Capacitance wire-mesh tomograph for multiphase flow applications

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.