Detecting particulate contaminants in a fluid
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsMartin Peter William Jones, Richard Damon Goodman Roberts, Mark Volanthen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vibration detector (1) comprising at least one fibre optic sensor (2) mechanically coupled to a flexible support member (3). The vibration detector (1) is mounted on the outside of the pipeline and a signal from the fibre optic sensor is measured. This signal is indicative of whether the vibration detector is experiencing vibrations due to collisions of contaminant particles with each other and/or with the walls of the pipeline. A method for detecting particulate contaminants in a fluid flowing in a pipeline is also provided.
Claims17
A method for detecting particulate contaminants in a fluid flowing in a pipeline, the method comprising:
- providing at least one vibration detector comprising at least one fibre optic sensor;
- mounting the vibration detector on the outside of the pipeline;
- and, while the fluid travels along the pipeline, monitoring signals from the vibration detector, whereby to identify vibrations that are characteristic of collisions of particulate contaminants in the fluid.
A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the vibration detector is spaced from the pipeline, so that it is not in direct contact with the pipeline.
A vibration detector adapted to detect particulate contaminants in a fluid flowing in a pipeline, the detector comprising:
- at least one fibre optic sensor;
- and mounting means adapted to mount the vibration detector onto the outside of a pipeline.
A vibration detector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the vibration detector comprises a flexible support member to which the fibre optic sensor is mechanically coupled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.