Characterizing contents of conduits, in particular multiphase flow conduits
AssigneeStatoil Petroleum AS
InventorsRainer Josef Hoffman, William George Clark, Lene Amundsen, Ruben Schulkes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining contents of a conduit containing at least one fluid is described. The conduit may be at least partially defined by at least one wall portion. The wall portion may be cooled. After cooling said, the temperature at least one temperature sensor located adjacent to the wall portion may be measured. A characteristic of said contents is determined based on said measured temperature at the or each temperature sensor.
Claims29
A method of determining contents of a conduit containing at least one fluid, the conduit being at least partially defined by at least one wall portion, the method comprising:
- cooling said wall portion;
- after cooling said wall portion, measuring the temperature at at least one temperature sensor located adjacent to the wall portion;
- and
- determining a characteristic of said contents based on said measured temperature at the or each temperature sensor.
Apparatus for determining contents of a conduit containing at least one fluid, the conduit being at least partially defined by at least one wall portion, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one temperature sensor adapted to be fitted adjacent to the wall portion;
- cooling means for cooling said wall portion;
- a processor for measuring the temperature from the or each temperature sensor;
- wherein the processor is adapted to determine a characteristic of said contents based on said measured temperature from the or each temperature sensor.
A computer device for determining contents of a conduit containing at least one fluid, the conduit being at least partially defined by at least one wall portion the computer device comprising:
- an in/out device for receiving, from at least one temperature sensor adjacent to the wall portion, data indicative of a temperature of the contents of the conduit in proximity to the or each temperature sensor in response to cooling of the wall portion;
- and
- a processor arranged to determine a characteristic of the contents based on the measured temperature at the or each temperature sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.