Application of the maximum entropy technique in tomographic reconstruction from laser diffraction data to determine local spray drop size distribution

This work proposes a new deconvolution technique to obtain local drop size distributions from line-of-sight intensity data measured by laser diffraction technique. The tomographic reconstruction, based on the maximum entropy (ME) technique, is applied to forward scattered light signal from a laser beam scanning horizontally through the spray on each plane from the center to the edge of spray, resulting in the reconstructed scattered light intensities at particular points in the spray. These reconstructed intensities are in turn converted to local drop size distributions. Unlike the classical method of the onion peeling technique or other mathematical transformation techniques that yield unrealistic negative scattered light intensity solutions, the maximum entropy constraints ensure positive light intensity. Experimental validations to the reconstructed results are achieved by using phase Doppler particle analyzer (PDPA). The results from the PDPA measurements agree very well with the proposed ME tomographic reconstruction.     

Deconvolution with Maximum Entropy Solution to Determine Local Extinction Coefficient and Local Volume Concentration Values from Laser Diffraction Data

The traditional use of the laser diffraction technique provides line‐of‐sight liquid spray drop‐size distribution. However, deconvolution of the measurements can be performed for axisymmetric spray in order to determine local spray characteristics. In a previous publication, a new deconvolution technique making use of the maximum entropy principle was established and applied to determine the local drop‐size distributions. The entire approach was experimentally validated. In this work, the technique is employed to determine local extinction coefficient values. As in the previous investigation, the measurement procedure consists of scanning a laser beam through the spray cross‐section from the center to the edge of the spray. By use of the transmittance theory, the local extinction coefficients allow the local volume concentrations to be calculated. This theory introduces the mean scattering coefficient. The results show that this coefficient must be determined as a function of the Sauter mean diameter in order to avoid overestimation of the volume concentration. Although no proper validation is presented, the coherence of the overall approach is discussed in detail and solutions for improving the spatial resolution are presented. Finally, the local volume concentrations are combined with the local drop‐size distribution to provide local volume‐weighted, drop‐size distributions. These distributions provide information on the localization of the drops according to their diameter as well as on the spatial liquid distribution. This work illustrates applications and performances of laser diffraction technique that are rarely used.     

Effects of temperature and holding time during torrefaction on the pyrolysis behaviors of woody biomass

Torrefaction is the thermal treatment techniques performed at relatively low temperature (<300 °C) in an inert atmosphere, which aims to improve the fuel properties attractively. In this study, woody biomass (Leucaena leucocephala) was torrefied at various temperatures and holding times and the pyrolysis behaviors of the torrefied wood were examined in detail by using TG-MS technique. It was found that the carbon content and the calorific value of the torrefied leucaena increased significantly when temperature and holding time during the torrefaction increased. From the TG-MS analysis, the pyrolysis behaviors of the torrefied leucaena were significantly different from those of the raw leucaena. The char yield at 800 °C for the torrefied leucaena was increased when increasing the holding time during the torrefaction. On the other hand, the tar yield during the pyrolysis decreased significantly with the increase in the holding time during the torrefaction. Through the results from the TG-MS analysis, it was concluded that the structure of leucaena was changed by the torrefaction at temperature below 275 °C and the cross-linking reactions occurred during the pyrolysis resulting in increase in char yields and decrease in tar yields. It was also suggested that the longer the holding time during the torrefaction, the more the cross-linking reactions proceed during the pyrolysis. The results obtained from the study provide the basic information for the pyrolyser and/or gasifier design by using torrefied biomass as a fuel.