Acoustic Sand Monitor
AssigneeChevron U.S.A. Inc.
InventorsLee David Rhyne, Peter Crowder, Hariprasad Janakiram Subramani
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Abstract
An acoustic sand monitor system includes an exciter assembly and a receiver that are configured to be coupled to an accumulator vessel. Separating equipment separates sand from a fluid stream produced by a well. The accumulator vessel collects the sand separated from the fluid stream. The exciter assembly causes vibrations of the accumulator vessel and the receiver measures audio signals generated by the vibrations of the accumulator vessel. A control system analyzes the audio signal to determine the amount of sand collected in the accumulator vessel.
Claims20
An acoustic sand monitor system comprising:
- an accumulator vessel configured to be coupled to a de-sander vessel, wherein the de-sander vessel separates sand from a fluid stream of a flow line and wherein the accumulator vessel collects the sand separated from the fluid stream;
- an exciter assembly coupled to the accumulator vessel, wherein, when activated, the exciter assembly causes vibrations of the accumulator vessel;
- a receiver coupled to the accumulator vessel, wherein the receiver detects an accumulator audio signal created by the vibrations of the accumulator vessel;
- and
- a communications interface electrically coupled to the receiver, wherein the communications interface transmits the accumulator audio signal to a control system that analyzes the accumulator audio signal.
A method for monitoring an accumulator vessel coupled to a flow line, the method comprising:
- generating a test excitation signal from an exciter assembly coupled to the accumulator vessel, the test excitation signal causing test vibrations of the accumulator vessel;
- detecting, with a receiver coupled to the accumulator vessel, a benchmark accumulator audio signal generated by the test vibrations of the accumulator vessel;
- transmitting, by a communications interface, the benchmark accumulator audio signal to a control system;
- generating, at a predetermined time, a production excitation signal from the exciter assembly, the production excitation signal causing production vibrations of the accumulator vessel;
- detecting, with the receiver, a production accumulator audio signal generated by the production vibrations of the accumulator vessel;
- transmitting, by the communications interface, the production accumulator audio signal to the control system;
- and
- comparing, by the control system, a frequency of the production accumulator audio signal to a frequency of the benchmark accumulator audio signal to determine a volume of sand in the accumulator vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.