Analysis of fluids
AssigneeUnited Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
InventorColin G. Clayton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for analysing a fluid, especially an oil/water/gas mixture of unknown composition flowing in a pipeline (10). The apparatus can operate remotely, for example on the sea bed. A gamma-ray source (12) and a diametrically arranged scintillator (20) enable the density to be determined; while a fast neutron source (14) and a diametrically arranged germanium gamma spectrometer (22) cooled by a cryo-cooler (26) enable the concentrations of the elements present to be determined. The apparatus also includes a pulsed fast neutron source and a gamma detector to determine the flow velocity of the fluid. The apparatus enables the weight fractions of oil, water and gas to be derived.
Claims7
An apparatus for determining the composition of a fluid which comprises one or more of the constituents oil, water and gas, the apparatus comprising means for measuring the density of the fluid and for generating first electrical signals representative thereof;
- means for irradiating the fluid simultaneously with fast and thermal neutrons so as to excite atoms of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen in the fluid, and a gamma spectrometer arranged to detect prompt gamma rays emitted by the excited atoms, to determine the intensities of gamma rays of energy 2.2, 4.4, and 6.2 MeV, and to provide second electrical signals representative of those intensities;
- and means responsive to the said first and second electrical signals for determining, from the said signals and from the stoichiometry of the constituents, the proportions of oil, water and gas in the fluid.
A method for analyzing a fluid which comprises one or more of the constituents oil, water and gas, the method comprising irradiating the fluid simultaneously with fast and thermal neutrons so as to excite atoms of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen in the fluid, detecting the intensities of prompt gamma rays of energy 2.2, 4.4 and 6.2 MeV emitted by the excited atoms in the fluid;
- measuring the density of the fluid;
- and determining from the said intensities and the density and from the stoichiometry of the constituents, the proportions of oil, water and gas in the fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.