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US 2012/0055239 A1Published application
Multiphase fluid characterization system
AssigneeLos Alamos National Security, LLC
InventorDipen N. Sinha
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A measurement system and method for permitting multiple independent measurements of several physical parameters of multiphase fluids flowing through pipes are described. Multiple acoustic transducers are placed in acoustic communication with or attached to the outside surface of a section of existing spool (metal pipe), typically less than 3 feet in length, for noninvasive measurements. Sound speed, sound attenuation, fluid density, fluid flow, container wall resonance characteristics, and Doppler measurements for gas volume fraction may be measured simultaneously by the system. Temperature measurements are made using a temperature sensor for oil-cut correction.
Claims34
A system for noninvasively measuring multiple independent physical parameters of a multiphase fluid comprising at least one liquid component and gas bubbles flowing in a pipe having a wall, an outside surface and an axis, comprising:
- a first transmitting transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe;
- a first waveform generator for generating a frequency chirp signal for driving said first transmitting transducer;
- a first receiving transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe diametrically opposed to said first transmitting transducer for receiving the frequency chirp signal from said first transmitting transducer after the chirp signal passes through said multiphase fluid, and for generating a first electrical signal in response thereto;
- means for receiving the first electrical signal from said first receiving transducer and the frequency chirp signal generated by said waveform generator, and for generating speed of sound and sound attenuation information therefrom, from which the composition of the at least one component of said multiphase fluid is determined;
- a second transmitting transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe;
- a third transmitting transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe disposed a known distance along the axis of said pipe from said second transmitting transducer;
- a second waveform generator for generating a first fixed frequency signal for driving said second transmitting transducer and said third transmitting transducer;
- a second receiving transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe diametrically opposed to said second transmitting transducer for receiving the first fixed frequency signal from said second transmitting transducer after the first fixed frequency signal passes through said multiphase fluid, and for generating a second electrical signal in response thereto;
- a third receiving transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe diametrically opposed to said third transmitting transducer for receiving the first fixed frequency signal from said third transmitting transducer after the fixed frequency signal passes through said multiphase fluid, and for generating a third electrical signal in response thereto;
- means for receiving the second electrical signal and the third electrical signal, whereby a disturbance in the fluid affecting the second electrical signal will affect the third electrical signal at a later time from which the flow rate of said multiphase fluid is calculated;
- a fourth transmitting transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe;
- a third waveform generator for generating a second fixed frequency signal for driving said second transmitting transducer;
- a fourth receiving transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe disposed in the vicinity of said fourth transmitting transducer at the same position along the axis of said pipe as said fourth transmitting transducer for receiving a Doppler shifted second fixed frequency signal resulting from reflection from said gas bubbles, and for generating a fourth electrical signal in response thereto;
- and
- means for receiving the fourth electrical signal and the second fixed frequency signal from said third waveform generator, and for determining the signal strength of the Doppler shifted second fixed frequency signal from which the volume of said gas bubbles is determined.
12 more elements
A method for noninvasively measuring multiple independent physical parameters of a multiphase fluid comprising at least one liquid component and gas bubbles flowing in a pipe having a wall, an outside surface and an axis, comprising:
- generating a frequency chirp signal for driving a first transmitting transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe;
- receiving the generated frequency chirp signal on a first receiving transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe diametrically opposed to the first transmitting transducer after the chirp signal passes through said multiphase fluid, and generating a first electrical signal in response thereto;
- receiving the first electrical signal and the generated frequency chirp signal, and generating speed of sound and sound attenuation information therefrom, from which the composition of the at least one component of said multiphase fluid is determined;
- generating a first fixed frequency signal for driving a second transmitting transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe, and a third transmitting transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe disposed a known distance along the axis of said pipe from the second transmitting transducer;
- receiving the first fixed frequency signal on a second receiving transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe diametrically opposed to the second transmitting transducer after the first fixed frequency signal passes through said multiphase fluid, and generating a second electrical signal in response thereto;
- receiving the first fixed frequency on a third receiving transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe diametrically opposed to the third transmitting transducer after the first fixed frequency signal passes through said multiphase fluid, and generating a third electrical signal in response thereto;
- receiving the second electrical signal and the third electrical signal and calculating the flow rate of said multiphase fluid from a disturbance in the fluid affecting the second electrical signal and affecting the third electrical signal at a later time;
- generating a second fixed frequency signal for driving a fourth transmitting transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe;
- receiving a Doppler shifted second fixed frequency signal resulting from reflection from said gas bubbles on a fourth receiving transducer in ultrasonic communication with the outside surface of said pipe disposed in the vicinity of the fourth transmitting transducer at the same position along the axis of said pipe as the fourth transmitting transducer and for generating a fourth electrical signal in response thereto;
- and
- receiving the fourth electrical signal and the second fixed frequency signal and determining the signal strength of the Doppler shifted second fixed frequency signal from which the volume of said gas bubbles is determined.
8 more elements
A method for noninvasively measuring multiple independent physical parameters of a multiphase fluid comprising at least one liquid component and gas bubbles flowing in a pipe having a wall, an outside surface and an axis, comprising:
- generating an ultrasonic frequency chirp signal in said multiphase fluid;
- receiving the generated frequency chirp signal after the chirp signal passes through said multiphase fluid, and generating a first electrical signal in response thereto;
- receiving the first electrical signal and the generated frequency chirp signal, and generating speed of sound and sound attenuation information therefrom, from which the composition of the at least one component of said multiphase fluid is determined;
- generating a first fixed ultrasonic frequency signal and a second fixed ultrasonic frequency signal disposed a known distance along the axis of said pipe from the first fixed frequency signal in said multiphase liquid;
- receiving the first fixed frequency signal after the first fixed frequency signal passes through said multiphase fluid, and generating a second electrical signal in response thereto;
- receiving the second fixed frequency signal after the second fixed frequency signal passes through said multiphase fluid, and generating a third electrical signal in response thereto;
- receiving the second electrical signal and the third electrical signal and calculating the flow rate of said multiphase fluid from a disturbance in the fluid affecting the second fixed frequency electrical signal and affecting the third electrical signal at a later time;
- generating a third fixed ultrasonic frequency signal in said multiphase liquid;
- receiving a Doppler shifted third fixed frequency signal resulting from reflection from said gas bubbles and generating a fourth electrical signal in response thereto;
- and
- receiving the fourth electrical signal and the third fixed frequency signal and determining the signal strength of the Doppler shifted second fixed frequency signal from which the volume of said gas bubbles is determined.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.