Schlieren Imaging of a Supersonic Wind Tunnel

This project exemplifies Schlieren Imaging on a Supersonic Wind Tunnel. Schlieren Imaging allows one to visualize fluid flow by refracting light through a fluid. The Schlieren Imaging system denoted in this paper is used to visualize the shock waves of air onto a test section within a supersonic wind tunnel. This is done by directing a beam of light through a test section and then focusing the light onto a blade edge. This blade edge then breaks up the light beam so that the refractions, created by the pressure differences, are blocked by the knife edge which allows the pressure differences in the fluid to be visualized. The image provided by this system may be used for an instructional lab or for general experimentation. The main design components in this design project include the fixturing techniques for a set of parabolic mirrors and the correct placement of components to achieve a Schlieren Image