Sonar circumferential flow conditioner
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorsOmer Haldun Unalmis, Espen S. Johansen, Leslie Wayne Perry, Alejandro Vera, Daniel Rodriguez, Vijay Ramakrishnan
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus enable measuring flow of a fluid within a conduit. For example, flowmeters may measure the velocity of production fluid flowing through production pipe of an oil/gas well. The flowmeters rely on detection of pressure variations generated as a result of a backward-facing step as a basis for flow measurement calculations. Pressure sensing occurs away from the step in a direction of the flow of the fluid in an enhanced turbulence region of the flowmeter where the inner diameter remains enlarged as a result of the step.
Claims21
An apparatus for detecting pressure variations within a fluid that is flowing, comprising:
- a conduit containing the fluid, wherein a first section of the conduit has a first inner diameter and a second section of the conduit has a second inner diameter larger than the first inner diameter to define between the first and second sections a backward-facing step that produces the pressure variations;
- and
- an array of pressure sensors to sense the pressure variations, wherein the sensors are spaced along a length of the second section with the second inner diameter.
A method of detecting pressure variations within a fluid that is flowing in a conduit in order to measure a velocity of the fluid, comprising:
- introducing the pressure variations into the fluid with a backward-facing step formed by an enlargement in an inner diameter of the conduit in a direction of fluid flow;
- reducing turbulence in the fluid with a converging inner diameter portion of the conduit prior to introducing the pressure variations, wherein the inner diameter is gradually reduced from a primary diameter ahead of the converging inner diameter portion to a first diameter prior to the enlargement at the step to a second diameter that is smaller than the primary diameter;
- sensing the pressure variations with an array of pressure sensors at spaced locations along a length of the conduit where the inner diameter remains enlarged past the step;
- and
- calculating the velocity of the fluid based on the pressure variations that are sensed.
13-14. (canceled)
A system for detecting pressure variations within a fluid for measuring flow of the fluid, comprising:
- a conduit containing the fluid, wherein a first section of the conduit is located between a second section of the conduit and a converging inner diameter portion of the conduit that gradually reduces a primary inner diameter of the conduit to a first inner diameter at the first section, which first section transitions to the second section that has a second inner diameter larger than the first inner diameter;
- an array of pressure sensors to sense the pressure variations, wherein the sensors are spaced along a length of the second section with the second inner diameter;
- and
- signal interface circuitry configured to measure a velocity of the fluid based on signals from the array of pressure sensors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.