Simplified method for electromagnetic detection of gas bubbles in liquid metals


Simplified method for electromagnetic detection of gas bubbles in liquid metals

Andreev, O.; Wondrak, T.; Gundrum, T.; Eckert, S.

The AC electromagnetic induction is the most appropriate mechanism for monitoring of metallic objects and media with inhomogeneous distribution of electrical conductivity. In particular, the liquid metal flows with gas bubbles inside can be controlled by this method. In the present work we show a particular case when the series of 1D measurements can be applied for definition of position of a single gas bubble in y and z directions. The numerical experiment was made within a rectangular column filled with the liquid metal as it is shown in Figure (a). The basic AC (100 Hz) magnetic field was generated by a rectangular excitation coil. Typical distribution of the amplitude value of secondary magnetic field caused by a single bubble (5 mm) is shown in Fig.(c). The wall of measurement is opposite to the excitation coil. The shown normal component of magnetic field can generate an electrical signal in a measuring coil applied to the wall. In our experiment we use a system of rectangular coils stretched in horizontal and vertical directions (Fig. a,c).
A detector of such configuration averages the value of magnetic field flux within the long direction of the coil. Vice versa, a number of detectors can give the detailed information about distribution of magnetic field along the short sides of the coils. So far as the secondary magnetic field is presented by a dipolar structure (Fig. c) where the central singular point corresponds to position of the bubble, the signal collected from the series of coils has a zero point situated between two extremes (Fig. b, c). This zero point indicates position of the bubble. Thus, using a system of vertical and horizontal coils placed on the rear walls (Fig. a,c), one can estimate position of a single bubble in y and z directions according to two 1D distributions of the signal. In our numerical experiment a single bubble moves in vertical direction by a spiral trajectory (Fig. d). In Figure (e) we reconstruct the y and z coordinates of the bubble (red circles). The real positions of the bubble are marked by the small blue circles in this figure.

Keywords: liquid metal; two-phase flows; inductive method; bubble detection

  • Poster
    3rd International Workshop on Measuring Techniques for Liquid Metal Flows (MTLM2015), 15.-17.4.2015, Dresden, Germany

Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-22929
Publ.-Id: 22929