Novel Antennas and EM Sensors for Flow Characterization

Abstract

The demand for multiphase flow meters (MPFMs) in various industries, including oil and gas, chemical, food and beverage, environmental and water management, and pharmaceutical industries, has significantly increased due to stringent operational requirements. However, in situ and in-line measurements of multiphase flows across various flow regimes present substantial technical challenges. These challenges include limited sensitivity, safety concerns, maintenance difficulties, and environmental dependencies. To address some of these issues, various fluid flow measurement approaches have been developed, including single-technology systems (e.g., ultrasound, microwave, or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)) and hybrid systems that combine multiple techniques. For multiphase flows, accurate measurement of individual velocities of each phase and the phase fractions remains essential for effective phase characterization. This dissertation focuses on the design of novel antennas and electromagnetic (EM) sensors operating over different frequencies for multiphase flow characterization. The primary objectives include developing, constructing, and validating radio frequency (RF) sensors and antennas for non-invasive fluid characterization. The research work presented herein conceptualizes and demonstrates the detection of multi-liquid interfaces, phase fraction estimation, and flow velocity measurements using various RF sensors/antennas. Specifically, single-polarized apertures, dual-polarized radiators, an array of planar resonators, and pattern reconfigurable antennas were developed and used to provide vital information about the considered flows and mixtures. The proposed measurement methods, which involve devising the developed antennas and sensors, were established based on theoretical models that were analyzed using numerical electromagnetic simulations and subsequently validated experimentally. High sensitivity reflection measurements were demonstrated in the detection of water-air/water-oil-air interfaces. Repeatability tests showed low standard deviation, which confirmed the measurement precision. Tests with liquids at varying temperatures highlighted the robustness of the proposed methods against environmental disturbances. The pattern reconfigurable antenna was successfully used to estimate the speed of solids within air f lows. The proposed sensors and antennas are deemed to provide complementary detection and estimation capabilities, which could be leveraged to realize a stand-alone f low characterization solution or augment other existing modalities.

Date of Award	15 May 2025
Original language	American English
Supervisor	Mohammed Abou Khousa (Supervisor)