Optoelectronic technique for the characterization of high concentration gas-solid suspension.

We describe a simple technique for measuring high (up to 0.16) time-averaged solids volumetric concentration in a two-phase flow. The technique is based on a properly modified version of the forward scattering of laser light. It is useful in a variety of practical configurations, and, in particular, it is instrumental in the diagnostics of particle flow in the free board of bubbling fluidized beds and in the circulating fluidized beds. A fallout of this work is the measurement of the extinction coefficient of the solid material tested.