On the use of hot-wire anemometry in pulsating flows. A comment on 'A critical review on advanced velocity measurement techniques in pulsating flows'

Arganthaël Berson (1) , Philippe Blanc-Benon (1) , Geneviève Comte-Bellot (1)

1 LMFA - Laboratoire de Mecanique des Fluides et d'Acoustique

In their recent topical review, Nabavi and Siddiqui (Meas. Sci. Technol. 2010 21 042002) recommended the use of hot-wire anemometry for velocity measurements in pulsating flows, especially at high frequency. This recommendation is misleading. The procedures invoked by these authors are valid only for small-amplitude fluctuations, which are of little interest for pulsating flows. When large-amplitude velocity changes occur without flow reversal, new procedures for the correction of the nonlinearities of the hot wire are required. This case was thoroughly investigated for a constant-voltage anemometer by Berson et al (Rev. Sci. Instrum. 2009 80 045102). In addition, we show that when flow reversal occurs--a case most relevant to pulsating flows--accurate hot-wire velocity measurements are not possible because heat transfer is not well defined when velocity passes through zero and changes direction.

Domaines: Mécanique des fluides [physics.class-ph]; Mécanique des fluides [physics.class-ph]

Arganthaël Berson, Philippe Blanc-Benon, Geneviève Comte-Bellot. On the use of hot-wire anemometry in pulsating flows. A comment on 'A critical review on advanced velocity measurement techniques in pulsating flows'. Measurement Science and Technology, 2010, 21, pp.128001. ⟨10.1088/0957-0233/21/12/128001⟩. ⟨hal-00566004⟩