Real time mass flow rate measurement using multiple fan beam optical tomography

Area of Science:

• Instrumentation and Measurement
• Chemical Engineering
• Optical Sensing Technology

Background:

• Accurate measurement of solid/gas flow dynamics is crucial in industrial processes.
• Existing tomography systems face challenges in real-time data acquisition and processing.
• Optical fiber sensors offer potential for non-intrusive flow monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a multiple fan beam projection tomography system utilizing optical fiber sensors.
• To assess the system's capability for real-time mass flow rate measurement in solid/gas flows.
• To analyze the performance of image processing rate (IPR) and its influencing factors.

Main Methods:

• Development of a tomography system employing multiple fan beam projections.
• Integration of designed optical fiber sensors for data acquisition.
• Dynamic experiments involving solid/gas flow (plastic beads in a gravity flow rig).
• Evaluation of image reconstruction algorithms and custom software for real-time processing.

Main Results:

• Optical fiber sensors proved reliable for measuring mass flow rates up to 40%.
• The developed system demonstrated suitability for real-time image reconstruction.
• The image processing rate (IPR) was found to be adequate for practical applications.
• The combination of sensor design, algorithms, and software ensures system reliability.

Conclusions:

• The multiple fan beam tomography system with optical fiber sensors is a viable solution for real-time solid/gas flow monitoring.
• The system shows promise for industrial applications requiring accurate flow rate determination.
• Further research could explore performance at higher flow rates and with different materials.