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Apparatus and method for volume and mass estimation of a multiphase fluid stored at cryogenic temperatures

  • US 9,513,155 B2
  • Filed: 03/26/2014
  • Issued: 12/06/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of estimating fluid mass in a cryogenic tank that holds a multiphase fluid comprising a liquid and a vapour, wherein the liquid has a density and the vapour has a pressure, the method comprising steps of:

  • employing a capacitance-type level sensor to provide a parameter representative of a level of the liquid in the cryogenic tank;

    measuring the vapour pressure inside the cryogenic tank;

    adjusting respective parameters representative of a capacitance of an empty level and a capacitance of a full level of the capacitance-type level sensor as a function of the vapour pressure;

    measuring a parameter representative of the actual capacitance of the capacitance-type level sensor;

    calculating the level of the liquid in the cryogenic tank as a function of the parameters representative of the capacitance of the empty level, the capacitance of the full level, and the actual capacitance of the capacitance-type level sensor;

    calculating a first volume of the liquid as a function of the level of the liquid in the cryogenic tank; and

    calculating a first mass of the liquid from inputs comprising the first volume and the density of the liquid.

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