System and method for remote monitoring of solid contaminant in fluids

A pipeline contaminant monitoring apparatus comprising:

• i) a filter housing and a sampling probe configured to isokinetically sample a portion of a pipeline gas stream, the filter housing having a filter configured to trap solid contaminants within the gas stream;
• ii) a first pressure sensor located upstream of the filter and a second pressure sensor located downstream of the filter;
• and
• iii) a processor coupled to the first and second pressure sensors, the processor configured to determine a solid contaminant concentration level in the gas stream based on a rate of change of the pressure drop sensed across the filter;
• wherein the processor is configured to compare the pressure drop sensed across the filter to empirically-derived data for contaminant concentration, the comparison resulting in a real-time determination of solid contamination concentration in the pipeline gas stream, based on a scaling of a mass of solids, measured at two different differential pressures, in the pipeline filter;
• and
• further comprising a liquid collection chamber attached to a gravitational bottom of the filter housing, the liquid collection chamber positioned to collect liquid droplets from the filter,
• iv) wherein the liquid collection chamber includes a float switch configured to generate an electrical signal when a predefined amount of liquid is collected in the liquid collection chamber;
• and
• v) wherein the processor is configured to determine a level of liquid contaminant concentration in the gas stream based on a time required for the float switch to generate the electrical signal.