Aspects of the design and performance of a 3-component LDV system

A conventional two color, two component Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV) has been converted into one capable of measuring all three components of velocity simultaneously in low-speed flows. All the Reynolds stresses and higher-order products can then be evaluated. The approach followed is to split one of the two colors and to focus a third pair of beams from an off axis direction. The third velocity component is computed from the known geometry of the system. This paper contains details of the system design with emphasis on the additional problems that are encountered through the introduction of the third component. Some preliminary measurements obtained in a vortex/mixing layer interaction are presented and compared directly with those obtained with a cross-wire system.