Toward Multiphase Flow Decomposition Based on Electrical Capacitance Tomography Sensors

We describe an approach, based on electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) sensors, to decompose and continuously monitor multiphase flow components (fractional areas or volumes) in mixtures containing conducting phases. The proposed approach exploits the Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars effect at distinct frequencies to reconstruct each phase of a multiphase flow and is also utilized to estimate the fractional volume of the various phases of the mixture. The approach is illustrated for a three-phase mixture composed of air, water, and oil. This approach utilizes the very same ECT measurement apparatus used for flow imaging and, as such, inherits its high speed of acquisition and suitability for real-time operation.