Two phase flow meter

• US 5,576,495 A
• Filed: 10/23/1995
• Issued: 11/19/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: McDermott Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Company (Babcock International Group PLC)
• Inventors: Vetterick, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Artis, Jewel
• Application Number:
  US08/546,881
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 73/861.04, 73/861.01, 73/29.01
• US Class Current: 73/861.04
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 37/227 Drums and collectors for mixing
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/42 Orifices or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/44 Venturi tubes
• 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: Y10T 137/3003 Fluid separating traps or vents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85938 Non-valved flow dividers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87338 Flow passage with bypass

Abstract

An apparatus for determining the relative flows of a two phase flow using differential pressure to obtain mass flow having a bend portion for concentrating the dense phase toward an outside of the bend; a perforated plate downstream of the bend for passing the portion of the light phase; a nozzle for channelling the portion of the flow having high density phase toward the center of a venturi throat which is positioned downstream of the perforated plate; and four pressure sensors strategically located for measuring pressure differences at various points in the flow meter.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining the relative flows of a two phase flow through a pipe having a longitudinal axis, an upstream end and a downstream end, and means for providing a two phase flow to the upstream end of the pipe, comprising:

means for substantially separating the two phase fluid flow into a dense phase and a light phase inside the pipe adjacent the upstream end;

first means for transporting the dense phase separately through a first section of the pipe to a second section of the pipe downstream of the first section;

second means for transporting the light phase separately through the first section of the pipe to the second section of the pipe downstream of the first section;

means for thoroughly mixing the dense phase and the light phase in the second section of the pipe; and

four pressure measurement devices connected to at least four different points within said pipe to obtain four different pressure measurements which can be used to determine the rate of flow of each of the dense phase and light phase through the sections of the pipe.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for separating the two phase fluid flow comprises a bend in the pipe, oriented to be capable of taking advantage of centrifugal forces to force the dense phase toward an external wall of the pipe and allow the light phase to continue freely through the bend;

and

a plate having a multiplicity of perforations sized to provide sufficient pressure drop to induce the dense flow to flow forward through a bypass nozzle, said plate being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, and located adjacent the first transporting means, and being of a size and shape so not to obstruct the first transporting means for the dense phase.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first transporting means comprises an elongated nozzle defining a hollow channel for transporting the dense phase from adjacent the external wall to a nozzle outlet substantially on the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the second section of the pipe.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the mixing means comprises a Venturi tube having a longitudinal axis oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, located within the second section of the pipe, said nozzle outlet being located along the center line of the Venturi tube.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the four pressure measurement points are located one point at the upstream end of the pipe essentially adjacent the bend, the second point substantially adjacent the nozzle outlet, the third point in the interior of the Venturi tube, and the fourth point adjacent the downstream end of the pipe.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first transporting means comprises an elongated nozzle defining a hollow channel for transporting the dense phase to a nozzle outlet substantially on the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the second section of the pipe.

7. A two phase flow meter according to claim 6, wherein the mixing means comprises a Venturi tube having a longitudinal axis oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, located within the second section of the pipe, said nozzle outlet being located along the center line of the Venturi tube.

8. A two phase flow meter according to claim 7, wherein the means for separating the two phase fluid flow comprises a bend in the pipe, oriented to be capable of taking advantage of centrifical forces to force the dense phase toward the external wall of the pipe bend and allow the light phase to continue freely through the bend;

and

a plate having a multiplicity of perforations sized to provide sufficient pressure drop to induce the dense flow to flow forward through a bypass nozzle, said plate being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, and located adjacent the first transporting means, and being of a size and shape so not to obstruct the first transporting means for the dense phase.

9. A two phase flow meter according to claim 8, wherein the four pressure measurement points are located one point at the upstream end of the pipe essentially adjacent the bend, the second point substantially adjacent the nozzle outlet, the third point in the interior of the Venturi tube, and the fourth point adjacent the downstream end.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the dense phase comprises a powdered solid or liquid.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the light phase comprises a gas or liquid.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the dense phase is pulverized coal and the light phase is air.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the dense phase is petroleum liquids and the light phase is natural gas.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the dense phase is sand and the light phase is water.

15. A two phase flow meter according to claim 1, wherein four of the pressure measurement points are located one point at the upstream end of the pipe, a second point substantially adjacent the first means for transporting, a third point in the second section of the pipe, and a fourth point adjacent the downstream end of the pipe.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the dense phase comprises a powdered solid or heavy liquid.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the light phase comprises a gas or light liquid.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the dense phase is pulverized coal and the light phase is air.

19. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the dense phase is petroleum liquids and the light phase is natural gas.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the dense phase is sand and the light phase is water.