Measurement of pressure distribution from PIV experiments

In this study, a non-staggered grid SIMPLER pressure solution algorithm, which is able to produce correct pressure distribution directly if correct velocities are given, is proposed to solve the pressure distribution for PIV experiments. The cell face pseudo velocity required in the pressure equation is approximated by a simple linear average of the adjacent nodal pseudo velocities so that the velocity and pressure are collocated without causing the checkerboard pressure distribution problem. In addition, the proposed pressure solution algorithm has the features that upwind effects of the convective terms are considered, boundary conditions are not required, and the pressure distribution obtained can be used to correct the velocity field so that the continuity equation is satisfied. These features make the present algorithm a superior method to calculate the pressure distribution for PIV experiments. The pressure field solved is realistic and accurate. The proposed pressure equation solver is first calibrated with a two-dimensional cavity flow. It is found that the results are almost identical to the exact solution of the test flow. The algorithm is then applied to analyze a uniform flow past two side-by-side circular cylinders in a soap film channel. With the velocity and pressure distributions successfully measured, the structures of the complex shedding flow patterns are clearly manifested.