Variability analysis of droplet distribution of oil-in-water emulsions with a multi-scale first-order difference conductance series

In attempt to depict the variability of oil droplet distribution in oil-in-water emulsions, we propose an algorithm of “area discrepancy” from multi-scale first-order difference scatter plot. With the intention to assess the applicability of this algorithm, we investigate typical nonlinear systems by extracting an “inhomogeneous distribution index” (IHs), and conclude that IHs can satisfactorily discriminate the differences in signals as well as presents a superior anti-noise ability. In this regard, we conduct an experiment of vertical upward oil-in-water emulsions in a 20 mm inner diameter (ID) testing pipe and collect fluctuating signals of a high resolution arc type conductivity probe (ATCP), through which the effects of flow parameters on IHs in oil-in-water emulsions are elucidated from the perspective of statistical analysis. The results indicate that the variation in IHs with changing mixture velocity and water-cut is beneficial for understanding dynamic evolution of oil droplets in oil-in-water emulsions.