Simultaneous measurement of liquid velocity and interface profiles of horizontal duct wavy flow by ultrasonic velocity profile meter

A simultaneous measurement of the liquid velocity and interface profiles was performed for stratified-smooth and wavy flows in a horizontal duct using a ultrasonic velocity profile (UVP) meter. The influences of the reflections of ultrasonic pulses at the gas-liquid interface and channel bottom were reduced by using an absorbent of the ultrasonic pulses on the duct bottom wall, and optimizations of liquid level and time interval between pulses. For a smooth-stratified flow, good comparison was obtained with a velocity profile obtained by a particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) for video pictures taken simultaneously at the UVP measurement. Polystyrene beads were used as reflector and tracers respectively for the UVP and PTV measurements. The velocity profiles measured for a wavy flow with periodically-generated interfacial waves agreed well with the theoretical prediction for solitary wave. Turbulence component appeared in the velocity profiles of both the smooth-stratified and wavy flows. (author)