Inline measuring apparatus and method

Abstract

An inline measuring apparatus (10) is operable to measure hydrate, wax, break-through of formation water and/or scale (150) on an inside surface of a wall (100) of a pipe (40) for guiding fluid. The apparatus (10) includes an electronics unit (30) coupled to a sensor arrangement (20) disposed in a spatial extensive manner into the wall (100) of the pipe (40) for sensing the growth (150). The electronics unit (30) in cooperation with the sensor arrangement (20) Is operable to perform a series of dielectric measurements at a plurality of interrogating frequencie s for determining a nature and spatial extent of the growth (150). The sensor arrangement (20) includes a plurality of sensors have mutually different sensing characteristics in relation to their spatial sensing region and/or their sensitivity to different fluid components present in operation within the pipe (40). Optionally, the apparatus (10) is capable of being operated synergistically in a plurality of different operating modes which enables detection of thin film formation at an inside wall of the pipe (40) as well as a measurement of bulk properties of fluid present within the pipe (40).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.