Model-based parameterisation of a hydrocyclone air-core
An important metric for the accurate control of a hydrocyclone is the diameter of its air-core. Ultrasonic data from a 16-transducer, 1.5 MHz pulse-echo tomographic system are analysed to determine the variation of the air-core diameter with various operating conditions. The back-projection image reconstruction method is not accurate enough for this task. Sub-millimetre accuracy is obtained, however, by applying a combination of signal processing and model-based reconstruction, using the fact that there is a small variation in the air-core boundary position. The findings correspond well to the results obtained from X-ray and electrical resistance modalities.