Acoustic tomography for velocity estimation in high temperature flows

Abstract

Accurately measuring the temperature of a gas flow is essential for monitoring purposes in many energy conversion applications. Typically, this is achieved using either contact measurement techniques, like thermocouple sensors, or radiation-based methods, like optic pyrometry. In harsh conditions, contact measurement techniques are prone to degradation due to the high oxidizing and high-temperature environment, thus reducing sensor lifespan. Radiation-based methods, on the other hand, rely on expensive and highly non-linear transduction systems. Acoustic pyrometry is attracting an increasing interest as it allows the estimation of the temperature distribution in a section by computing the time of flight of acoustic waves. If two measurement sections, at different axial positions, are considered, the same theoretical approach can be adapted to also compute the velocity map of the flow (acoustic tomography). However, the complexity of the mathematical problem to be solved for such a calculation needs a careful analysis. In this study, starting from a known temperature and velocity profile, a reconstruction algorithm was developed and tuned with a particular focus on velocity estimation. Relevant guidelines for a proper application of this measurement technique were also derived.