Capacitance Wire-mesh Tomograph for Multiphase Flow Applications

M. J. da Silva, E. Schleicher, U. Hampel

Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Institute of Safety Research, Dresden, Germany Email: m.dasilva@fzd.de

ABSTRACT

We present a novel wire-mesh tomography system based on electrical capacitance (permittivity) measurements for multiphase flow applications. The system measures with high spatial and high temporal resolution the phase distribution in a flow cross section and can be used to investigate phases having different relative permittivity (dielectric constant) values. A prototype system has been developed and manufactured comprising of a sensor with two layers of 16 wires each and associated electronics. The system achieves 3 mm spatial resolution and can measure up to 625 frames per second. The evaluation of the prototype has shown good accuracy and reproducibility. Initial tests have been performance including an air-oil bubbly flow measurement and the static measurement of a stratified air-oil-water flow.

Keywords Wire-mesh sensor, capacitance measurement, relative permittivity, multiphase flow