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US 5,714,691 AGranted
Method and system for analyzing a two phase flow
AssigneeFoster-Miller, Inc.
InventorWayne S. Hill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of and system for analyzing a two-phase flow in a conduit in which acoustic energy is transmitted through a conduit and into the flow therein; return echoes are detected, one or more flow indicator quantities are computed from the return echoes; and the mass flow rate and/or the flow quality is determined from the computed flow indicator quantities.
Claims27
A method of determining the quality of a two-phase flow in a conduit, comprising:
- transmitting acoustic energy through the conduit wall and into the flow therein to generate from the flow return echoes;
- detecting the return echoes from the flow;
- computing the two-phase flow mass flow rate;
- and
- determining from the return echoes at least one of the mass flow rate and the flow quality.
2 more elements
A system for determining the quality of a two-phase flow in a conduit, comprising:
- means for transmitting acoustic energy through the conduit wall and into the flow therein to generate from the flow return echoes;
- means for detecting the return echoes from the flow;
- and
- means for computing the two-phase flow mass flow rate;
- and
- means for determining from the return echoes at least one of the mass flow rate and the flow quality.
3 more elements
A method for determining the mass flow rate and quality of a two-phase flow in a conduit, comprising:
- transmitting acoustic energy through the conduit wall and into the flow therein to generate from the flow return echoes;
- detecting the quantity of return echoes above a predetermined echo strength;
- determining from the quantity of return echoes the two-phase flow mass flow rate;
- calculating from the return echoes the liquid film thickness on the conduit wall;
- and
- determining the average change in calculated liquid film thickness, the average calculated film thickness, and the flow quality from the ratio of the average change to the average film thickness.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.