Measurement of bulk flow velocity and mixture sound speed using an array of dynamic pressure sensors

A system for determining a bulk velocity and a speed of sound of a multi-phase fluid, comprising:

• a pipe in a pipeline;
• a plurality of pressure sensors disposed on the pipe;
• a pressure control system, comprising:
• one or more processors, and
• a non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed on the one or more processors, cause the processor to perform:
• obtaining a plurality of pressure signals from the plurality of pressure sensors;
• determining, using the plurality of pressure signals, a first time-of-flight of one or more flow eddies;
• determining, using the plurality of pressure signals, a second time-of-flight of one or more sound waves;
• determining, using the first time-of-flight, the bulk velocity of the multi-phase fluid;
• and
• determining, using the bulk velocity and the second time-of-flight, the speed of sound of the multi-phase fluid;
• wherein pressure sensors in the plurality of pressure sensors are separated along a longitudinal axis of the pipe according to an axial spacing;
• wherein the pressure sensors in the plurality of pressure sensors are angularly separated according to an angular spacing;
• wherein each pressure sensor in the plurality of pressure sensors comprises a diaphragm for sensing pressure;
• and
• wherein the diaphragm of each pressure sensor is aligned with an inner wall of the pipe such that each pressure sensor is flush-mounted on the inner wall of the pipe.

A non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform:

• obtaining a plurality of pressure signals from a plurality of pressure sensors;
• determining, using the plurality of pressure signals, a first time-of-flight of one or more flow eddies;
• determining, using the plurality of pressure signals, a second time-of-flight of one or more sound waves;
• determining, using the first time-of-flight, a bulk velocity of a multi-phase fluid flowing in a pipe in a pipeline;
• and
• determining, using the bulk flow velocity and the second time-of-flight, a speed of sound of the multi-phase fluid.