Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT) for Fluid Flow Measurements

•A new method for tracking multiple particles using positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) is introduced.•PEPT measurement of flow in a rectangular channel is tested against PIV and PTV.•Further work is identified to improve performance of PEPT for flow measurement.

Positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) is used to study the behavior of flow in a rectangular test section. A multiple-particle tracking technique (multi-PEPT) is proposed and tested using a once-through flow system and a preclinical positron emission tomography (PET) scanner. This measurement is then compared to particle image velocimetry (PIV) and high-speed particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) studies of the same test section. Uncertainties in the established flow measurement methods used to validate the PEPT performance are quantified. Mean flow velocity are compared as measured by the three methods. Minor variations are exposed in the data comparisons, and uncertainty exists due to the statistical nature of our PEPT method. Nonetheless, multi-PEPT is shown to be capable as a means of examining characteristics of a complex flow regime.