Systems and methods of determining fluid properties
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsMatthew T. Sullivan, Christopher Harrison, Robert J. Schroeder, Ahmad Latifzai, Elizabeth Smythe, Shunsuke Fukagawa, Douglas W. Grant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods of determining fluid properties are disclosed. An example apparatus to determine a saturation pressure of a fluid includes a housing having a detection chamber and a heater assembly partially positioned within the detection chamber to heat a fluid. The example apparatus also includes a sensor assembly to detect a property of the fluid and a processor to identify a saturation pressure of the fluid using the property of the fluid.
Claims23
An apparatus to determine a saturation pressure of a fluid, comprising:
- a housing having a detection chamber;
- a heater assembly partially positioned within the detection chamber controlled by an electronics and processing system configured to temporarily heat only a local portion of a fluid resulting in thermal nucleation and then the fluid returning to an ambient temperature and comprising;
- current transporting conductors;
- and
- a wire within the detection chamber and electrically coupled to the current transporting conductors that temporarily heats the local portion of the fluid;
- wherein a cross-sectional area of the current transporting conductors is larger than a cross-sectional area of the wire;
- a sensor assembly to detect a property of the fluid;
- a pressure controller to control a pressure of the fluid;
- and
- wherein the electronics and processing system identifies a saturation pressure of the fluid using the property of the fluid, and wherein the heater assembly is to temporarily heat the local portion of the fluid without increasing a temperature of the detection chamber by more than approximately 0.1° C.
A method of determining a saturation pressure of a fluid, comprising:
- A) temporarily thermally nucleating only a localized portion of the fluid within a detection chamber, and allowing the fluid to return to ambient temperature;
- B) detecting a property of the fluid;
- and
- C) determining a saturation pressure of the fluid using the property.
A downhole tool, comprising:
- a microfluidic device, comprising:
- a detection chamber;
- a heater assembly at least partially positioned within the detection chamber controlled by an electronics and processing system configured to temporarily heat only a local portion of a fluid resulting in thermal nucleation, wherein the heater assembly only heats the local portion of the fluid without increasing a temperature of the detection chamber by more than approximately 0.1° C., the heater assembly comprising;
- current transporting conductors;
- and
- a wire within the detection chamber electrically coupled to the current transporting conductors that temporarily heats the local portion of the fluid;
- wherein a cross-sectional area of the current transporting conductors is larger than a cross-sectional area of the wire;
- and
- a sensor assembly to detect a property of the fluid;
- and
- wherein the electronics and processing system determines a parameter of the downhole fluid using the property of the fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.