The influence of agglomerates of solid conducting spheres on the response o
f a phase-Doppler anemometer (PDA) is described for a two-sphere system by
using a ray theory model. First- and second-order reflection and diffractio
n are considered for far-field calculations of the PDA phase difference. Th
e numerical simulations are accompanied and supported by experimental resul
ts. Two-sphere systems of Sn63Pb37 alloy particles were captured inside an
electrodynamic trap and investigated with a standard phase-Doppler system.