US 2008/0288181 A1 · Multiphase flow meter and data system

Abstract

A multiphase flow meter and data system including a volumetric flow meter, a multiphase density sensor, and a data center interconnected to the volumetric flow meter, and the multiphase density sensor. The multiphase density sensor has piping with a first transition section, a non-conductive section, and a second transition section. Two conductive plates are externally mounted to the non-conductive section, thereby forming a capacitor. The multiphase flow meter and data system provides a way to measure the percentages of water, gas, and/or crude oil that flow in a pipeline without the separation of phases on-line and in real time. The multiphase flow meter and data system allows reliable real-time measurement with the possibility to transmit results to a remote location without the presence of a technician at the measuring site.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of determining percentage composition of a plurality of phases in a multiphase fluid flow through a conduit, comprising the steps of:

installing a section of non-conductive pipe in the conduit;
attaching opposing conductive plates to the section of non-conductive pipe to form a meter section;
measuring electrical capacitance of the meter section when the multiphase fluid is flowing through the conduit;
determining aggregate density of the multiphase fluid from the measured capacitance;
determining percentage composition of each of the phases of the multiphase fluid from the aggregate density of the multiphase fluid and density of each of the previously known phases;
and
measuring percentage of water in the multiphase fluid.

4 more elements

A multiphase flow meter and data system, comprising:

a sensor pipe adapted for insertion into a conduit carrying a multiphase fluid flow, the pipe having first and second transition sections adapted for attachment to the conduit and an electrically non-conductive transition section disposed between the first and second transition sections;
a pair of electrically conductive plates disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the electrically non-conductive section of the sensor pipe, whereby the conductive plates and the electrically non-conductive section have a capacitance proportional to the phase composition of the multiphase fluid flowing in the sensor pipe;
a power source connected to the electrically conductive plates for applying a voltage thereto;
a sensor connected to the electrically conductive plates, the sensor producing an electrical signal proportional to the capacitance of the sensor pipe and electrically conductive plates when the multiphase fluid flows through the sensor pipe and the voltage is applied to the plates by the power source;
means for computing the aggregate density of the multiphase fluid from the electrical signal produced by the sensor;
a data center connected to the sensor, the data center having means for determining the percentage composition of each phase of the multiphase fluid from the aggregate density of the multiphase fluid, the means for computing the percentage composition of each phase including a plurality of look-up tables correlating aggregate density of the multiphase fluid with percentage composition of each of the phases;
and
means for displaying at least the percentage of each of the phases.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multiphase flow meter and data system

Life of this patent

Multiphase flow meter and data system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17