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US 7,114,401 B2Granted
Apparatus and methods for abrasive fluid flow meter
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorAndreas Peter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method provides a flow measurement system for steady-state and transient flow. A housing contains a sleeve such that the sleeve is isolated from external mechanical loads. A flow measurement element, such as a venture or nozzle, is located in the sleeve. Strains along the sleeve caused by flow pressure changes through the flow element are detected and related to fluid flow rate.
Claims42
A system for measuring a fluid flow comprising:
- a housing adapted to be inserted in a flowline;
- a sleeve adapted to sealably fit into said housing such that a predetermined gap exists between said sleeve and said housing and wherein said sleeve is substantially isolated from mechanical loads on said housing;
- a flow measuring element disposed in the sleeve such that the flow measuring element generates a pressure difference across said flow measuring element related to a flow rate of the fluid flow therethrough;
- and
- a first strain sensor attached to the sleeve upstream of the flow measuring element and generating a first signal related thereto, and a second strain sensor attached to the sleeve downstream of the flow measuring element and generating a second signal related thereto, wherein a difference between the first strain sensor signal and the second strain sensor signal is related to a flow rate of the fluid inside the sleeve.
2 more elements
A method for measuring a fluid flow comprising:
- inserting a housing in a flowline;
- adapting a sleeve to sealably fit into said housing such that a predetermined gap exists between said sleeve and said housing;
- disposing a flow measuring element in said sleeve such that said flow measuring element generates a pressure difference across said flow measuring element related to a flow rate of the fluid flow therethrough;
- and
- attaching a first strain sensor to said sleeve at a location upstream of the flow measuring element and generating a first strain sensor signal related thereto, and attaching a second strain sensor on the sleeve at a location downstream of the flow measuring element and generating a second strain sensor signal related thereto, wherein a difference between the first strain sensor signal and the second strain sensor signal is related to a flow rate of the fluid inside the sleeve.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.