Theoretical and simulation analysis of the measurement of polarized fluid flow in a circular pipe with electric field excitation

Abstract

Abstract Measurement of conductive fluid flow velocity is essential in applications such as measuring the velocity of water flow in the agriculture sector, sewage water treatment plants, and metal refining industries. This paper proposes a contactless flow measurement device for computing the flow velocity of conductive fluids based on movement of polarized fluid flow. The proposed simulation model of the flow meter can also determine the conductivity of the fluid for varying flow velocity. The obtained simulated results concur with the earlier theoretical studies. Based on the interpretations in the underlying assumptions and physics of a fluid flow under a source of an electric field, it reveals that it is possible to measure a flow velocity of 0.01–10 m s−1 for conductive fluids of 0.1–10 S m−1.