Who are we?

Interactive Flow Studies, started in 2005, is a US based business serving customers Worldwide. We specialize in developing products to be used in laboratory or classroom education. FLOWEX™ software is specifically developed for education for the purpose of flow visualization and analysis with integrated educational particle image velocimetry, computational fluid dynamics and computer aided design.

Fluid mechanics is a highly visual subject and so during the teaching process one must take full advantage of this fact. Educational Interactive Flow Visualization & Analysis Systems are simple to use and include both hardware and software for fluid science and engineering education at undergraduate and graduate school levels. FLOWCOACH™ and ePIV™ provide faculty the latest technology as a teaching tool allowing them to acquire new knowledge and skills.

For example, the ePIV and Flowcoach systems have been fully integrated into the teaching of fluid mechanics at the University of Iowa. For further information please go to this link.

The technology development is based upon work partly funded by the National Science Foundation.

Design→Build→Test→Analyze

FLOWCOACH™ and ePIV™ modules allow educators and students to obtain full understanding of the fluid mechanics theory with experimental visualization. The students can use different flow model inserts or design their own inserts. Inserts can be made by machining, molding or rapid prototyping. Students can simulate the flow using the educational CFD module integrated with PIV in FLOWEX™ software. This is a great way to teach students the complete design process!

Hands-on Approach to Learning Fluid Flow Phenomena

The ePIV or the Flowcoach system is an educational version of particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurement system for flow visualization and measurement, developed by the Interactive Flow Studies Corporation. The PIV measurement system is a widely used image-based flow field measurement method and has become a very powerful technique for studying fluid mechanics. In general a PIV system consists of a number of scientific digital cameras and Class-IV level high-powered lasers, which are usually expensive and classified as hazardous, thus may not be affordable or adequate for general educational use at typical classrooms or laboratories. The ePIV/Flowcoach system, however, is compact-sized, low-cost, and safe for use, intended to be used as an educational tool. The ePIV consists of a digital camera (600x480 pixels with 30 fps), a water cooled Class III continuous laser, an optical lens, a small water pump, a seed water reservoir, and a small water channel module, which are all secured and covered in a small box housing. Various shaped flow model-insert (25 mm x 30 mm) are easily replaceable inside the water channel module. The Flowcoach system is the 2nd generation of the ePIV system. The Flowcoach system consists of similar components as the ePIV system, but exposed to users without a cover or housing. The Flowcoach system, however, uses an LED illumination instead of a laser and uses bigger flow model-inserts (80 mm x 80 mm). The ePIV system is for laminar flows only whereas it is possible to visualize laminar, transition & turbulent flows (up to Re=25,000) with the Flowcoach system. A higher resolution and faster camera (up to 1000fps) is also included with Flowcoach which will allow PIV analysis of turbulent flows. Although the Flowcoach system itself has a variety of features for flow analysis, the most attractive characteristic is the ability to acquire flow fields around custom inserts. Variety of flow phenomena can be investigated such as flow around an obstruction or compare flows through a venturi nozzle, tapered nozzle, or orifice. This system provides an interactive and visual tool for introductory, intermediate, and advanced fluid mechanics. The Flowcoach system and its analytical software can be run from a PC and can be incorporated with a projector for a larger audience to visualize for enhanced classroom participation. By virtue of its strong flow visualization capability, the ePIV/Flowcoach system can support the labs and allow students for more active and stronger learning experience.

The Flowcoach system is very versatile! Flowcoach provides a visual and analytical (PIV) tool to comprehend and understand concepts in fluid dynamics. There are a variety of fluid mechanic phenomena that involve fluid-solid interactions that can be studies with Flowcoach. Such fundamental topics include:

• laminar and turbulent flows,
• conservation of mass,
• vorticity,
• potential flows,
• streamlines, streaklines, pathlines,
• fully developed flows,
• boundary layers,
• flows past a body (drag),
• airfoil theory,
• vortex shedding,
• converging/diverging nozzles,
• shear
• PIV and others...

When we ship the system, we shall include documents explaining in great detail how the systems can be used. We also share reports that are provided to us by other customers. The reports go into details of how the systems have been used in other laboratories, what kind of experiments are performed, etc. We also provide unlimited assistance by email/phone so rest assured you will be able to use the systems very quickly. We can also remotely access the customer's computer from here (if you allow us access) and see how you are using Flowcoach or the ePIV system and provide any necessary advice.

Ease of Use and Safety

FLOWCOACH™ & ePIV™ systems are packaged in a compact form so that they are highly portable! Their operation is very user friendly! They are standalone systems which only require connection to a computer. Since the systems are used by educators and students, they are also designed to be safe and robust.

FLOWEX™ Software

In addition to the system module, containing all the hardware, the associated software package is provided with the system. FLOWEX™; is designed to be user friendly and interactive so that the user can visualize the flow field and the velocity distribution instantaneously. Flows can be analyzed using CFD & PIV, specifically designed to be at the basic level for the purpose of teaching! Laminar, transition, turbulent, steady, unsteady and transient flows can be visualized and analyzed. Using the velocity field, other quantities, such as the vorticity, strain rate, streamlines, and other relevant results, can also be calculated and visualized. Flowrate and pressure differentials can also be measured with FLOWCOACH™. We created learning materials and novel teaching strategies by developing FLOWEX™ as a virtual teaching assistant for the education process, where the students can develop enhanced understanding of fluid flow by interactive experiments through a computer terminal in the classroom. The software is web based which allows multiple users to access the experiment through the internet wherever they are!

Compatibility

We try to offer as much compatibility as we can on multiple fronts, and provide our users access to a broader range of additional software if they choose to use them. For example, the hardware, image and file formats used in FLOWEX™ are compatible with other PIV software, so users can read it through those programs. Users can export the data from FLOWEX™, process them further, or use it with their own software or third party software. We intend to work closely with the open source community.

Partnerships

We provide ongoing consulting support as part of each software package purchase. We also establish strategic partnerships with curriculum publishers, schools and universities. In particular, we work with the education professors very closely to develop testable new ideas for creating learning materials and teaching strategies that have the potential for a direct impact on educational practices. We share ABET approved curriculums developed for the Educational Interactive Flow Visualization & Analysis Systems with our customers.