Correcting for two-phase flow in a digital flowmeter
AssigneeInvensys Systems, Inc.
InventorsManus P. Henry, Maria Jesus De La Fuente
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flowmeter is disclosed. The flowmeter includes a vibratable conduit, and a driver connected to the conduit that is operable to impart motion to the conduit. A sensor is connected to the conduit and is operable to sense the motion of the conduit and generate a sensor signal. A controller is connected to receive the sensor signal. The controller is operable to detect a single-phase flow condition and process the sensor signal using a first process during the single-phase flow condition to generate a validated mass-flow measurement. The controller is also operable to detect a two-phase flow condition and process the sensor signal using a second process during the two-phase flow condition to generate the validated mass-flow measurement.
Claims19
A controller for a Coriolis effect flowmeter having a flowtube to receive a flowing liquid, the controller comprising:
- one or more processing devices coupled to the sensor, the processing devices configured to:
- send a drive signal to a driver coupled to the flowtube to oscillate the flowtube;
- receive a sensor signal from a sensor coupled to the flowtube, wherein the sensor signal is related to an oscillation of the flowtube;
- and
- determine, based on the sensor signal, the flow rate of the flowing liquid during a transition of the flowtube from a first state in which the flowtube is substantially empty of the flowing liquid to a second state in which the flowtube is substantially full of the flowing liquid.
A Coriolis effect flowmeter comprising:
- a flowtube to receive a flowing liquid having a flow rate;
- at least one sensor coupled to the vibratable flowtube, wherein the sensor generates a sensor signal that is related to an oscillation of the flowtube;
- at least one driver coupled to the vibratable flowtube, wherein the driver generates a force to oscillate the flowtube
- one or more processing devices coupled to the sensor, the processing devices configured to:
- send a drive signal to the driver to oscillate the flowtube;
- receive the sensor signal;
- and
- determine, based on the sensor signal, the flow rate of the flowing liquid during a transition of the flowtube from a first state in which the flowtube is substantially empty of the flowing liquid to a second state in which the flowtube is substantially full of the flowing liquid.
A method comprising:
- passing a flowing liquid through a flowtube associated with a Coriolis effect flowmeter;
- oscillating the flowtube;
- receiving a sensor signal from a sensor coupled to the flowtube, wherein the sensor signal is related to the oscillation of the flowtube;
- and
- determining, based on the sensor signal, the flow rate of the flowing liquid during a transition of the flowtube from a first state in which the flowtube is substantially empty of the flowing liquid to a second state in which the flowtube is substantially full of the flowing liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.