Venturi augmented flow meter
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining at least one parameter of a fluid mixture flowing in a conduit, comprising:
- a restriction at a first axial location along the conduit for homogenizing the fluid mixture downstream from the restriction; and
at least one flow meter along the conduit for measuring at least one parameter of the homogenized fluid mixture, the flow meter comprising an array of pressure sensors for measuring unsteady pressure variations within the conduit.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A venturi-assisted flow meter arrangement is disclosed. The venturi is positioned in a pipe or conduit containing the fluid mixture to be measured upstream of the flow meter. The flow meter is preferably a flow rate meter and/or a phase fraction meter. When the fluid mixture is passed through the venturi, it is homogenized or mixed, which can increase the accuracy of the measurements made by the downstream flow meter. Additionally, the venturi can be used to compute the flow momentum of the fluid mixture, which may be used to calibrate or double check the operation of the flow meter, or allow it to compute the phase fraction for a three phase mixture.
223 Citations
71 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining at least one parameter of a fluid mixture flowing in a conduit, comprising:
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a restriction at a first axial location along the conduit for homogenizing the fluid mixture downstream from the restriction; and
at least one flow meter along the conduit for measuring at least one parameter of the homogenized fluid mixture, the flow meter comprising an array of pressure sensors for measuring unsteady pressure variations within the conduit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for determining at least one parameter of a fluid mixture flowing in a conduit, comprising:
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a restriction at a first axial location along the conduit;
at least one sensor assembly located at the restriction for providing at least one parameter indicative of the flow momentum of the fluid mixture;
at least one flow meter at a second axial location along the conduit for providing at least one parameter indicative of the fluid mixture, the flow meter comprising an array of pressure sensors for measuring unsteady pressure variations within the conduit; and
a computer for receiving the at least one parameter indicative of the flow momentum to calibrate the at least one flow meter. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for determining the phase fraction of components in a fluid mixture flowing in a conduit, comprising:
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at least one sensor assembly located at a restriction for providing at least one parameter indicative of the flow momentum of the fluid mixture;
at least one flow rate meter along the conduit for providing at least one parameter indicative of the fluid mixture flow rate, the flow meter comprising an array of pressure sensors for measuring unsteady pressure variations within the conduit;
at least one phase fraction meter along the conduit for providing at least one parameter indicative of the density of the fluid mixture; and
a computer for receiving the at least one parameter indicative of the flow momentum, the at least one parameter indicative of the fluid mixture flow rate, and the at least one parameter indicative of the density of the fluid mixture to compute the phase fraction of components in the fluid mixture. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for determining at least one parameter of a fluid mixture flowing in a conduit, comprising:
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homogenizing the fluid mixture by passing the mixture through a restriction in the conduit at a first axial location along the conduit; and
measuring at least one parameter of the homogenized fluid mixture using at least one flow meter along the conduit, the flow meter comprising an array of pressure sensors for measuring unsteady pressure variations within the conduit. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for determining at least one parameter of a fluid mixture flowing in a conduit, comprising:
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measuring at least one parameter indicative of the flow momentum of the fluid mixture using a sensor assembly along the conduit;
measuring at least one parameter of the fluid mixture using at least one flow meter along the conduit, the flow meter comprising an array of pressure sensors for measuring unsteady pressure variations within the conduit;
calibrating the at least one flow meter using the at least one parameter indicative of the flow momentum. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A method for determining the phase fraction of components in a fluid mixture flowing in a conduit, comprising:
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measuring at least one parameter indicative of the flow momentum of the fluid mixture using a sensor assembly along the conduit;
measuring at least one parameter indicative of the fluid mixture flow rate using at least one flow rate meter along the conduit, the flow meter comprising an array of pressure sensors for measuring unsteady pressure variations within the conduit;
measuring at least one parameter indicative of the density of the fluid mixture using at least one phase fraction meter along the conduit; and
computing the phase fraction of components in the fluid mixture using the at least one parameter indicative of the flow momentum, the at least one parameter indicative of the flow rate, and the at least one parameter indicative of the density. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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Specification