Measurement of velocities in gas-liquid two-phase flow using Laser Doppler Velocimetry

Abstract

Measurements of bubble and liquid velocities in two-phase flow have been made using a new forward/backward scattering Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) technique. This work was performed in a 6.4 by 11.1 mm vertical duct using known air/water mixtures. A standard LDV fiber optic probe was used to measure the bubble velocity, using direct backscattered light. A novel retro-reflector and lens assembly permitted the same probe to measure the liquid velocity with direct forward-scattered light. The bubble velocity was confirmed by independent measurements with a high-speed video system. The liquid velocity was confirmed by demonstrating the dominance of the liquid seed data rate in the forward-scatter measurement. Experimental data are presented to demonstrate the accuracy of the technique for a wide range of flow conditions, from bubbles as small as 0.75-mm-diam to slugs as large as 10-mm wide by 30-mm long. In the slug regime, the LDV technique performed velocity measurements for both phases, for void fractions up to 50%, which was the upper limit of our experimental investigation.