Electrical Impedance Tomography of Industrial Two-Phase Flow Based on Radial Basis Function Neural Network Optimized by the Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm

Abstract

In electrical impedance tomography (EIT) detection of industrial two-phase flows, the Gauss-Newton algorithm is often used for imaging. In complex cases with multiple bubbles, this method has poor imaging accuracy. To address this issue, a new algorithm called the artificial bee colony–optimized radial basis function neural network (ABC-RBFNN) is applied to industrial two-phase flow EIT for the first time. This algorithm aims to enhance the accuracy of image reconstruction in electrical impedance tomography (EIT) technology. The EIDORS-v3.10 software platform is utilized to generate electrode data for a 16-electrode EIT system with varying numbers of bubbles. This generated data is then employed as training data to effectively train the ABC-RBFNN model. The reconstructed electrical impedance image produced from this process is evaluated using the image correlation coefficient (ICC) and root mean square error (RMSE) criteria. Tests conducted on both noisy and noiseless test set data demonstrate that the ABC-RBFNN algorithm achieves a higher ICC value and a lower RMSE value compared to the Gauss–Newton algorithm and the radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) algorithm. These results validate that the ABC-RBFNN algorithm exhibits superior noise immunity. Tests conducted on bubble models of various sizes and quantities, as well as circular bubble models, demonstrate the ABC-RBFNN algorithm’s capability to accurately determine the size and shape of bubbles. This outcome confirms the algorithm’s generalization ability. Moreover, when experimental data collected from a 16-electrode EIT experimental device is employed as test data, the ABC-RBFNN algorithm consistently and accurately identifies the size and position of the target. This achievement establishes a solid foundation for the practical application of the algorithm.