentration of microbubbles. The results are validated using imaging with a long-range microscope shadowgraph (LMS). Estimates of the size distribution and concentration from both IPI and LMS agree within uncertainty limits. The relative uncertainty in the IPI concentration estimation is about 10% and is mostly due to the finite number of detected bubbles. It is shown that the performance of the bubble-image detection algorithm needs to be quantified to obtain a reliable estimate of the concentration obtained with IPI.