Application of capacitance sensors for monitoring oil-water separation processes

Artur J. Jaworski, Tomasz Dyakowski, Graham A. Davies

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper describes the construction and experimental evaluation of a novel capacitance based instrument for monitoring oilwater separation processes. The electronic circuitry to measure the electrical capacitance, originally developed by UMIST for tomographic applications, is based on the charge-discharge principle. The evaluation of the developed system took place in the existing transparent oil-water separator in the Pilot Plant facility at UMIST. During the experiments, the dynamic behaviour of the multiphase flow within the packed bed of inclined separator plates has been monitored in-situ and on-line for various total flow rates as well as varying oil/water ratios in the mixture. The applied capacitance sensor enabled the measurement of the thickness of oil and water layers along the length of the separator plates as well as the emulsion phase, which is a critical parameter from the viewpoint of the separator's efficiency.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHeat Transfer
Subtitle of host publicationVolume 5 � Numerical and Experimental Methods in Heat Transfer
PublisherThe American Society of Mechanical Engineers(ASME)
Pages429-437
Number of pages9
Volume361-5
ISBN (Electronic)9780791826744
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 1998
Externally publishedYes
EventASME 1998 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 1998 - Anaheim, United States
Duration: 15 Nov 199820 Nov 1998

Publication series

NameASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings (IMECE)
Volume1998-Q

Conference

ConferenceASME 1998 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 1998
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityAnaheim
Period15/11/9820/11/98

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