Device for performing thermodynamic measurements on multiphase fluids at very high pressures and temperatures

• US 5,747,674 A
• Filed: 05/06/1996
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Institut Francais Du Petrole
• Original Assignee: Institut Francais Du Petrole
• Inventors: de Hemptinne, Jean-Charles, Ungerer, Philippe, Sanchez, Jose, Moracchini, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Politzer, Jay L.
• Application Number:
  US08/640,740
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 73/864.62, 73/152.18, 73/152.42, 73/61.44, 73/53.05
• US Class Current: 73/61.44
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/00 Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of thermal means G01N3/00 - G01N23/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/241 for hydrocarbon content drilling mud G01N33/2823; drilling per se E21B; prospecting G01V
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2823 raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures hydrocarbon content of earth materials G01N33/241; prospecting G01V; drilling per se E21B

Abstract

The fluids to be studied are placed in a chamber (13) of variable volume delimited by a piston (5) that can be moved by hydraulic device (24) in a cavity of a body (1). An endoscope (18) allowing to view the inside of the chamber and notably to see the orifices of two diametrically opposite pipes (14, 15) that communicate the cell with the outside is placed behind a transparent porthole (8) closing the end of the chamber opposite the piston. The body (1) can swivel about a pin (26), which allows achievement of equilibrium and also to draw off a particular phase of a stratified multiphase fluid by placing the orifice of one of pipes (14, 15) within this phase. A pressure detector (19) is included in the wall of the piston so as to decrease practically any dead volume likely to distort the measurements. A single body can contain two cells placed side by side, at least one having a transparent wall. The device can be used for studying fluids, notably petroleum fluids.

Claims

1. A device for measuring thermodynamic properties of a fluid sample at high pressures and high temperatures including a corrosive fluid sample comprising:

a thermostatically controlled enclosure, a rigid containment body placed in the enclosure, provided with at least one elongated containment chamber of variable volume for containing the fluid sample, limited by a piston moving along a direction of elongation of the at least one elongated containment chamber and a control for controlling communications with outside of the at least one elongated containment chamber, a transparent block forming a terminal wall of one of the at least one elongated containment chamber, opposite the piston, a sealing device for fastening the transparent block to the rigid containment body, a display for viewing an inside of one of the at least one elongated chamber through the transparent block, a fluid control device including pipes controlled by valves, opening into the at least one elongated containment chamber in proximity of the transparent block and laterally shifted on either side of the direction of elongation of the at least one elongated containment chamber, and a device for selectively swivelling the at least one elongated containment chamber about a pin perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the at least one elongated containment chamber to shift an orifice of at least one of the pipes into or within a phase of the fluid sample.

2. A device as claimed in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

an element for measuring a pressure prevailing in the one of the at least one elongated containment chamber, placed in a recess of the piston.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a pressure detector mounted flush on the piston for measuring pressure prevailing in the at least one elongated containment chamber which is separated from the variable volume by a membrane.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

an optical device for measuring displacements of the piston.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

transparent block is sapphire.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a second elongated containment chamber contained in the rigid containment body limited by a second piston, the second elongated containment chamber being provided with at least one pipe controlled by a valve, and a manifold for communicating with the pipes associated respectively with the first and second elongated containment chambers and with outside of the rigid containment body.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the first and second elongated containment chambers are placed beside each other.

8. A device for measuring thermodynamic properties of a fluid sample at high pressures and high temperatures including a corrosive fluid sample comprising:

a thermostatically controlled enclosure, a rigid containment body placed in the enclosure, provided with at least one elongated containment chamber of variable volume for containing the fluid sample, limited by a piston moving along a direction of elongation of the at least one containment chamber and a control for controlling communications with outside of the at least one chamber, a transparent block forming a terminal wall of one of the at least one elongated containment chamber, opposite the piston, a sealing device for fastening the transparent block to the rigid body, a display for viewing an inside of the one of the at least one elongated containment chamber through the transparent block, a fluid control device including pipes controlled by valves, opening into the at least one elongated containment chamber in proximity of the transparent block and laterally shifted on either side of the direction of elongation of the at least one elongated containment chamber, and a device for alternately swivelling the at least one elongated containment chamber about a pin perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the at least one elongated containment chamber to accelerate bringing into equilibrium a multiphase sample.

9. A device as claimed in accordance with claim 8, comprising:

an element for measuring a pressure prevailing in the one of the at least one elongated containment chamber, placed in a recess of the piston.

10. A device as claimed in claim 8, comprising:

a pressure detector mounted flush on the piston for measuring pressure prevailing in the at least one elongated containment chamber which is separated from the variable volume by a membrane.

11. A device as claimed in claim 8, comprising:

an optical device for measuring displacements of the piston.

12. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

transparent block is sapphire.

13. A device as claimed in claim 8, comprising:

a second elongated containment chamber contained in the rigid containment body limited by a second piston, the second elongated containment chamber being provided with at least one pipe controlled by a valve, and a manifold for communicating with the pipes associated respectively with the first and second elongated containment chambers and with outside of the rigid containment body.

14. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the first and second elongated containment chambers are placed beside each other.

15. A device for measuring thermodynamic properties of a fluid sample at high pressures and high temperatures including a corrosive fluid sample comprising:

a thermostatically controlled enclosure, a rigid containment body placed in the enclosure, provided with at least one elongated containment chamber of variable volume for containing the fluid sample, limited by a side wall, a piston moving along a direction of elongation of the one of the at least one elongated containment chamber, forming a first end wall of the one of the at least one elongated containment chamber and a flat transparent block forming a second end wall of the one of the at least one elongated containment chamber, opposite the piston, a sealing device for fastening the transparent block to the body, a control for controlling communications with outside of the at least one elongated chamber, a fluid communication device including pipes, controlled by valves and having orifices opening through the side wall of the at least one elongated containment chamber in proximity of the transparent block on either side of a direction of the elongation of the one of the at least one elongated containment chamber and a display for viewing inside of the one of the at least one elongated containment chamber through the transparent block, and the display including an endoscope mounted to swivel to allow an operator to view the orifices of the pipes opening into the at least one elongated containment chamber.

16. A device as claimed in accordance with claim 15, comprising:

an element for measuring a pressure prevailing in the one of the at least one elongated containment chamber, placed in a recess of the piston.

17. A device as claimed in claim 15, comprising:

a pressure detector mounted flush on the piston for measuring pressure prevailing in the at least one elongated containment chamber which is separated from the variable volume by a membrane.

18. A device as claimed in claim 15, comprising:

an optical device for measuring displacements of the piston.

19. A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

transparent block is sapphire.

20. A device as claimed in claim 15, comprising:

a second elongated containment chamber contained in the rigid containment body limited by a second piston, the second elongated containment chamber being provided with at least one pipe controlled by a valve, and a manifold for communicating with the pipes associated respectively with the first and second elongated containment chambers and with outside of the rigid containment body.

21. A device as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

the first and second elongated containment chambers are placed beside each other.