Ultrasonic detection of moving interfaces in gas–liquid two-phase flow

Ultrasound reflects strongly off the gas–liquid interface when there is a large change in acoustic impedance. We exploit this phenomenon to detect the instantaneous position of the interface from the time of flight of pulsed ultrasound. Because the characteristics of the reflected wave depend on the shape and size of the interface relative to the ultrasound wavelength, the single-sensing principle is insufficient to capture the interface for generalized gas–liquid two-phase flows. In the present study, we design and examine three types of ultrasound interface detection techniques: the echo intensity technique, the local Doppler technique, and the velocity-variance technique, and investigate and compare the merits and limitations of each. The results indicate that the echo intensity technique is appropriate for turbulent interfaces that cause ultrasound scattering over wide angles. In contrast, the local Doppler technique is required to capture information from waves reflected from smooth interfaces and bubbles. Finally, we find that the velocity-variance technique works for quasi-steady and periodical two-phase flow, and we apply this technique to horizontal slug flow in a tube.