Method and apparatus for measuring parameters of a fluid flowing within a pipe using a configurable array of sensors

A method of measuring a parameter of a flow passing through a pipe, the method comprising:

• receiving in a signal processor selected pressure signals containing information about a selected configurable two-dimensional array of sensors having each sensor disposed at a different axial and circumferential location along the pipe, each of the sensors providing a respective pressure signal indicative of pressure within the pipe at a corresponding axial and circumferential location of the pipe, the selected pressure signals being received from selected ones of axial and circumferential sensors in the selected configurable two-dimensional array based at least partly on a selected axial and circumferential sensor configuration of the selected configurable two-dimensional array of sensors that depends on a parameter of flow passing through the pipe to be determined;
• and
• determining with the signal processor the parameter of flow passing through the pipe using an array processing algorithm, based at least partly on the selected pressure signals received.

Apparatus for measuring a parameter of a flow passing through a pipe, comprising:

• means for receiving in a signal processor selected pressure signals containing information about a selected configurable two-dimensional array of sensors having each sensor disposed at a different axial and circumferential location along the pipe, each of the sensors providing a respective pressure signal indicative of pressure within the pipe at a corresponding axial and circumferential location of the pipe, the selected pressure signals being received from selected ones of axial and circumferential sensors in the selected configurable two-dimensional array based at least partly on a selected axial and circumferential sensor configuration of the selected configurable two-dimensional array of sensors that depends on a parameter of flow passing through the pipe to be determined;
• and
• means for determining with the signal processor the parameter of flow passing through the pipe using an array processing algorithm, based at least partly on the selected pressure signals received.