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Cavitar | Schlieren Imaging Solutions

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Cavitar Schlieren Imaging Solution is a true plug and play solution designed to be up and ready in minutes. With a variety of custom drop-in mask options, our Schlieren system has been optimized for use with Cavitar's CAVILUX laser illumination. The powerful pulsed diode laser light source enables a ...Read more
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Cavitar Schlieren Imaging Solution is a true plug and play solution designed to be up and ready in minutes. With a variety of custom drop-in mask options, our Schlieren system has been optimized for use with Cavitar's CAVILUX laser illumination. The powerful pulsed diode laser light source enables achieving high sensitivity and the extremely short pulses enable visualization of fast phenomena without motion blur and you get to capture mind blowing footage.

Schlieren imaging is used to detect changes in an object's refraction index. The index of refraction is a property of all substances that describes the phase shift experienced by a beam of light passing through the substance's boundaries. Only the amplitude and color contrast of a light beam can be detected by our eyes and ordinary cameras. Schlieren methods reveal phase differences by converting them to amplitude and, in some cases, color differences. A light beam bends or refracts as it passes through a refractive index gradient. These deflected rays can be visualized by a standard camera or high speed camera using appropriate methods.

Two types of systems available: Z- Type Schlieren mirror-based system or Lens Schlieren based system

Examples of Schlieren applications and processes:

  • Welding process imaging (shadowgraph also possible)
  • Welding research
  • Additive manufacturing
  • Energy technologies
  • Chemical industry (mixing of liquids and gasses)
  • Shockwaves Ballistics
  • Aerospace Materials testing

Cavilux system fo Schlieren Imaging Solution

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Understanding the Main Features of Cavitar’s CAVILUX Smart and CAVILUX HF

Feature CAVILUX Smart CAVILUX HF
Wavelength 640 nm or 810 nm 810 nm
Fiber core diameter 5 mm or 3 mm 1.5 mm
Minimum pulse duration with peak power reaching the specific pulse power 30 ns 100 ns
Minimum pulse duration with lower power than peak power 10 ns 50 ns
Max. duty cycle (High speed mode) 0.1 % 2 %
Max. repetition rate (30 ns pulses) 33 kHz -
Max. repetition rate (100 ns pulses) 10 kHz 200 kHz
Max. repetition rate (1 µs pulses) 1 kHz 20 kHz

* with peak power reaching the specified pulse power

Wavelength

If visible light is necessary, then CAVILUX Smart 640 nm is the standard product (not taking into account possible customized solutions). The CAVILUX HF is equipped with a visible laser pointer beam (green light). Color cameras typically have an IR cut filter in front of the sensor which blocks 810 nm. Some cameras allow the removal of that filter and in this case CAVILUX 640 nm and 810 nm can be used.

Fiber core diameter

CAVILUX Smart has a fiber core diameter of either 5 mm (400 W @ 640 nm) or 3 mm (500 W @ 810 nm, 200 W @ 640 nm), whereas CAVILUX HF has a fiber core diameter of 1.5 mm. This means that CAVILUX HF has 4-11 times higher brightness than CAVILUX Smart. Higher brightness enables the illumination of a smaller area from a certain distance or, alternatively, the illumination of a certain area from a greater distance. CAVILUX Smart 200 W provides a higher brightness than CAVILUX Smart 400 W if the illuminated area is smaller than 3 mm.

Minimum pulse duration

The minimum pulse duration for CAVILUX Smart enabling full output power is ~30 ns. CAVILUX Smart can create pulse durations up to 10 ns but then the output power is lower. The minimum pulse duration for CAVILUX HF at full power is ~100 ns and 50 ns at lower output power. A very short pulse may be needed for removing motion blur when a small and fast-moving object is studied at high magnification. CAVILUX Smart has shorter rise and fall times than CAVILUX HF. Therefore, Smart can generate extremely short pulses (below 100 ns) more accurately than CAVILUX HF.