Void fraction measurement in direct contact heat exchange process using electromagnetic tomography

Abstract

In cooling towers and condensers, accurate measurement of the void fraction in gas-liquid two-phase flow can help optimize heat transfer efficiency. By monitoring the void fraction, operational parameters can be adjusted to maximize heat exchange effectiveness. As such, the development of a technique for measuring void fraction in high-temperature and opaque containers is necessary. This paper presents a method for measuring the void fraction of the section during direct contact heat transfer using electromagnetic tomography. In order to enhance the magnetic field, a certain amount of nanofluid is introduced into the direct contact evaporator. With the aid of a self-developed EMT system, the gas and liquid phases are differentiated, ultimately yielding the section void fraction value. The final results are qualitatively consistent with three classical models for void fraction calculation. This is the first report on measuring cross-sectional void fraction in direct contact heat transfer processes using the EMT system. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of the measurement method based on EMT and provide a reference for research on high-precision and automated measurement techniques of void fraction in gas-liquid two-phase flow.