A method to estimate the size of particles using the open source software OpenPTV

TL;DR

This paper presents an open source method integrated with OpenPTV to estimate particle sizes from images, including calibration procedures and accuracy limits, for both opaque and translucent particles.

Contribution

It introduces a novel calibration-based approach to determine particle sizes from OpenPTV images, enhancing particle tracking velocimetry analysis.

Findings

Size estimation error is within 10% for non-translucent particles with at least three pixels width.

The method requires calibration with a circle target for reliable size estimation.

Additional assumptions are needed for translucent particles.

Abstract

A method to obtain particle sizes from images that are used for particle tracking velocimetry is proposed. This is an open source method, developed to use together with the open source software OpenPTV. First, the analysis of different factors that affect the estimation of the particle size is made. Then, a transformation is proposed to estimate the sizes from information obtained in OpenPTV. The method requires an extra calibration with a flat target containing circles of different sizes, but if the calibration is successful, the sizes of particles can be estimated reliable within certain limits. For example, for solid of non-translucent particles, sizes can be estimated with an error of maximum 10 %, as long as the particle diameter correspond to at least three pixels width in the obtained images. For translucent particles some extra assumptions will be needed in the transformation.