Assessment of Fuzzy Logic Based Data Validation Technique for 3-d Particle Tracking Velocimetry

A data validation technique for 3-D particle tracking velocimetry is proposed. Rule based fuzzy logic system has been used. In the proposed scheme, the PTV pairing results will be provided as an input to the validating system. Then, velocity vectors of the particles in the neighborhood are measured, in terms of velocity gradient, direction and magnitude. The distance between vector midpoints, difference in vector magnitudes, average value of vector magnitude and the sum of the squares of the differences of the x, y and z-components of the velocity vectors are used as reference parameters for evaluation. Depending upon the combination of the values of these different parameters the fuzzy logic system will check how much the vectors are likely to be declared as true vectors in terms of numerical parameter called confidence. Higher value of confidence shows that the vectors under consideration as true while the vectors are likely to be erroneous for lower value of confidence. The results are tested with various PTV results. The validation results are encouraging with very low possibility of false vector being accepted and true vector being rejected with reasonable values of confidences..