Electrical capacitance tomography as a monitoring tool for high-shear mixing and granulation

Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) was utilized for monitoring of high-shear mixing and high-shear granulation processes. A finite element method (FEM)-based reconstruction algorithm was utilized to take into account the specific geometrical characteristics of the experimental set-up. Two-dimensional ECT tomograms, mixing index curves and permittivity fractions were computed based on the measurements, and their suitability in the analysis of the processes was assessed. It was found that the different mixing processes and the different granulation processes could be analyzed based on these quantities.

► Electrical capacitance tomography for high-shear mixing and granulation monitoring. ► Finite element method was used in the image reconstruction. ► Analysis of processes with tomograms, mixing indices and permittivity fractions. ► Mixing processes could be assessed and compared. ► The phases of the granulations and the states of the granules could be determined.