Collimated infrared transceiver for identifying bubble and slug regimes
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Sowndarya Kesavan
Abstract
Two-phase flow regime identification is crucial for designing and ensuring the safe operation of boilers, condensers, evaporators, and oil transportation pipelines. Infrared (IR) transceivers offer a cost-effective two-phase flow characterization approach. The divergence of emitted IR rays in a conical volume limits their sensitivity. This study addresses this limitation by introducing a bi-convex lens to collimate the IR irradiation, focusing on a specific flow cross-section. Experiments are done in a 3 mm diameter glass tube where micro-bubble, bubble plume, and slug flow regimes occur. The regimes using collimated IR transceivers are identified, and the comparison is made with conventional non-collimated systems. The results indicate that the collimated IR transceiver system has superior identification characteristics than the non-collimated system for specified flow regimes. The lens-based approach may be valuable for identifying and reconstructing two phase flow regimes.
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Research ethics: Not applicable.
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Informed consent: Not applicable.
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Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
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Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared
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Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.
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Research funding: None declared.
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Data availability: Not applicable.
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