Fluid delivery system

• US 6,471,487 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micro Motion Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Micro Motion Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Jones, Steven M., Keilty, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivell, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krishnamurthy, Ramesh
• Application Number:
  US09/774,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20020100505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 73/614.1, 738/610.4, 738/613.54, 738/613.55, 738/613.56, 137/2, 137/487.5, 137/563, 137/565.13, 137/565.16, 417/1, 417/23, 417/26, 417/28, 417/279, 222/52, 222/61
• US Class Current: 417/26
• 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: G01F 15/08 Air or gas separators in combination with liquid meters; Liquid separators in combination with gas-meters
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0688 by combined action on throttling means and flow sources G05D7/0694 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0324 With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve

Abstract

The fluid delivery system comprises a Coriolis mass flowmeter, a pump, a recirculation valve, and/or a back-pressure valve. The fluid delivery system prevents the measurement of a multiphase fluid flow without the need for an air eliminator and strainer. The Coriolis mass flowmeter measures the density value of the fluid product being delivered from a fluid source to a destination. The Coriolis mass flowmeter compares the measured density value to at least one of an upper threshold density value and a lower threshold density value. If the measured density value exceeds the at least one of the upper density value or the lower density value, the flowmeter automatically shuts down the pump and closes the back-pressure valve to stop the delivery of the fluid product from the fluid source to the destination to prevent the measurement of a multiphase fluid flow.

Claims

1. A fluid delivery system for measuring a substantially pure fluid product flow and preventing measurement of a multiphase fluid flow during delivery of a fluid product from a fluid source to a destination, the fluid delivery system comprising:

a pump connected between the fluid source and the destination for delivering the fluid product from the fluid source to the destination;

a Coriolis mass flowmeter connected between the pump and the destination and configured to detect a beginning of the multiphase fluid flow as the fluid product is delivered from the fluid source to the destination;

a back-pressure valve connected between the Coriolis mass flowmeter and the destination and configured to open or close under the control of the Coriolis mass flow meter;

means within the Coriolis mass flowmeter for controlling the pump in response to detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow to cause the pump to stop delivery of the fluid product from the source to the destination; and

means within the Coriolis mass flowmeter for controlling the back-pressure valve in response to detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow to cause the back-pressure valve to close, wherein the Coriolis mass flowmeter uses the pump controlling means and the back-pressure valve controlling means to prevent the measurement of the multiphase fluid flow by stopping delivery of the fluid product in response to detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a recirculation valve that is connected to the Coriolis mass flowmeter, the fluid source, and the destination, and is configured to direct the fluid product in a first direction that terminates at the fluid source and a second direction that terminates at the destination.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

a means within the Coriolis mass flowmeter for controlling the recirculation valve in response to detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow to cause the recirculation valve to direct the fluid product in the first direction, wherein the Coriolis mass flowmeter uses the pump controlling means and the recirculation valve controlling means to prevent the measurement of the multiphase fluid flow by causing the recirculation valve to direct the fluid product in the first direction back to the fluid source.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the back-pressure valve is configured to provide back pressure in the fluid delivery system.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the Coriolis mass flowmeter further comprises:

meter electronics electrically connected to the recirculation valve and configured to provide a first output signal to the recirculation valve in response to detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow that causes the recirculation valve to direct the fluid product in the first direction back to the fluid source.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the meter electronics are electrically connected to the pump and configured to provide a second output signal to the pump in response to detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow that causes the pump to stop delivery of the fluid product from the fluid source to the destination.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the meter electronics are electrically connected to the back-pressure valve and configured to provide a third output signal to the back pressure valve in response to detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow that causes the back pressure valve to provide the back-pressure in the fluid delivery system.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the meter electronics are configured to measure a density value of the fluid product and if the density value is greater than an upper threshold density value, provide at least one of the first, the second, and the third output signals.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the meter electronics are configured to measure the density value of the fluid and if the density value is lower than a lower threshold density value provide the at least one of the first, the second, and the third output signals.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the meter electronics are configured to measure the density value of the fluid product and if the density value is equal to the upper threshold density value provide the at least one of the first, the second, and the third output signals.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the meter electronics are configured to measure the density value of the fluid product and if the density value is equal to the lower threshold density value provide the at least one of the first, the second, and the third output signals.

12. A method for measuring a fluid product flow during delivery of a fluid product from a fluid source to a destination, the method comprising:

delivering a fluid product from the fluid source to the destination;

detecting a beginning of a multiphase fluid flow as the fluid product is delivered from the fluid source to the destination;

providing a first output signal to a pump to stop delivery of the fluid product in response to detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow; and

providing a second output signal to a back-pressure valve to provide back-pressure in response to detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow comprises:

measuring a density value of the fluid product as the fluid product is delivered from the fluid source to the destination; and

comparing the measured density value to an upper threshold density value, wherein the multiphase fluid flow is indicated by the measured density value being greater than the upper threshold density value.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow comprises:

measuring the density value of the fluid product as the fluid product is delivered from the fluid source to the destination; and

comparing the measured density value to an upper threshold density value, wherein the multiphase fluid flow is indicated by the measured density value being equal to the upper threshold density value.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow comprises:

measuring the density value of the fluid product as the fluid product is delivered from the fluid source to the destination; and

comparing the measured density value to a lower threshold density value, wherein the multiphase fluid flow is indicated by the measured density value being lower than the lower threshold density value.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow comprises:

measuring the density value of the fluid product as the fluid product is delivered from the fluid source to the destination; and

comparing the measured density value to the lower threshold density value, wherein the multiphase fluid flow is indicated by the measured density value being equal to the lower threshold density value.

17. A fluid delivery system for measuring a substantially pure fluid product flow and preventing measurement of a multiphase fluid flow during delivery of a fluid product from a fluid source to a destination, the fluid delivery system comprising:

a pump connected between the fluid source and the destination for delivering the fluid product from the fluid source to the destination;

a Coriolis mass flowmeter connected between the pump and the destination and configured to detect a beginning of the multiphase fluid flow as the fluid product is delivered from the fluid source to the destination;

a recirculation valve that is connected to the Coriolis mass flowmeter, to the fluid source, and to the destination, and is configured to direct the fluid product in a first direction that terminates at the fluid source and a second direction that terminates at the destination; and

means within the Coriolis mass flowmeter for controlling the pump in response to detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow to cause the pump to stop delivery of the fluid product from the source to the destination.

18. system of claim 17 further comprising:

a back-pressure valve is connected between the Coriolis mass flowmeter and the destination and configured to open or close under the control of the Coriolis mass flow meter; and

means within the Coriolis mass flowmeter for closing the back-pressure valve in response to detecting the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow;

to cause the back-pressure valve to close;

said Coriolis mass flowmeter prevents the measurement of a multiphase fluid flow by operating the pump controlling means and the back-pressure valve controlling means to stop the delivery of the fluid product in response to the detecting of the beginning of the multiphase fluid flow.