Flow prover with seal monitor
First Claim
1. A flow prover comprising:
- a measuring cylinder having a substantially uniform inside diameter, said cylinder operable to be filled with a fluid whose flow rate is to be measured by said prover;
a displacer movably disposable within said cylinder, said displacer having first and second seal means for forming a fluid barrier in said cylinder, said seal means being compressible to form an annular volume of pressurized fluid defined by said seal means, said displacer, and said cylinder;
a first conduit having a first end attached to said displacer and in fluid communication with said annular volume and a second end accessible externally of said cylinder;
a second conduit having a first end attached to said displacer and in fluid communication with said fluid in said cylinder and a second end accessible externally of said cylinder; and
means located externally of said cylinder for measuring the differential pressure between said second ends of said first and second conduits, one of said conduits being positioned concentrically within the other, and said differential pressure measuring means being mounted on said conduits.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flow prover with seal monitor includes a housing with a cylinder and a piston-like displacer sealingly conveyed along the cylinder by the fluid flow to be measured. The displacer includes at least one rod that extends telescopically through the housing. A pair of conduits may be arranged concentrically within the rod, one in communication with a volume between a pair of seals whose integrity is to be monitored and the other in communication with the fluid in the housing. The conduits each communicate as well with a pressure sensor located outside of the housing. The sensor may be mounted on the rod to sense the absence of a pressure differential between the conduits, which indicates a seal failure. The sensor may provide an indication, which may be detected at the end of a proving cycle, that the seal integrity was maintained throughout the proving cycle.
27 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A flow prover comprising:
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a measuring cylinder having a substantially uniform inside diameter, said cylinder operable to be filled with a fluid whose flow rate is to be measured by said prover; a displacer movably disposable within said cylinder, said displacer having first and second seal means for forming a fluid barrier in said cylinder, said seal means being compressible to form an annular volume of pressurized fluid defined by said seal means, said displacer, and said cylinder; a first conduit having a first end attached to said displacer and in fluid communication with said annular volume and a second end accessible externally of said cylinder; a second conduit having a first end attached to said displacer and in fluid communication with said fluid in said cylinder and a second end accessible externally of said cylinder; and means located externally of said cylinder for measuring the differential pressure between said second ends of said first and second conduits, one of said conduits being positioned concentrically within the other, and said differential pressure measuring means being mounted on said conduits. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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- 2. The flow prover of 1 wherein said differential pressure measuring means includes a magnetic piston and a housing, said piston being displaceable within said housing, said housing including a magnet displaceable by the motion of said piston within said housing, said magnet having an indicator portion external of said housing, said differential pressure measuring means further including position sensing means for detecting the displacement of said indicator portion.
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10. A flow prover comprising:
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a measuring cylinder having a substantially uniform inside diameter, said cylinder operable to be filled with a fluid whose flow rate is to be measured by said prover; a displacer reciprocatably disposable within said cylinder, said displacer having first and second seal means for forming a fluid barrier in said cylinder, said seal means being compressible to form an annular volume of pressurized fluid defined by said seal means, said displacer, and said cylinder; a first conduit having a first end attached to said displacer and in fluid communication with said annular volume and a second end accessible externally of said cylinder; a second conduit having a first end attached to said displacer and in fluid communication with said fluid in said cylinder and a second end accessible externally of said cylinder; means located externally of said cylinder for sensing the differential pressure between said second ends of said first and second conduits, said differential pressure sensing means including an indicator portion positioned externally of said housing and adapted to be displaced in response to differential pressure sensed by said differential pressure sensing means; position sensing means for detecting the displacement of said indicator portion, said differential pressure sensing means being connected to said displacer for reciprocation with said displacer, said position sensing means being stationary such that the differential pressure indicated by said indicator portion may be detected by said position sensing means when said indicator portion is in alignment with said position sensing means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification