Three-dimensional nonstationary electrical impedance tomography with a single electrode layer

In a tubular vessel equipping a single electrode layer, true three-dimensional electrical impedance tomography imaging is generally not considered possible. In a nonstationary setting, however, the accumulation of information over an epoch can possibly allow for 3D imaging if appropriate evolution models are available. Such an evolution model is the stochastic convection–diffusion model if the flow field is such that the main flow is along the tube. A single electrode layer sensor would obviously be much cheaper and could be installed in locations in which a multi-layer sensor possibly could not be. In this paper, we assess this possibility both computationally and experimentally. The results show that a single electrode layer system is a potential technique in nonstationary estimation.