Apparatus and method for augmenting a Coriolis meter

• US 20060169058A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Expro Meters, Inc. (Umbrellastream LP, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cidra Sarl (Nordic Cultural & Educational Foundation)
• Inventors: Gysling, Daniel L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,299,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/861.355
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/7082 using acoustic detecting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/712 using auto-correlation or cross-correlation detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/74 Devices for measuring flow of a fluid or flow of a fluent solid material in suspension in another fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/8413 means for influencing the flowmeter's motional or vibrational behaviour, e.g., conduit support or fixing means, or conduit attachments
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/8477 with multiple measuring conduits
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/024 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/10 of flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2009/006 vibrating tube, tuning fork
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0215 Mixtures of three or more gases, e.g. air
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02818 Density, viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02836 Flow rate, liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02872 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0422 Shear waves, transverse waves, horizontally polarised waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0427 Flexural waves, plate waves, e.g. Lamb waves, tuning fork, cantilever
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/024 by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/002 using variation of the resonant frequency of an element vibrating in contact with the material submitted to analysis G01N9/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/24 by observing the transmission of wave or particle radiation through the material

Abstract

A flow measuring system is provided that provides at least one of a compensated mass flow rate measurement and a compensated density measurement. The flow measuring system includes a gas volume fraction meter in combination with a coriolis meter. The GVF meter measures acoustic pressures propagating through the fluids to measure the speed of sound α_mix propagating through the fluid to calculate at least gas volume fraction of the fluid and/or the reduced natural frequency. For determining an improved density for the coriolis meter, the calculated gas volume fraction and/or reduced frequency is provided to a processing unit. The improved density is determined using analytically derived or empirically derived density calibration models (or formulas derived therefore), which is a function of the measured natural frequency and at least one of the determined GVF, reduced frequency and speed of sound, or any combination thereof. The gas volume fraction (GVF) meter may include a sensing device having a plurality of strain-based or pressure sensors spaced axially along the pipe for measuring the acoustic pressures propagating through the flow.

Claims

1. A flow measuring system for measuring the mass flow rate of an aerated fluid flowing in a pipe, the flow measuring system comprising:

a meter having a pair of vibrating tube wherein fluid flows therethrough, the meter providing a phase signal indicative of a phase difference between the pair of tubes, said tubes having an inward flow portion and an outward flow portion;

a flow measuring device measuring the speed of sound propagating through the fluid at the inward flow portion and outward flow portion of a tube, the measuring device providing at least one of an SOS signal indicative of the speed of sound propagating through the fluid, a GVF signal indicative of the gas volume fraction of the fluid and a reduced frequency indicative of the reduced frequency of the fluid; and

a processing unit determining a compensated mass flow rate measurement in response to at least one of the SOS signal, the GVF signal and the reduced frequency signal and the phase signal.

2. The measuring system of claim 1, wherein the speed of sound measurement is used to determine a gas volumetric fraction (GVF) in the flow of the fluid.

3. The measuring system meter of claim 1, wherein the meter comprises at least one tube having a first array of sensors arranged on the outward portion of the tube and a second array of sensors arranged on the inward portion of the tube for determining the speed of sound measurement on the fluid flowing in each respective inward and outward portion of the tube.

4. The measuring system of claim 3, wherein the array of sensors includes strain based sensors.

5. The measuring system of claim 1, wherein the meter comprises a first speed of sound sensor arranged on the outward portion of the tube and a second speed of sound sensor arranged on the inward portion of the tube for determining the speed of sound measurement on the fluid flowing in each respective inward and outward portion of the tube.

6. The measuring system of claim 1, wherein the meter comprises a first speed of sound sensing device arranged on the pipe at the input end of the meter and a second speed of sound sensing device arranged of the pipe at the output end of the meter for performing the speed of sound measurement of the fluid flowing therethrough.

7. The measuring device of claim 1, wherein the tubes are bent or straight.

9. The method of claim 1, further includes determining wherein a gas volumetric fraction (GVF) in the flow of the fluid in response to the SOS signal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the speed of sound includes providing at least one tube having a first array of sensors arranged on the outward portion of the tube and a second array of sensors arranged on the inward portion of the tube for determining the speed of sound measurement on the fluid flowing in each respective inward and outward portion of the tube.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the array of sensors includes strain based sensors.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring the speed of sound includes providing a first speed of sound sensor arranged on the outward portion of the tube and a second speed of sound sensor arranged on the inward portion of the tube for determining the speed of sound measurement on the fluid flowing in each respective inward and outward portion of the tube.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring the speed of sound includes providing a first speed of sound sensing device arranged on the pipe at the input end of the meter and a second speed of sound sensing device arranged of the pipe at the output end of the meter for performing the speed of sound measurement of the fluid flowing therethrough.

14. The method claim 1, wherein the tubes are bent or straight.

8. A method for measuring the mass flow rate of an aerated fluid flowing in a pipe, the method comprising:

vibrating a pair of tubes having the fluid flowing therethrough, said tube having an inward flow portion and an outward flow portion;

measuring a phase signal indicative of a phase difference between a pair of tubes;

measuring the speed of sound propagating through the fluid at the inward flow portion and outward flow portion of a tube;

providing at least one of a SOS signal indicative of the speed of sound propagating through the fluid, a GVF signal indicative of the gas volume fraction of the fluid, and a reduced frequency indicative of the reduced frequency of the fluid; and

determining a compensated mass flow rate measurement in response to at least one of the SOS signal, the GVF signal and the reduced frequency signal and the phase signal.