Fourier averaging: a phase-averaging method for periodic flow

A new phase-averaging method, denoted as Fourier averaging, is presented for the investigation of periodic flows. In such flows, the moments of velocity, as estimated from a small number of samples, show fluctuations in their phasewise development. In previous methods these fluctuations are reduced by calculating moments from large phase intervals. Fourier averaging, in contrast, neglects high-frequency fluctuations and assumes that they are of no physical relevance. This method supplies additional information on amplitudes and phase angles of discrete frequencies, which may then be used for visualizations of flow fields at any desired phase increment. The Fourier averaging method was verified empirically by LDA measurements and compared to other methods. It is shown that the results obtained by Fourier averaging are more accurate than for previously known methods. Received: 15 June 1998/Accepted: 15 April 1999