PARTICLE VELOCITY MEASUREMENTS THROUGH ELECTROSTATIC FIELD FLUCTUATIONS USING EXTERNAL PROBES

Abstract

Two new probes for measuring particle velocity and flowrate based on the elctrostatic field nature of a pneumatic transport system are Introduced. The first probe is based on the current of charged particles inducing a current in a coil placed perpendicular to the flow. The magnitude of the current induced appears to be related to the amount of charged particles passing through the coil and the velocity of the particles. The second probe utilizes fluctuations in the electrostatic field which are picked up by two probes placed a fixed distance along the axis of the flow. The signals from these two probes are identical in waveform but of set in time; therefore, the particle velocity can be obtained by cross-correlation techniques. Both probes are non-intrusive and realtively inexpensive.