{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]],"date-time":"2025-12-18T14:13:23Z","timestamp":1766067203075,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"19","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,6]],"date-time":"2020-10-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1601942400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Component fraction (CF) is one of the most important parameters in multiple-phase flow. Due to the complexity of the solid\u2013liquid two-phase flow, the CF estimation remains unsolved both in scientific research and industrial application for a long time. Electrical resistance tomography (ERT) is an advanced type of conductivity detection technique due to its low-cost, fast-response, non-invasive, and non-radiation characteristics. However, when the existing ERT method is used to measure the CF value in solid\u2013liquid two-phase flow in dredging engineering, there are at least three problems: (1) the dependence of reference distribution whose CF value is zero; (2) the size of the detected objects may be too small to be found by ERT; and (3) there is no efficient way to estimate the effect of artifacts in ERT. In this paper, we proposed a method based on the clustering technique, where a fast-fuzzy clustering algorithm is used to partition the ERT image to three clusters that respond to liquid, solid phases, and their mixtures and artifacts, respectively. The clustering algorithm does not need any reference distribution in the CF estimation. In the case of small solid objects or artifacts, the CF value remains effectively computed by prior information. To validate the new method, a group of typical CF estimations in dredging engineering were implemented. Results show that the new method can effectively overcome the limitations of the existing method, and can provide a practical and more accurate way for CF estimation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s20195697","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,6]],"date-time":"2020-10-06T10:46:17Z","timestamp":1601981177000},"page":"5697","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Clustering-Based Component Fraction Estimation in Solid\u2013Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Dredging Engineering"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Chang","family":"Sun","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Electrical Automation and Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shihong","family":"Yue","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Electrical Automation and Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2825-3531","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Qi","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Electrical Automation and Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8792-0760","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Huaxiang","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Electrical Automation and Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1016\/S0925-4005(03)00126-6","article-title":"Chemical engineering applications of electrical process tomography","volume":"92","author":"Tapp","year":"2003","journal-title":"Sens. Actuators B"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yang, L., Yue, S., and Tan, Y. (2020, January 27\u201330). Solid Component Fraction in Multi-Phase Flows Using Electrical Resistance Tomography and Kalman Filter. Proceedings of the 2020 39th Chinese Control Conference (CCC), Shenyang, China.","DOI":"10.23919\/CCC50068.2020.9188746"},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Beck, M.S., Campogrande, E., Morris, M., Williams, R.A., and Waterfall, R.C. (2020, October 01). Tomographic Techniques for Process Design and Operation (Southampton: Computational Mechanics). Available online: https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Ramon_Pallas-Areny\/publication\/303689568_Multifrequency_electrical_impedance_tomography_as_an_alternative_to_absolute_imaging\/links\/574da8cd08ae82d2c6bdfd09\/Multifrequency-electrical-impedance-tomography-as-an-alternative-to-absolute-imaging.pdf."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"697","DOI":"10.1002\/ceat.200390107","article-title":"Non-invasive process imaging\u2014Principles and applications of industrial process tomography","volume":"26","author":"Dyakowski","year":"2003","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. Technol."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"421","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cherd.2008.12.001","article-title":"Positron emission particle tracking in a mechanically agitated solid\u2013liquid suspension of coarse particles","volume":"87","author":"Guida","year":"2009","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. Res. Design"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1016\/j.petrol.2009.06.007","article-title":"On-line measurement of separation dynamics in primary gas\/oil\/water separators: Challenges and technical solutions\u2014A review","volume":"68","author":"Jaworski","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Pet. Sci. Eng."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tan, Y., and Yue, S. (2020). Solid Concentration Estimation by Kalman Filter. Sensors, 20.","DOI":"10.3390\/s20092657"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"124705","DOI":"10.1063\/1.3672997","article-title":"Prognostic monitoring of aircraft wiring using electrical capacitive tomography Rev","volume":"82","author":"McKenzie","year":"2011","journal-title":"Sci. Instrum."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"72","DOI":"10.1016\/j.flowmeasinst.2017.11.012","article-title":"Fuzzy optimal solution of electric tomography imaging: Modelling and application","volume":"59","author":"Ding","year":"2018","journal-title":"Flow Meas. Instrum."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1576","DOI":"10.1109\/TIM.2006.881564","article-title":"Two Methods for Measurement of Gas-Liquid Flows in Vertical Upward Pipe Using Dual-Plane ERT System","volume":"55","author":"Dong","year":"2006","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1016\/j.flowmeasinst.2005.02.017","article-title":"Tomography for multi-phase flow measurement in the oil industry","volume":"16","author":"Ismail","year":"2005","journal-title":"Flow Meas. Instrum."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"429","DOI":"10.1108\/SR-01-2016-0027","article-title":"A review on image reconstruction algorithms for electrical capacitance\/resistance tomography","volume":"36","author":"Cui","year":"2016","journal-title":"Sensor Rev."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yang, C., Wang, H., and Cui, Z. (2012, January 13\u201316). Application of electrical resistance tomography in bubble columns for volume fraction measurement. Proceedings of the 2012 IEEE International Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference, Graz, Austria.","DOI":"10.1109\/I2MTC.2012.6229178"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cui, Z., Wang, H., Xu, Y., Zhang, L., and Yan, Y. (2009, January 5\u20137). An integrated ECT\/ERT dual modality sensor. Proceedings of the 2009 IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference, Singapore.","DOI":"10.1109\/IMTC.2009.5168680"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hayes, D. (1994). Tomographic Flow Measurement by Combining Component Distribution and Velocity Profile Measurements in 2-Phase Oil\/Gas Flows. [Ph.D. Thesis, UMIST].","DOI":"10.1049\/ic:19950636"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1016\/S0955-5986(03)00024-4","article-title":"Application of electrical resistance tomography to two-phase pipe flow parameters measurement","volume":"14","author":"Dong","year":"2003","journal-title":"Flow Meas. Instrum."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"015305","DOI":"10.1088\/0957-0233\/26\/1\/015305","article-title":"Evaluation of EIT systems and algorithms for handling full void fraction range in two-phase flow measurement","volume":"26","author":"Jia","year":"2015","journal-title":"Meas. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"161","DOI":"10.1016\/S0269-7491(01)00118-X","article-title":"Dredging impact on an urbanized Florida bayou: Effects on benthos and algal-periphyton","volume":"115","author":"Lewis","year":"2001","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"033707","DOI":"10.1063\/1.5123754","article-title":"Optimal similarity norm for electrical tomography based on Bregman divergence","volume":"91","author":"Ding","year":"2020","journal-title":"Rev. Sci. Instrum."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1016\/j.flowmeasinst.2012.11.002","article-title":"The parameters measurement of air\u2013water two phase flow using the electrical resistance tomography (ERT) technique in a bubble column","volume":"31","author":"Jin","year":"2013","journal-title":"Flow Meas. Instr."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Wang Hx Xu, Y.B., and Dong, F. (2013). Electrical Tomography, Science Press."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xu, Y., Wang, H., Cui, Z., and Dong, F. (2009, January 11\u201312). Application of electrical resistance tomography for slug flow measurement in gas\/liquid flow of horizontal pipe. Proceedings of the 2009 IEEE International Workshop on Imaging Systems and Techniques, Shenzhen, China.","DOI":"10.1109\/IST.2009.5071657"},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"135","article-title":"Numerical Simulation for Phase Volume Fraction of solid-liquid Multiphase Flows in Horizontal Curved Pipe","volume":"42","author":"Ling","year":"2018","journal-title":"Well Logging Technol."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"Xu, G. (2004). Theoretic and Applied Research of Electrical Impedance Tomography, Chongqing University, College of Electrical Engineering."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115705","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ces.2020.115705","article-title":"A three dimensional coupled VOF and Level set (VOSET) method with and without phase change on general curvilinear grids, Chem","volume":"223","author":"Cao","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eng. Sci."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2017.06.050","article-title":"A VOSET method combined with IDEAL algorithm for 3D two-phase flows with large density and viscosity ratio","volume":"114","author":"Sun","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118565","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2019.118565","article-title":"A coupled volume-of-fluid and level-set method (VOSET) for capturing interface of two-phase flows in arbitrary polygon grid","volume":"143","author":"Kong","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer."},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"686","article-title":"Fast fuzzy grey level image segmentation method","volume":"35","author":"Boudraa","year":"1997","journal-title":"Med. Biol. Eng. Comput."},{"key":"ref_29","unstructured":"Tang, L. (2016). Research on Image Reconstruction Algorithms and Design of Software for Electrical Impedance Tomography System, Tianjin University, School of Electrical Engineering and Automation."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2234","DOI":"10.1088\/0957-0233\/26\/12\/125402","article-title":"A new linear back projection algorithm to electrical tomography based on measuring data decomposition","volume":"26","author":"Sun","year":"2015","journal-title":"Meas. Sci. Tech."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"40","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ces.2019.01.020","article-title":"Second-order sensitivity coefficient based electrical tomography imaging","volume":"18","author":"Ding","year":"2019","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. Sci."}],"container-title":["Sensors"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/20\/19\/5697\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T10:16:56Z","timestamp":1760177816000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/20\/19\/5697"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,6]]},"references-count":31,"journal-issue":{"issue":"19","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,10]]}},"alternative-id":["s20195697"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/s20195697","relation":{},"ISSN":["1424-8220"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"1424-8220"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,6]]}}}