Novel wire-mesh sensor modalities for the investigation of single phase and multiphase flows

The experimental investigation of flow phenomena plays an important role in many fields of research as well as in industrial applications. Wire-mesh sensors allow the study of flows with high spatial and temporal resolution. This type of sensor was introduced about ten years ago and since then it has been employed to investigate a number of single phase and two-phase flow phenomena. This paper gives an overview of the principles of operation and the obtaining of physical flow parameters from the electrical measured signals of wire-mesh sensors. Besides describing the state of the art of wire-mesh sensor technology, the latest development of a temperature wire-mesh sensor is depicted in detail.