An improved high accuracy PTV algorithm for pebble flow

Abstract The Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) has a wide range of applications in the field of fluid and particle flow measurement. Due to the uncertainty caused by the optimal probability in the matching algorithm, the long-term tracking of multiple particles will eventually lead to lower accuracy with increasing time. In this study, a full-field high-accuracy PTV algorithm for pebble flow measurement is developed. Based on a two-dimensional pebble flow experiment, improved matching algorithms for pebble flow is proposed. Analyzing two kinds of errors in the experimental data—unidentified centroids and misidentified centroids, two amending methods are developed. The original PTV algorithm for pebble flow reached an average accuracy of 90% under 5 different flowrates. After adopting the three-point co-circular amending method, the accuracy is increased to 98%. Finally, this value exceeds 99% when the LP polygon amending method is applied. The adaptability and stability of the algorithm have also been tested.