Composition monitor and monitoring process using impedance measurements
First Claim
1. A multiple component composition monitor, which comprises:
- a transducer having an electrically conductive wall forming an enclosure with physically open ends for insertion of the composition, said transducer including a test section having a first end and a second end;
at least one electromagnetic wave transmission coupler; and
an electromagnetic wave receiving coupler facing said enclosure;
said at least one transmission coupler being positioned at a first location on said test section to create electromagnetic waves in said enclosure and said receiving coupler being positioned at a second location on said test section to receive electromagnetic waves from said enclosure;
said transducer further including an impedance section at each of said first and second ends of said test section, each said impedance section having an impedance different from an impedance of said test section;
a circuit in which said transducer comprises at least one electrical path in said circuit; and
means for producing a minimum or maximum output from said circuit by inducing an electromagnetic interference pattern, said minimum or maximum output serving to characterize relative proportions of the components in the composition.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Radio frequency bridge techniques are used to parameterize the complex dielectric properties of solids, liquids, gasses and mixtures thereof. This parameterization is performed in an electrically isolated, physically open structure which allows continuous or batch monitoring of the materials and their mixtures. A method and apparatus are provided for measuring the composition of mutlicomponent process streams flowing in pipes or ducts. The method uses the pipe in which the mixture flows as a waveguide in which propagating radio frequency electromagnetic energy is induced through dielectric loaded apertures. The dielectric measurement is performed in an electrically isolated, flow through test section which induces constructive or destructive interference patterns at characteristics frequencies. The characteristic frequency determines the dielectric constant of the mixture. The dielectric properties are used in turn to determine mixture composition. A density measurement is also provided for three comiponent strams such as oil, water, and gas. Temperature and pressure measurements are made to correct for temperature and pressure induced variations in calibrated component impedance and density values.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A multiple component composition monitor, which comprises:
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a transducer having an electrically conductive wall forming an enclosure with physically open ends for insertion of the composition, said transducer including a test section having a first end and a second end; at least one electromagnetic wave transmission coupler; and an electromagnetic wave receiving coupler facing said enclosure; said at least one transmission coupler being positioned at a first location on said test section to create electromagnetic waves in said enclosure and said receiving coupler being positioned at a second location on said test section to receive electromagnetic waves from said enclosure; said transducer further including an impedance section at each of said first and second ends of said test section, each said impedance section having an impedance different from an impedance of said test section; a circuit in which said transducer comprises at least one electrical path in said circuit; and means for producing a minimum or maximum output from said circuit by inducing an electromagnetic interference pattern, said minimum or maximum output serving to characterize relative proportions of the components in the composition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 47, 54, 56)
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31. A multiple component composition monitor, comprising:
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a transducer having an electrically conductive wall forming an enclosure with physically open ends for insertion of the composition, said transducer including a test section having a first end and a second end; at least one electromagnetic wave transmission coupler; and an electromagnetic wave receiving coupler facing said enclosure; said at least one transmission coupler being positioned to create electromagnetic waves in said enclosure and said receiving coupler being positioned to receive electromagnetic waves from said enclosure; said at least one transmission coupler and said receiving coupler being located in said test section; said transducer further including an impedance section at each of said first and second ends of said test section, each said impedance section having an impedance different from an impedance of said test section; a circuit in which said transducer comprises at least one electrical path in said circuit; and means for producing a minimum or maximum output from said circuit by inducing an electromagnetic interference pattern, said minimum or maximum output serving to characterize relative proportions of the components in the composition; in which said impedance section comprises a sleeve of insulating material positioned on an inside source of said electrically conductive wall, said sleeve of insulating material having a first portion of a first insulating material adjacent said transmitting and receiving couplers, said sleeve of insulating material having second portions of a second insulating material, with one said second portion joined to said first portion on each side of said transmitting and receiving couplers, the second insulating material having a substantially different dielectric constant than the first insulating material.
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32. A multiple component composition monitor, comprising:
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a transducer having an electrically conductive wall forming an enclosure with physically open ends for insertion of the composition, said transducer including a test section having a first end and a second end; at least one electromagnetic wave transmission coupler; and an electromagnetic wave receiving coupler facing said enclosure; said at least one transmission coupler being positioned to create electromagnetic waves in said enclosure and said receiving coupler being positioned to receive electromagnetic waves from said enclosure; said at least one transmission coupler and said receiving coupler being located in said test section; said transducer further including an impedance section at each of said first and second ends of said test section, each said impedance section having an impedance different from an impedance of said test section; a circuit in which said transducer comprises at least noe electrical path in said circuit; and means for producing a minimum or maximum output from said circuit by inducing an electromagnetic interference pattern, said minimum or maximum output serving to characterize relative proportions of the components in the composition; in which said impedance section comprises portions of said electrically conductive wall positioned on either side of said test section, wherein said test section has a cutoff frequency different from a cutoff frequency of said impedance section. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A multiple component composition monitor, comprising:
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a transducer having an electrically conductive wall forming an enclosure with physically open ends for insertion of the composition, said transducer including a test section having a first end and a second end; at least one electromagnetic wave transmission coupler; and an electromagnetic wave receiving coupler facing said enclosure; said at least one transmission coupler being positioned to create electromagnetic waves in said enclosure and said receiving coupler being positioned to receive electromagnetic waves from said enclosure; said at least one transmission coupler and said receiving coupler being located in said test section; said transducer further including an impedance section at each of said first and second ends of said test section, each said impedance section having an impedance different from an impedance of said test section; a circuit in which said transducer comprises at least noe electrical path in said circuit; and means for producing a minimum or maximum output from said circuit by inducing an electromagnetic interference pattern, said minimum or maximum output serving to characterize relative proportions of the components in the composition; in which said impedance section comprises a waveguide reactive load section connected to each of said first and second ends of said test section, said waveguide reactive load sections being generally parallel to a longitudinal dimension of said test section and segmented by a plurality of metal surfaces.
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42. A multiple component composition monitor transducer, which comprises:
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an electrically conductive wall forming an enclosure for the composition; at least a pair of electromagnetic wave transmission couplers and an electromagnetic wave receiving coupler facing said enclosure; said at least a pair of transmission couplers being positioned to create interfering electromagnetic waves in said enclosure and said receiving coupler being positioned to receive electromagnetic waves from said enclosure; and means for electrically isolating a test section of said transducer, wherein said transducer includes said at least a pair of transmission couplers and said receiving coupler. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45)
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46. A process for measuring the composition of a multiple component mixture, including the steps of:
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(1) providing at least one electromagnetic wave transmitting coupler at a distance from a receiving coupler; (2) transmitting elector magnetic waves into the mixture; (3) generating an interference pattern of the electromagnetic waves in the mixture; (4) receiving the transmitted electromagnetic waves at the receiving coupler; (5) varying the frequency of the electromagnetic waves; and (6) observing frequencies at which transmitted energy maxima or minima are received. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55)
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57. A multiple component composition monitor for measuring ratios of component materials in a composition, comprising:
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a transducer having an electrically conductive wall forming an enclosure for receiving the composition, said transducer including a test section having a first end, a second end, and an impedance section at each of said first and second ends, each of said impedance section having an impedance different from an impedance of said test section; at least one electromagnetic wave transmission coupler;
positioned at said test section for creating electromagnetic waves in said enclosure;an electromagnetic wave receiving coupler positioned at said test section for receiving said electromagnetic waves from said enclosure; a circuit in which said transducer comprises at least one electrical path in said circuit; means for producing a minimum or maximum output from said circuit by inducing an electromagnetic interference pattern; and a density monitor connected to said transducer for measuring density of the composition, said minimum or maximum output and said density serving to characterize the ratios of the components materials in the composition. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification