Electrical Tomography: a review of Configurations and Applications to Particulate Processes

Despite decades of research, the study of suspension flows still continues to be a subject of great scientific interest. In the development of accurate models for suspension-related processes, prior knowledge of several flow characteristics is essential, such as spatial distribution of phases, flow regimen, relative velocity between phases, etc. Several non-invasive techniques of flow characterisation can be found in the literature, however, electrical tomography offers a vast field of possibilities due to its low cost, portability and, above all, safety of handling. In this paper, a review of the use of electrical tomography for industrial/process monitoring purposes will be presented, giving information about the evolution throughout the years and about the limitations and advantages of the different configurations. Moreover, the signal de-convolution strategies, to obtain the images of the process, will also be discussed. The most recent advances in both fields will be presented. Additionally, information about the strategy adopted by the authors to produce a portable EIT system will be described. Finally, the future challenges for electrical tomography will be addressed.