Apparatus and method for measuring parameters of a mixture having solid particles suspended in a fluid flowing in a pipe

Abstract

An apparatus 10,70 and method is provided that includes a spatial array of unsteady pressure sensors 15-18 placed at predetermined axial locations X1-XN disposed axially along a pipe 14. for measuring at least one parameter of a solid particle/fluid mixture 12 flowing in the pipe 14. The pressure sensors 15-18 provide acoustic pressure signals P1(t)-PN(t) to a signal processing unit 30 which determines the speed of sound amix of the particle/fluid mixture 12 in the pipe 14 using acoustic spatial array signal processing techniques. The primary parameters to be measured include fluid/particle concentration, fluid/particle mixture volumetric flow, and particle size. Frequency based sound speed is determined utilizing a dispersion model to determine the parameters of interest.

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