Image Capturing of Dispersed Phases in DCHXs by Electric Tomography

This paper introduces the physical phenomena involved in Direct Contact Heat Exchangers (DCHXs) and also investigates the possibility of applying of EIT(Electrical Impedance Tomography) technique for capturing the images of dispersed phases as they stream through a stagnant body of water. A number of cases are studied where two dimensional cross-sectional static images are given for fictitious and actual masses present in a column of water(saline solution). In most direct contact liquid-liquid heat exchangers, oil or hydrocarbon with a density different(lighter or heavier) from water is normally used as dispersed working fluid. The main difficulty that arises with this arrangement lies in the elucidation of complicated flow field where the dispersed phase fluid tends to change its shape and size constantly during its journey through the other phase(water). This paper presents a number of results with different types of dispersed phases that are immiscible with water. The EIT technique has been employed in this context to test its applicability in capturing the dynamic images of dispersed phases. It shows static images of dispersed phases where dynamic images could be obtained by simply extending the algorithms and strategies employed in the present analysis.