A capacitance sensor for the characterization of microgravity two-phase liquid-gas flows

A concave parallel plate capacitance sensor has been developed to measure the two-phase flow void fraction for the purpose of objectively identifying flow regimes. The sensor has been used in conjunction with a two-phase flow loop on board the NASA Lewis DC-9 microgravity aircraft, and data was recently collected. The void fraction time trace and probability density function, along with high-speed video images of the flow were used to determine a more objective method of flow regime identification than is possible through examination of video images alone.

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