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Application of orthogonal design to optimize flow pattern transition conditions

Hailing Hou (School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China and College of Electronic Information and Automation, Tianjin University of Science and Techonology, Tianjin, China)
Shihong Yue (School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China)
Xiaoguang Huang (School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China)
Huaxiang Wang (School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China)

Sensor Review

ISSN: 0260-2288

Article publication date: 21 September 2015

142

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss flow pattern transition (FPT) as an important factor in multiple-phase flow measurements. Several methods have been proposed to control FPT, but those methods fail to address the many issues in complex flow conditions that can affect flow patterns.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a non-intrusive sensor instrumentation is applied to extract measurable data under different flow conditions. Using these data, a simple theoretical–mathematical method along with an orthogonal design is applied to FPT optimization. Orthogonal experiments are designed and carried out according to theoretical guidelines. Three selected process parameters – phase fraction, gas pressure in the initial independent process and liquid speed – are optimized for FPT results to produce a minimum FPT time.

Findings

The following results are obtained: the phase fraction in the initial independent process can lead to significant reductions in FPT time, gas pressure plays an important role and liquid speed has no apparent effect on FPT results. Under optimized conditions, FPT time can be shortened to 0.3-0.6 times by controlling the above three parameters compared with normal conditions.

Originality/value

The proposed method is simple, rapid and efficient for evaluating an FPT process and lays the foundation for further FPT applications.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by National Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61174014, 60772080) and National Science Foundation of Tianjin (Grant No. 08JCYBJC13800).

Citation

Hou, H., Yue, S., Huang, X. and Wang, H. (2015), "Application of orthogonal design to optimize flow pattern transition conditions", Sensor Review, Vol. 35 No. 4, pp. 425-431. https://doi.org/10.1108/SR-03-2015-0044

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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