How to see inside something? Hot water flow pattern? Fiber Optic?

August 15, 2013 6:57 PM

I have a project where I need to see inside a sealed cup to see water flow pattern. The water is hot. I was thinking of a fiber optic camera, but need some help. The idea would be to make this repeatable. So the top and bottom are punctured to push water through at brew time. Any thoughts on device? Setup?
posted by strangej to Technology (8 answers total)

Do you get to choose the cup? (So you could just find a transparent one?)
posted by jacalata at 7:09 PM on August 15, 2013

Your description of the setup is kind of unclear—do you have a sketch or something of how this is set up? Also, might something like this work, if you drilled a hole into the side of the cup and then used epoxy or o-rings and washers and stuff to secure it/seal it?
posted by Maecenas at 7:18 PM on August 15, 2013

We need more information. Describe the sealed cup. Define hot. Pending further details I say use a laser doppler velocimeter for flow visualization. Too much? How about a shadowgraph? (Assuming clear sealed cup.)
posted by Rob Rockets at 7:21 PM on August 15, 2013

Sounds like a test of an AeroPress. Maybe polarizing filters?

Oops, look at shadowgrams.
posted by rhizome at 8:34 PM on August 15, 2013

make your own vacuforming machine and use transparent plastic.
posted by Infernarl at 9:43 PM on August 15, 2013

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) ?
DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A HYDRODYNAMIC TEST BED AND A DIGITAL PARTICLE IMAGE VELOCIMETRY
posted by Akeem at 12:47 AM on August 16, 2013

Why is the fluid heated?

Are you trying to visualize convection density gradients like in Rayleigh–Bénard cells or do you just need to visualize streamlines in the velocity field?
posted by oceanjesse at 4:09 AM on August 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

Infrared camera?
posted by fiercecupcake at 11:41 AM on August 16, 2013