Electrical Resistance Tomography Applied to Slurry Flows

Abstract

Electrical resistance tomography (ERT) is used to investigate a variety of slurry flow applications including pipe flow, mixing tanks, and thickener feed wells. Transparent liquids such as Carbopol polymer solutions and water are often used to allow for visualization of slurry flows, but ERT can provide data about solids behavior when the liquid phase is transparent or when it is opaque. The state of suspension of solids using ERT is often useful even when the technique is not a primary requirement of a test. The chapter introduces ERT from the point of view of a user in a research environment, but with flow scenarios relevant to industrial applications in mineral processing. Relevant literature concerning slurry flow applications of ERT is reviewed. The basic theory of ERT will be presented together with a discussion of the image reconstruction problem which is a topic of research activity in the slurry transport community. An overview of ERT applications in slurry pipe flow and mixing tanks will be presented. Examples of the application of ERT to pipe flow and tanks will be discussed in detail, including practical experiences with integrating ERT into slurry pipe and tank rigs.