Measurements of concentration per size class in a dense polydispersed jet using planar laser-induced fluorescence and phase Doppler techniques

In dense two-phase flows, it is well known that phase Doppler anemometry is not well suited for the measurement of concentration and mass flux. Laser diagnostics based on fluorescence can provide the dispersed phase concentration but without discrimination between size classes. We present a new method of coupling the two techniques, in order to extract the local value of concentration and flux per size class. The method is applied to an axisymmetric turbulent jet, laden with polydispersed droplets 1–90 μm. Droplet concentration profiles are obtained in the development zone (x/d ₀ < 20) of the dense jet and are used to study droplet dispersion. The results are then introduced into the momentum transport equations to analyze the influence of droplets on the carrier phase. We show that the local decrease of the rate of variation of mean momentum with mass loading is due both to an increase in interfacial transfer rate and to a decrease in turbulent diffusion effects. Received: 20 November 2000 / Accepted: 3 April 2001