Flow rate measurement of weakly conducting fluids using Lorentz force velocimetry

Abstract

We present a novel application of a contactless flow measurement system and validate its feasibility on an electrolyte pipe flow. The device relies on the technique of Lorentz force velocimetry (LFV). LFV operates without any contact to either the fluid or the surrounding pipe walls. This is advantageous if the fluid under consideration is hot and aggressive, like a glass melt for example. Glass melts, however, have a very low electrical conductivity, resulting in Lorentz forces in the micronewton range. In order to resolve these tiny forces, we developed a measurement system based on the principle of deflection. Experiments on an electrolyte flow with an electrical conductivity of less than 20 S m−1 prove to be successful and to agree well with numerical simulations, and therefore show for the first time the applicability of LFV for fluids of such low conductivities.