Optical flow method for neutron radiography flow diagnostics

The principle of an optical flow method is formulated for neutron radiography (NR) flow diagnostics to determine high-resolution velocity fields of two-phase flows. This method is based on solving an optical flow equation derived from the continuous equation for NR image analysis as an inverse problem using a variational method. The mathematical definition and physical meaning of the optical flow in NR images of a two-phase flow are clarified. As an example, the optical flow method is used to extract complex velocity fields from a time sequence of dynamic NR images acquired in an air–water two-phase flow in a flat bubbler.