Method and apparatus for acoustic fluid analysis
First Claim
1. A tool for using acoustical scattering measurements to measure fluid, comprising:
- a fluid container;
first and second transmitters positioned in said container;
first and second receivers positioned in said container, said receivers being differently azimuthally positioned with respect to said transmitters; and
a data processor for receiving signals from said receivers, wherein said transmitters and said receivers are aligned such that a signal emitted by one of said first and second transmitters and scattered by the fluid under test is received by both the first and second receivers and the data processor uses the ratios of the signals from said first and second receivers to calculate a dimensionless parameter related to the density and compressibility of the fluid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for analyzing suspended particulate and liquid medium in a fluid stream by transmitting acoustic signals into the fluid, detecting scattered acoustic energy, and determining a parameter related to the density and compressibility of the fluid. In one embodiment, the fluid analysis tool comprises two transmitting transducers intermittently emitting acoustic signals, and two receiving transducers being differently azimuthally positioned with respect to the transmitters. The ratio of the amplitude of scattered signals measured by the two receivers as a result of emission from the first and second transmitters are used to calculate the parameter. In another embodiment, a tool comprising one transmitter and at least three receivers with azimuthal angles in both forward and backward scattering regions with respect to the incident wave is disclosed. The scattering signal amplitudes normalized by the amplitude from one of the receivers is used to identify and monitor the system.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A tool for using acoustical scattering measurements to measure fluid, comprising:
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a fluid container;
first and second transmitters positioned in said container;
first and second receivers positioned in said container, said receivers being differently azimuthally positioned with respect to said transmitters; and
a data processor for receiving signals from said receivers, wherein said transmitters and said receivers are aligned such that a signal emitted by one of said first and second transmitters and scattered by the fluid under test is received by both the first and second receivers and the data processor uses the ratios of the signals from said first and second receivers to calculate a dimensionless parameter related to the density and compressibility of the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
where θ
1 is the azimuthal position of the first receiver, where θ
2 is the azimuthal position of the second receiver, and ζ
≡
(PAD·
PBC/PAC·
PBD)½
where PAC is the power amplitude of the signal received by said first receiver as result of the signal emitted by said first transmitter, PAD is the power amplitude of the signal received by said second receiver as result of the signal emitted by said first transmitter, PBC is the power amplitude of the signal received by said first receiver as result of the signal emitted by said second transmitter, and PBD is the power amplitude of the signal received by said second receiver as result of the signal emitted by said second transmitter.
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3. The tool according to claim 1 wherein the fluid container comprises a conduit.
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4. The tool according to claim 1, further including a third transmitter positioned in said container and a third receiver positioned in said container, said first, second and third receivers being differently azimuthally positioned with respect to said transmitters.
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5. A method for analyzing a fluid using acoustical scattering measurements, comprising:
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(a) positioning the fluid in a container that includes first and second transmitters and first and second receivers positioned therein, said first and second receivers being differently azimuthally positioned with respect to said transmitters;
(b) transmitting a first signal from the first transmitter and receiving the first signal at the first and second receivers as PAC and PAD, respectively;
(c) transmitting a second signal from the second transmitter and receiving the second signal at the first and second receivers PBC and PBD, respectively; and
(d) using PAC, PAD, PBC, and PBD to calculate a dimensionless parameter Γ
that is related to the density and compressibility of the fluid.- View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
where θ
1 is the azimuthal position of the first receiver, where θ
2 is the azimuthal position of the second receiver, and ζ
≡
(PAD·
PBC/PAC·
PBD)½
where PAC is the power amplitude of the signal received by said first receiver as result of the signal emitted by said first transmitter, PAD is the power amplitude of the signal received by said second receiver as result of the signal emitted by said first transmitter, PBC is the power amplitude of the signal received by said first receiver as result of the signal emitted by said second transmitter, and PBD is the power amplitude of the signal received by said second receiver as result of the signal emitted by said second transmitter.
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10. The method according to claim 5 wherein the container farther includes a third transmitter and a third receiver positioned in said container, said first, second and third receivers being differently azimuthally positioned with respect to said transmitters.
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11. A method for analyzing a fluid using acoustical scattering measurements, comprising:
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(a) positioning the fluid in a container that includes a transmitter and at least first, second and third receivers positioned therein, said first, second and third receivers being each differently azimuthally positioned with respect to said transmitter at angles θ
1, θ
2, and θ
3, respectively;
(b) transmitting a signal from the transmitter and receiving the signal at the first, second and third receivers as P1, P2, and P3, respectively;
(c) normalizing the amplitude of the received signals P1 and P2 with respect to a reference received signal P3; and
(d) using P1, P2, and P3 according to the equation
where Pi is alternately P1 and P2 to calculate the relative contributions of the density factor A and the compressibility factor B to the measured signal.- View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification