Gamma-ray attenuation technique for measuring void fraction in horizontal gas–liquid two-phase flow

Gamma-ray attenuation technique for measuring void fraction in horizontal gas–liquid two-phase flow 1 corresp first-author E-mail: zhibiaoli@163.com E-mail: zhibiaoli@163.com zhibiaoli@163.com 1 1 Institute of Mechanics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100080, China Institute of Mechanics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100080, China The measurement of void fraction is of importance to the oil industry and chemical industry. In this article, the principle and mathematical method of determining the void fraction of horizontal gas–liquid flow by using a single-energy γ-ray system is described. The γ-ray source is the radioactive isotope of 241 Am with γ-ray energy of 59.5 keV. The time-averaged value of the void fraction in a 50.0-mm i.d. transparent horizontal pipeline is measured under various combinations of the liquid flow and gas flow. It is found that increasing the gas flow rate at a fixed liquid flow rate would increase the void fraction. Test data are compared with the predictions of the correlations and a good agreement is found. The result shows that the designed γ-ray system can be used for measuring the void fraction in a horizontal gas–liquid two-phase flow with high accuracy. γ-rays Single-energy Void fraction Two-phase flow References Daidzic N E , Schmidt E , Hasan M M et al . Nuclear Engineering and Design , 2005 , 10 : 1163 - 1178 . Nuclear Engineering and Design Kendoush A A , Sarkis Z A . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science , 2002 , 25 : 615 - 621 . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science Yang H C , Kim D K , Kim MH . Flow Measurement and Instrumentation , 2003 , 14 : 151 - 160 . Flow Measurement and Instrumentation Wojtan L , Ursenbacher T , Thome J R . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science , 2005 , 29 : 383 - 392 . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science Harms T M , Li D Q , Grol E A , et al . Int J Heat and Mass Transfer , 2003 , 46 : 4051 - 4057 . Int J Heat and Mass Transfer Stahl P , von Rohr P R . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science , 2004 , 28 : 533 - 544 Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science Takenaka N . Asano H . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science , 2005 , 29 : 393 - 402 . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science Armand A A . Izv Vses Teplotekh Inst , 1946 , 1 : 16 - 23 . AERE Trans. No. 828 . Izv Vses Teplotekh Inst Franca F , Jr Lahey R T . Int J Multiphase Flow , 1992 , 6 : 787 - 801 . Int J Multiphase Flow 10.1016/S1001-8042(07)60022-0 TP391 Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 10572143) 2007-01-04 2007-04-20 2021-01-19 2007 Nuclear Science and Techniques 02 18