US 2002/0177986 A1 · Simulation method and system using component-phase transformations

Abstract

A simulator is disclosed that employs a novel matrix in a domain transform process so as to implement a coherent simulation that accounts for diverse phenomena that are formulated in terms of different sets of variables. The novel matrix also has additional applications that include evaluation of a source term for continuity equations. In one embodiment, the simulator includes a fluid flow simulation block that evaluates phase continuity equations in a first domain and evaluates phase equilibrium and flash equations in a second domain. In performing an inverse transform from second domain components to first domain components, a component distribution matrix is employed so that matrix properties representing an underlying principle of mass conservation are preserved in the inverse transform. Other matrices that relate a component molar density vector to a phase molar density vector are also described.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of estimating one or more properties of a multi-component fluid contained in a physical system containing two or more phases, comprising the steps of:

(a) equating the physical system in at least one dimension to a multiplicity of cells;
(b) for each cell, characterizing the multi-component fluid in the cell using a property of a first set of components and representing the characterization by a first vector;
(c) converting the first vector to a second vector using a transformation matrix, the transformatin matrix being indicative of the distribution of the first set of components and the second vector being representative of a property of a second set of components greater in number than the first set of components;
(d) using the second vector to determine the number and properties of phases present in each cell;
(e) determining the elements of a first matrix that expresses distribution of the second vectors among the phases;
(f) determining the elements of a second matrix that expresses how the first vectors are distributed among the phases using the transformation matrix and the first matrix;
(g) determining a third matrix that expresses the composition of the phases in terms of the first vectors;
and
(h) using the third matrix to perform fluid flow calculations to estimate one or more properties of the multi-component fluid.

6 more elements

A nonlinear process simulator which comprises:

(a) a display monitor;
(b) a processor coupled to the display monitor and configured to display time evolution of the process;
and
(c) a memory configured to store software for access by the processor, wherein the software includes:
a second domain module which configures the processor to determine a distribution of second domain components among a plurality of phases, wherein the second domain component distribution is expressible in terms of a second domain component distribution matrix having elements that specify what fraction of each second domain component is found in a given phase;
and
a conversion module which configures the processor to convert the second domain component distribution matrix into a first domain component distribution matrix by multiplying the second domain component distribution matrix with a transform matrix to obtain a first domain component distribution matrix, wherein the second domain components are expressible as a product of the first domain components and the transform matrix.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Simulation method and system using component-phase transformations

Life of this patent

Simulation method and system using component-phase transformations

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17