Sensor design and image accuracy for application of capacitance CT to the petroleum refinery process

Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts are used to produce high-quality petroleum from residual oil by the contact cracking process in the petroleum refinery. The key point in producing high-quality petroleum from residual oil is uniform fluidization at the mixing point. The sensor for capacitance computed tomography (CT) is designed to visualize the powder concentration in the process of mixing air and FCC catalysts in a vertical pipeline. The concentration distribution images are obtained under certain air-catalyst parameter conditions. The relationship between the air-catalyst parameter condition and the powder distribution is analyzed in detail. Moreover, the accuracy of the reconstructed image is discussed systemically in terms of volume fraction, residual capacitance, and capacitance correlation.