Method and apparatus for determining steam quality and/or flow rate from impact force and flow restriction data
AssigneeTexaco Inc.
InventorSze-Foo Chien
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining the quality of steam and steam flow rate use the thrust or impact force of the steam against a device in the steam flow path and restriction data from a choke or orifice plate. The impact force can be read from a variety of devices mounted in the steam flow path and using known electrical and/or mechanical reading and recording techniques. The restriction data can be derived from measurements taken across known flow restriction devices such as an orifice plate or a choke.
Claims14
A method for determining the quality and flow rate of steam, namely a mixture of liquid and vapor flowing through a pipe under subcritical to critical flow conditions comprising the steps of:
- measuring the impact force of the steam flow;
- measuring the pressure differential of the steam flowing through known flow restriction means;
- and
- calculating the steam quality and flow rate from these measurements.
An apparatus for determining the quality of steam, namely a mixture of liquid and vapor, flowing through a pipe under subcritical to critical flow conditions comprising:
- force responsive means positioned within said pipe and against which said steam impinges to measure the force of the flowing steam;
- means forming a flow restriction in said pipe;
- and
- means determining the pressure drop across said flow restriction and;
- means to calculate the steam quality and flow rate from said impact force and pressure drop.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.