IMAGES CONSTRUCTED FROM COMPUTED FLOWFIELDS

A method for constructing interferograms, schlieren, and shadowgraphs from ideal- and real-gas, two- and three-dimensional computed flowfiel ds is described. The computational grids can be structured or unstruct ured, and multiple grids are an option. The constructed images are com pared with experimental images for several types of flow, including a ramp, a blunt body, a nozzle, and a reacting flow. The constructed ima ges simulate the features observed in the experimental images. They ar e sensitive to errors in the flowfield solutions and can be used to id entify solution errors. In addition, techniques for obtaining phase sh ifts from experimental finite fringe interferograms and for removing e xperimentally induced phase-shift errors are discussed. Both the const ructed images and calculated phase shifts can be used for validation o f computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes.