Measurement of bubble velocity vectors in bubbly air water multiphase flow

Measurement of the volumetric flow rate of each of the flowing components in multiphase flow is often required and this is particularly true in Production Logging applications. Thus, an increasing level of interest has been shown in making flow rate measurements in multiphase flow. A new generation of tomographic instrument, which enables measurement of the instantaneous local velocity vector and the instantaneous local volume fraction of the dispersed phase, is now being introduced. However validation and calibration of such instruments is necessary. This thesis describes the development of a miniaturised local four-sensor conductivity probe capable of acquiring measurements of the local velocity vector, gas volume fraction and the local axial gas velocity in the bubbly gas-liquid flows. Experimental techniques in which the probe was used to obtain the local gas velocity vector and the local gas volume fraction in a bubbly gas-liquid flow are also described. High speed cameras are introduced for the measurement of the reference velocity of the bubbles. The camera images are also used to plot the trajectory of any bubble that hits all four-sensor of the probe. Extensive experimental results showing the distribution of the local gas volume fraction and the local axial, azimuthal and the radial bubble velocity components in vertical and swirling gas-liquid flows are presented.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo