Particle mass flow rate measurement based on electrostatic coupled capacitance sensor

Abstract In gas–solid two-phase flow systems, the mass flow rate of solid particles is a key indicator for characterizing the system’s dynamic characteristics and enabling intelligent industrial control. To obtain the mass flow rate of solid particles within the pipeline, a novel mass flow rate measurement method based on an electrostatic coupled capacitance sensor is proposed. This method utilizes the spatial filtering characteristics of electrostatic signals to acquire velocity information of solid particles and combines it with concentration information measured by capacitive signals to achieve mass flow rate measurement. Firstly, a three-dimensional model of the novel electrostatic coupled capacitance sensor was constructed using COMSOL simulation software to obtain the spatial dynamic sensitivity distribution of the sensor. By analyzing its spatial filtering characteristics, a mathematical model for velocity measurement was established. Subsequently, a gravity conveying apparatus was set up to conduct preliminary tests on the sensor’s performance in velocity measurement and to calibrate the concentration measurement results. Finally, particle mass flow rate measurement experiments were carried out, with relative errors remaining within 10%, preliminarily demonstrating the feasibility of using this sensor for mass flow rate measurement.