Capacitance Sensor Segmentation for Multiphase Flow Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography (ECVT) systems face limitations in achieving high-resolution imaging due to the minimum size constraint of sensor plates, which restricts the number of plates that can be used, and non-linearity issues in imaging high permittivity materials like water, complicating image reconstruction.
Innovation Solution
Adaptive Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography (AECVT) uses modifiable meta-sensor plates with smaller capacitance segments that can be individually activated for higher resolution imaging, and Displacement Current Phase Tomography (DCPT) utilizes phase information from capacitance sensors to reconstruct 3D images, especially for lossy materials, while the Multi-Dimensional Approach combines ECVT, AECVT, and DCPT for enhanced multiphase flow imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of sensor plates is increased to acquire more capacitance data, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and the area of each sensor plate is reduced below the minimum required size
Solution Approach 1:
Each sensor plate is divided into multiple independently controllable segments. This segmentation allows the system to activate only the necessary segments for each measurement, effectively increasing the number of independent capacitance measurements without requiring additional physical plates, thus improving imaging resolution while maintaining manageable device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system dynamically configures which plate segments are activated for each measurement cycle. This dynamic activation pattern allows the same physical plates to provide multiple independent measurements by changing their electrical connection states, thereby increasing measurement precision without increasing device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If the number of sensor plates is increased to acquire more capacitance data, then measurement precision is improved, but the area of each sensor plate is reduced, worsening the signal to noise ratio
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting each plate into multiple independently controllable sections, the system can activate only the necessary segments for each measurement. This maintains larger effective plate areas for each active segment, preserving the signal to noise ratio while still increasing the total number of independent capacitance measurements available for high-resolution imaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses partial activation of plate segments rather than requiring all plates to be fully active simultaneously. This partial action approach maintains sufficient capacitance levels for good signal to noise ratio while still providing enough independent measurements for high-resolution imaging through selective segment activation.
3Measurement precision
If conventional capacitance measurement is used for high permittivity materials like water, then measurement is possible, but non-linearity issues complicate image reconstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the measurement parameter from direct capacitance measurement to phase measurement of the displacement current. This parameter change addresses the non-linearity issue with high permittivity materials because phase information provides a more linear relationship with material distribution, improving image reconstruction accuracy while the segmented plate approach keeps the overall system complexity manageable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
AECVT provides higher resolution imaging by controlling electric field distribution and sensitivity, while DCPT addresses non-linearity issues by using phase information, and the Multi-Dimensional Approach accurately determines volume fractions and phase distributions in multiphase flows, improving imaging resolution and accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
Electrical Capacitance Tomography (ECT) is the cross-sectional image reconstruction of the concentration of materials in the imaging domain by inverting capacitance data obtained from a capacitance sensor
Implementation Method 2
The change in overall energy of the system due to the introduction of a dielectric material in the imaging domain is used to calculate the change in capacitance related to the dielectric material
Implementation Method 3
sensor plates are distributed around the circumference or along the edge of a column, object, volume, or vessel under interrogation
Implementation Method 4
Displacement Current Phase Tomography (DCPT) utilizes phase information from capacitance sensors to reconstruct 3D images, especially for lossy materials
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for imaging, monitoring, or measuring systems and processes utilizing only data provided from capacitance sensors. The present invention combines the multi-frequency method of both ECVT/AECVT and DCPT to image or measure processes and systems more efficiently and accurately than the methods alone. The present system analyzes capacitance and current phase acquired at multiple frequencies to determine a plurality of properties of single and multiphase systems all at once. The combined use of ECVT and DCPT in multiphase flow can also be extended to measure volume fraction and phase distribution of flows involving greater than three phases by using multiple frequencies for capacitance, current phase, or both.