Wick Characterization by Image Analysis 2001-01-2238

The microstructure characterization of tubular wicks is discussed using an image analysis method, mercury intrusion porosimetry and Arquimedes method. The central objective of this work is to determine the wide convenience of the image analysis technique for wick characterization. It is demonstrate that the image analysis technique is an appropriate tool to determine correlation function, total porosity and pore size distribution in two-dimensional (2-D) binary images of microstructures. The correlation function is used to simulate the 3-D reconstruction of porous structure. The images were obtained from a set of wick samples made of sintered nickel, through scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). A computer program (Imago) was developed and used in the work. The mercury intrusion porosimetry is also used to provide information about the breakthrough diameter of porous material. Results show porosity of about 60% and effective pore size less than 4 μm.