Multiphase Coriolis flowmeter
AssigneeInvensys Systems, Inc.
InventorsWade M. Mattar, Manus P. Henry, Mihaela D. Duta, Michael S. Tombs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flowmeter is disclosed. The flowmeter includes a vibratable flowtube, and a driver connected to the flowtube that is operable to impart motion to the flowtube. A sensor is connected to the flowtube and is operable to sense the motion of the flowtube and generate a sensor signal. A controller is connected to receive the sensor signal. The controller is operable to determine a first flow rate of a first phase within a two-phase flow through the flowtube and determine a second flow rate of a second phase within the two-phase flow.
Claims24
A method comprising:
- passing a fluid through a vibratable flowtube, the fluid including a gas phase and a liquid phase;
- vibrating the flowtube, while the fluid is passed through the flowtube, using a driver connected to the flowtube and operable to impart motion to the flowtube;
- receiving a sensor signal from a sensor while the flowtube is vibrated, the sensor being coupled to the flowtube and configured to sense the motion of the flowtube and generate the sensor signal;
- accessing data related to a void fraction of the fluid;
- determining a mixture density of the fluid based on the accessed data related to the void fraction;
- and
- determining a first flow rate of the gas phase based on the determined mixture density and the received sensor signal or a second flow rate of the liquid phase based on the determined mixture density and the received sensor signal.
A flowmeter transmitter comprising:
- at least one processing device;
- and
- a storage device, the storage device storing instructions for causing the at least one processing device to:
- vibrate a flowtube using a driver while a fluid including a gas phase and a liquid phase is passed through the flowtube, wherein the driver is connected to the flowtube and operable to impact motion to the flowtube;
- receive a sensor signal from a sensor while the flowtube is vibrated, wherein the sensor is connected to the flowtube and is configured to sense motion of the flowtube and generate the sensor signal;
- access data related to a void fraction of the fluid;
- determine a mixture density of the fluid based on the accessed data related to the void fraction;
- and
- determine a first flow rate of the gas phase based on the determined mixture density and the received sensor signal or a second flow rate of the liquid phase based on the determined mixture density and the received sensor signal.
A flowmeter comprising:
- a vibratable flowtube, the flowtube containing a fluid, the fluid including a gas phase and a liquid phase;
- a driver connected to the flowtube and configured to impart motion to the flowtube such that the flowtube oscillates;
- a sensor connected to the flowtube and configured to sense the motion of the flowtube and generate a sensor signal;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- vibrate the flowtube using the driver while the fluid is passed through the flowtube;
- receive the sensor signal from the sensor while the flowtube is vibrated;
- access data related to a void fraction of the fluid;
- determine a mixture density of the fluid based on the accessed data related to the void fraction;
- and
- determine a first flow rate of the gas phase based on the determined mixture density and the received sensor signal or a second flow rate of the liquid phase based on the determined mixture density and the received sensor signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.