Method and system for measuring properties of fluids

• US 4,530,234 A
• Filed: 06/30/1983
• Issued: 07/23/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Exxonmobil Oil Corporation (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Cullick, Alvin S., Warner, Bert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ciarlante, Anthony V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Application Number:
  US06/509,759
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 73/54, 73/53, 73/55, 73/64.4, 73/32 R
• US Class Current: 73/19.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 11/00 Investigating flow properties of materials, e.g. viscosity, plasticity; Analysing materials by determining flow properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2823 Raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures

Abstract

Method and system for measuring properties of fluids, particularly of reservoir fluids involved in enhanced oil recovery, comprising a pair of high pressure cells, each one of the cells having a floating piston therein which separates the respective cell into a fluid analysis chamber and a hydraulic fluid chamber. Means are provided for selectively controlling the amount of pressure applied to the hydraulic fluid chamber of each cell, whereby the pressure of the fluid under analysis is defined. Means are also provided for interconnecting the fluid analysis chambers of each cell whereby fluid under analysis may be selectively passed between the cells.

Claims

1. A system for measuring properties of fluids comprising:

a pair of high pressure cells, each one of said cells including a floating piston therein separating each of said cells into a fluid analysis chamber and a hydraulic fluid chamber,

means for selectively controlling the amount of pressure applied to said hydraulic fluid chamber of each cell whereby the pressure of the fluid in said fluid analysis chamber is defined, and

means interconnecting said fluid analysis chamber of each of said cells for passing fluid to be analyzed between each of said cells.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said cells has a bar magnet in the fluid analysis chamber, and wherein means are provided externally of said cell for agitating said bar magnet.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein each one of said cells has a bar magnet in the fluid analysis chamber, and wherein means are provided externally of said cells for agitating said bar magnet.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said means for passing fluids between said cells includes a densimeter and a viscometer.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein properties of fluids used in enhanced oil recovery are measured.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein, one of said fluids is carbon dioxide and wherein another of said fluids is a hydrocarbon.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said properties measured by said system include phase equilibria, phase volumes, compositions, densities, viscosities, and interfacial tensions of fluids.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a chromatograph system.

13. The system of claim 2 wherein said at least one high pressure cell containing said bar magnet is in the vertical position with said fluid analysis chamber arranged on top whereby said bar magnet rests on said floating piston.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said external agitating means comprises a cylinder bearing a substantially continuous magnetic field the length thereof and mounted for rotation around said at least one high pressure cell whereby said bar magnet is agitated upon rotation of said cylinder at all positions along the length of said at least one high pressure cell.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said substantially continuous magnetic field is provided by a series of magnet pairs arranged along the length of said cylinder at a position about 180°

from each other.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein there are at least seven said pairs of magnets which are discs.

9. A method of measuring properties of fluids with a pair of high pressure cells, each one of said cells including a floating piston therein separating each of said cells into a fluid analysis chamber and a hydraulic fluid chamber, comprising the steps of:

passing fluid for analysis between each of said fluid analysis chambers, and

concurrently agitating at least one of said cells by magnetic means.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein both of said cells are agitated by magnetic means while fluid for analysis is being passed between said fluid analysis chambers.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said passing of fluid between said fluid analysis chambers further comprises measuring properties of said fluid.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said cell has a length and said magnetic agitation comprises applying substantially continuous magnetic agitation force the entire length of said fluid analysis chamber whereby said magnetic agitation occurs at essentially all positions along said length.