Inzynieria Chemiczna i Procesowa, Vol.21, No.4, 753-768, 2000
Generalized characteristics of an electrostatic probe for determination of the volume flow rate of liquid phase in two phase flow
An electrostatic probe for measurement of liquid phase volume flow rate in two-phase flow of the droplet pattern has been developed. The probe has the form of a metal sphere maintained at an electric potential. The droplets detaching from the probe are carrying electric charge. The electric current flowing from the probe is a measure of the volume flow rate of the liquid phase. It has been revealed experimentally that predominant influence on the characteristics of the probe may be attributed to the droplets splashed at its front surface. A more general form of the probe characteristics in which the effect of splashed droplets of an assumed size distribution has been presented. A reverse problem which allows one to determine the parameters of the size distribution of the splashed droplets, based on the known values of the volume flow rate and the current of the probe has also been discussed.