Patent · US Expired

Detection of impurities in a fluid containing free gas using nuclear techniques

US4365154A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
3References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 6, 1980
Grant dateDec 21, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 6, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2223/0745
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Fluid containing free gas and in a pipeline or container at a refinery or at any of various petroleum producing operations is bombarded with neutrons and high energy gamma rays resulting from capture of thermal neutrons are detected. The spectra of the detected gamma rays are then analyzed to determine the concentration of the elements chlorine and hydrogen. The counting rate for thermal neutron gamma rays for hydrogen permits a measure of the hydrogen index (HI) of the fluid to be obtained. The hydrogen index and the relative concentrations of chlorine and hydrogen are used to obtain an indication of the presence and concentration of chlorine or salt water in the fluid.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.