Flow sensing in subterranean wells
First Claim
1. A flow rate sensing system for use with a subterranean well, the system comprising:
- an optical waveguide extending in the well;
an optical interrogator that detects optical scatter in the optical waveguide; and
a multi-chamber emitter that produces vibration at a resonance frequency of a chamber of the multi-chamber emitter in response to a transverse flow across each chamber of the multi-chamber emitter simultaneously, the optical scatter in the optical waveguide being influenced by the vibration, wherein each chamber of the multi-chamber emitter has a uniform length and a cross-sectional area that is different than the remaining chambers, and the chamber of the multi-chamber emitter that produces the resonance frequency vibration varies based on a flow rate of the flow across the multi-chamber emitter.
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Abstract
A flow rate sensing system can include an optical waveguide, an optical interrogator that detects optical scatter in the optical waveguide, and an emitter that produces vibration in response to flow, the optical scatter being influenced by the vibration. A method of measuring flow rate can include detecting optical scattering in an optical waveguide, the optical scattering varying in response to changes in vibration produced by an emitter, and the vibration changing in response to the flow rate changing. A well system can include at least one tubular string positioned in a wellbore, multiple locations at which fluid flows between an interior and an exterior of the tubular string, multiple emitters, each of which produces vibration in response to the flow between the interior and the exterior of the tubular string, and an optical waveguide in which optical scatter varies in response to changes in the vibration.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A flow rate sensing system for use with a subterranean well, the system comprising:
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an optical waveguide extending in the well;
an optical interrogator that detects optical scatter in the optical waveguide; anda multi-chamber emitter that produces vibration at a resonance frequency of a chamber of the multi-chamber emitter in response to a transverse flow across each chamber of the multi-chamber emitter simultaneously, the optical scatter in the optical waveguide being influenced by the vibration, wherein each chamber of the multi-chamber emitter has a uniform length and a cross-sectional area that is different than the remaining chambers, and the chamber of the multi-chamber emitter that produces the resonance frequency vibration varies based on a flow rate of the flow across the multi-chamber emitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of measuring flow rate in a subterranean well, the method comprising:
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detecting optical scattering in an optical waveguide positioned in the well; flowing fluid transversely across each chamber of a multi-chamber emitter positioned within the well simultaneously to produce vibration at a resonance frequency of a first chamber of the multi-chamber emitter, wherein a length of each chamber is uniform and a cross-sectional area of each chamber is different than the remaining chambers, and the chamber of the multi-chamber emitter that produces the resonance frequency vibration varies based on a flow rate of the flow across the multi-chamber emitter; the optical scattering varying in response to the vibration produced by the emitter; and determining a flow rate of the fluid based on the variation of the optical scattering. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A well system, comprising:
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at least one tubular string positioned in a wellbore; multiple locations at which fluid flows between an interior and an exterior of the tubular string; multiple multi-chamber emitters, each multi-chamber emitter producing vibration at a resonance frequency of a chamber of the respective multi-chamber emitter in response to a transverse flow across each chamber of the respective multi-chamber emitter simultaneously, wherein the respective chambers of each multi-chamber emitter having a uniform length and a cross-sectional area that is different than the remaining chambers, and the chamber of each multi-chamber emitter that produces the resonance frequency vibration varies based on a flow rate of the flow across the respective multi-chamber emitter; and an optical waveguide in which optical scatter varies in response to the resonance frequency vibrations. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification