Apparatus for measuring varying density of a slurry flowing in a pipeline

A device for measuring density of a slurry flowing through a pipe, the device comprising:

• a pipe through which the slurry may flow;
• a section of the pipe, the section having two ends, each end being coupled to the pipe so that the slurry may flow through the section, each end of the section comprising a precision formed surface, ends of the pipe adjacent to the respective ends of the pipe section including precision formed surfaces respectively complementary to the precision formed surfaces provided on the ends of the pipe section, the adjacent precision formed surfaces on the ends of the pipe section and on the adjoining ends of the pipe comprising hydrostatic bearings;
• first means for measuring the weight of the pipe section, said weight including the weight of the slurry flowing through the pipe section;
• second means adapted for providing a fluid in the hydrostatic bearing at a pressure higher than the pressure of the slurry flowing in the pipe, and
• third means for coupling and operatively positioning the pipe section to the pipe.

A device for measuring the density and flow velocity of a slurry flowing through a pipe, the device comprising:

• a first and a second pipe section adapted to be incorporated in the pipe, the first and second pipe sections being located at a predetermined distance from another and positioned so that the slurry may flow first through said first section and thereafter through said second section, the first and second pipe sections being coup to the pipe through substantially frictionless hydrostatic bearings, allowing each pipe section to be displaced in a substantially frictionless manner to a limited extent relative to the pipe in a direction parallel with the earth's gravitational field;
• first measuring means connected to each pipe section for measuring the weight of each pipe section, said weights including the weights of the slurry flowing through the pipe section;
• second memory means connected to the first means for storing the measured weights or densities computed therefrom of each pipe section as a function of time whereby any slurry density fluctation travelling through the pipe is stored, and
• third comparing and computing means connected to the second means for comparing with one another density versus time patterns measured and stored respectively at the first and second pipe sections and for computing the flow velocity of the slurry from the predetermined distance and from the time a given density versus time fluctuation pattern takes to travel from the first pipe section to the second pipe section.

A device for measuring the density of a fluid flowing through a pipe, the device comprising:

• a first flange adapted to be mechanically fastened to the pipe and having an opening to be positioned in substantial alignment with the inner diameter of the pipe and a precision formed surface;
• a second flange adapted to be mechanically fastened to the pipe, and having an opening to be positioned in substantial alignment with the inner diameter of the pipe and a precision formed surface;
• a pipe section having a precision formed surface at each end thereof, the precision formed surfaces of the pipe section being respectively complementary to the precision formed surfaces of the first and second flanges;
• first means for fastening the pipe section between the first and second flanges so that the precision formed surfaces of the pipe section are disposed adjacent to the respective precision formed surfaces of the first and second flanges, said adjacent, complementary precision formed surfaces capable of comprising hydrostatic bearings when a hydrostatic fluid is supplied to them, the hydrostatic bearings allowing a substantially frictionless motion of the pipe section in a direction parallel with the earth's gravitational field, and
• second means for measuring the weight of the pipe section, said weight including the weight of the fluid which may flow through the pipe section.