Critical angle refractometry and sizing of bubble clouds

The principle of the critical angle refractometry and sizing technique is extended to characterize the size distribution and the mean refractive index of clouds of bubbles. For a log-normal bubble-size distribution, simulations show that the mean size, the relative width of the size distribution, and the mean refractive index of the bubbles have a particular and easily identified influence on the critical scattering patterns. Preliminary experimental results on air bubble/water flows clearly demonstrate the potential and robustness of this new technique for bubbly flow characterization.