Three-dimensional ray tracing through curvilinear interfaces with application to laser Doppler anemometry in a blood analogue fluid.

Prediction of the effects of refractive index (RI) mismatch on laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) measurements within a curvilinear cavity (an artificial ventricle) was achieved by developing a general technique for modelling the paths of the convergent beams of the LDA system using 3D vector geometry. Validated by ray tracing through CAD drawings, the predicted maximum tolerance in RI between the solid model and the working fluid was +/- 0.0005, equivalent to focusing errors commensurate with the geometric and alignment uncertainties associated with the flow model and the LDA arrangement. This technique supports predictions of the effects of refraction within a complex geometry. Where the RI mismatch is unavoidable but known, it is possible not only to calculate the true position of the measuring volume (using the probe location and model geometry), but also to estimate degradation in signal quality arising from differential displacement and refraction of the laser beams.