Flow meter system and method for measuring an amount of liquid in a largely gaseous multiphase flow
US8939033B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 20, 2011 |
| Grant date | Jan 27, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 16, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01F25/10
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Both a flow meter system and method are provided for accurately measuring the percentage amounts of liquid and gas phases in a multiphase flow through a conduit when the liquid phase constitutes a small minority portion (e.g., less than about 20%) of the multiphase flow. The system includes a flow meter that includes a differential pressure sensor connected across a Venturi in the conduit, and a dual energy fraction meter, each of which is operably connected to a digital processor. The system further includes a pump connected to the conduit upstream of the flow meter that introduces at least one pulse of a known quantity of liquid, the pulse being sufficient in volume to temporarily increase the liquid phase by a detectable amount. After the liquid pulse is introduced into the multi-phase flow, the digital processor computes the changes in the percentage amounts of the liquid and gas phases which should have occurred as a result of the pulse, and compares the computed changes with the actual changes measured by the flow meter in order to calibrate the flow meter. The measured increase in the liquid flow is then subtracted from the total measured liquid flow to determine the actual …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.