Measurement of particle size using electrostatic sensors

Abstract

This paper discusses the design and evaluation of a new electrostatic sensor for the measurement of the mass median size of particles in a pipeline system. The introduction includes an explanation of several different shapes of an electrode, with the phenomena of particles moving in a pipeline that carries a charge outlined. The elements of a sensor, including the signal conditioning electronic is described. The performances of the electrode are compared in terms of the efficiency and accuracy of waveforms by converting the time domain signal into the frequency domain for analysis. The measurements of particle sizes are obtained by using proven offline specific equipment for measuring particle size. Comparisons are made with online values for particle sizes by using the equation of mass median particle size that has been described. Finally, the experiment results obtained by using measurements of particle size through the offline and vice versa methods are analyses by comparing the performances of design based on both methods. The results show that the electrode with full ring produces a better result.