Schlieren Instruments

The analog Schlierenscope is an analog projection focusing schlieren system designed for large area applications. The apparatus is factory-aligned and comes with its own illumination system. Unlike traditional schlieren systems, the entire apparatus is contained in a single unit, so it is essentially a point-and-shoot schlieren system. This makes it massively easier to use than traditional schlieren systems, and because it is a focusing schlieren system, the system sensitivity is concentrated on a particular image plane, which can allow schlieren effects in different parts of the optical path to be distinguished.

Compared to our digital schlieren systems, it is somewhat larger, heavier, and more expensive, but it can also be more sensitive. Schlierenscopes are presently a custom order but can be fairly readily designed for ranges from 5 to 20 feet with throw ratios of around 6:1 (distance:height). Schlierenscopes have been delivered using flash illumination and can be customized for various high speed applications such as ballistics and high-speed wind tunnels (note that export outside the United States may be subject to restrictions for hypersonic wind tunnel applications).