Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Multi Phase Flow Decomposition and Imaging Using Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography Sensors
Project Description
In this proposed effort, we will develop a prototype product of a higher resolution ECVT system based on multi-phase decomposition for a two phase flow with water as the liquid phase, namely a phase separator. The intrinsic high measuring speed of capacitance measuring technology and potential high resolution capability of multi-phase decomposition will enable phase imaging at resolution better than the 2~3 mm specified by the topic description. Simulation and measurement results were used to verify this approach in Phase I. By the end of this Phase II, a prototype system that can image Air and Water phases in a phase separator with high accuracy, angular and vertical velocities of water layer, and water mass flow will be demonstrated. The developed prototype will serve as a deliverable to NASA by the end of this Phase II. It will be composed DAS unit, modular ECVT sensors, and reconstruction software. The proposed deliverable will be a working unit in form, fit, and function for phase separator experiments. It will also be suitable for utilization in the International Space Station after flight hardening. Flight hardening is not part of this effort.
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Anticipated Benefits
For the NASA programs, the Packed Bed Reactor experiment and the Phase Separator project are immediate targets for potential applications. The prototype proposed for development here is aimed at addressing the phase separator application directly. Other potential applications in NASA include life science, Mars mission advanced diagnostics technologies, and science experiments through CASIS. As the sole manager of the US lab in the International Space Station, CASIS sees a growing demand for advanced diagnostics and has expressed interest in ECVT technology. ECVT technology can also be applied for imaging plant roots and organs of the human body.
The innovation here is an ECVT higher resolution image system for NASA applications and a multi-phase flow meter for the Oil industry. The intrinsic high measuring speed of capacitance measuring technology and high resolution capability of this proposed ECVT technology will enable such mass flow measurements at better around 2mm spatial resolution and 1% mass flow measurement resolution. Our customers for the cold flow model are all over the world and we have received inquiries about using the ECVT system for measuring flows with more than two phases with one phase being water. Customers who expressed this need include Oil Companies, Power Generation Companies, and Companies that fabricate and install advanced power systems. The Oil industry is interested in such system so the mass flow rate of Oil can be measured in a pipeline. Currently, the Oil industry relies of separation equipment to quantify the amount of Oil pumped. Such arrangement becomes problematic when Oil is being pumped from several wells and Oil has to be allocated to it source for Billing. More »
The innovation here is an ECVT higher resolution image system for NASA applications and a multi-phase flow meter for the Oil industry. The intrinsic high measuring speed of capacitance measuring technology and high resolution capability of this proposed ECVT technology will enable such mass flow measurements at better around 2mm spatial resolution and 1% mass flow measurement resolution. Our customers for the cold flow model are all over the world and we have received inquiries about using the ECVT system for measuring flows with more than two phases with one phase being water. Customers who expressed this need include Oil Companies, Power Generation Companies, and Companies that fabricate and install advanced power systems. The Oil industry is interested in such system so the mass flow rate of Oil can be measured in a pipeline. Currently, the Oil industry relies of separation equipment to quantify the amount of Oil pumped. Such arrangement becomes problematic when Oil is being pumped from several wells and Oil has to be allocated to it source for Billing. More »
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Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tech4Imaging, LLC | Lead Organization | Industry | Columbus, Ohio |
Glenn Research Center
(GRC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Cleveland, Ohio |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
Ohio
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