VIRTUAL MULTIPHASE FLOW METERING AND SAND DETECTION
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining flow parameters of multiphase flow of fluids in a flow conduit, comprising:
- (a) a transducer sensing acoustic emissions from the multiphase flow in the flow conduit;
(b) a converter transforming the sensed acoustic emissions into digital acoustic emission signals;
(c) a computer comprising a data memory storing a database of acoustic models of flow regime data in the flow conduit; and
(d) the computer further comprising a processor forming measures of the flow parameters from the digital acoustic emission signals and the acoustic models of the flow regime data to determine an acoustic model of the flow parameters of the multiphase flow, the processor performing the computer implemented steps of;
(1) segmenting the sensed acoustic emission signals into a sequence of digital acoustic emission segments;
(2) determining a feature vector for the digital acoustic emission segments of the sequence of digital acoustic emission segments;
(3) processing the feature vectors to determine a model of flow parameters of the multiphase flow.
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Abstract
Virtual and non-invasive multiphase metering is performed for recognition of multiphase flow regimes of hydrocarbons and other fluids, flow rate, presence of sand, and other multiphase flow parameters. A passive acoustical detector system receives acoustical flow information in the form of acoustic emission signals, and a data processor processes and classifies the acoustical patterns. A statistical signal processing methodology is used. Acoustic models are provided for various flow regimes and flow patterns, using Artificial Intelligence methods including Hidden Markov Models and Artificial Neural Networks along with automated learning procedures. The metering can be used for downhole, top side and surface applications.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining flow parameters of multiphase flow of fluids in a flow conduit, comprising:
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(a) a transducer sensing acoustic emissions from the multiphase flow in the flow conduit; (b) a converter transforming the sensed acoustic emissions into digital acoustic emission signals; (c) a computer comprising a data memory storing a database of acoustic models of flow regime data in the flow conduit; and (d) the computer further comprising a processor forming measures of the flow parameters from the digital acoustic emission signals and the acoustic models of the flow regime data to determine an acoustic model of the flow parameters of the multiphase flow, the processor performing the computer implemented steps of; (1) segmenting the sensed acoustic emission signals into a sequence of digital acoustic emission segments; (2) determining a feature vector for the digital acoustic emission segments of the sequence of digital acoustic emission segments; (3) processing the feature vectors to determine a model of flow parameters of the multiphase flow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer implemented method of determining with a processor of the computer flow parameters of multiphase flow of fluids in a flow conduit based on acoustic emissions from the multiphase flow and acoustic models of flow regime data in the conduit stored in a database of the computer, comprising the computer processing steps of:
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(a) segmenting the acoustic emission signals into a sequence of digital acoustic emission segments; (b) determining a feature vector for each of the sequence of digital acoustic emission segments; (c) processing the feature vectors to determine a model of flow parameters of the multiphase flow. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A data processing system for determining flow parameters of multiphase flow of fluids in a flow conduit based on acoustic emissions from the multiphase flow, the data processing comprising:
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(a) a data memory storing a database of acoustic models of flow regime data in the flow conduit; and (b) a processor performing the steps of; (1) segmenting the acoustic emission signals into a sequence of digital acoustic emission segments; (2) determining a feature vector for each of the sequence of digital acoustic emission segments; and (3) processing the feature vectors to determine a model of flow parameters of the multiphase flow. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A data storage device having stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium computer operable instructions for causing a data processing system to determine in a processor of the data processing system flow parameters of multiphase flow of fluids in a flow conduit based on acoustic emissions from the multiphase flow and acoustic models of flow regime data in the conduit stored in a database of the computer, the instructions stored in the data storage device causing a processor in the data processing system to perform the following steps:
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(a) segmenting the acoustic emission signals into a sequence of digital acoustic emission segments; (b) determining a feature vector for each of the sequence of digital acoustic emission segments; (c) processing the feature vectors to determine a model of flow parameters of the multiphase flow. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification