The design of an electrical capacitance tomography sensor for use with media of high dielectric permittivity

This paper concerns the application of electrical capacitance tomography (E CT) for media of high dielectric permittivity such as water. The performanc e of an ECT sensor was analysed numerically for a range of dielectric mater ials (1 less than or equal to epsilon(r) less than or equal to 80) and geom etrical parameters. On the basis of numerical simulations an ECT sensor wit h internal electrodes was built. Experimental results concerned with imagin g air voids in distilled water and water-continuous dispersions of oil, usi ng a commercially available PTL tomography system, are presented. Effects a rising from the conductivity of water are studied and prospects of using th e ECT system in an 'electrical resistivity' mode for weakly conductive solu tions are outlined.