A crude oil flow metering device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a crude oil flow metering device, the device comprises a measuring part and a metering part, the measuring part comprises a measuring tube and a float assembly, the float assembly is built into the measuring tube, comprises a float and a float connecting rod integrally connected thereto, the end of the float connecting rod is connected to a detection part; the detection part extends out of the measuring tube when the float rises from the bottom; the metering part comprises a position detection module and a processing module, the position detection module is located above the measuring tube and in a detection cavity formed by a first shell, when the detection part at the end of the float connecting rod extends into the detection cavity, the position of the detection part at the end of the float connecting rod is detected to obtain a float height detection signal; the processing module calculates the flow of the measured crude oil according to the float height detection signal. The present invention can safely measure the crude oil flow of a crude oil pipeline and meet the crude oil metering accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a metering device, in particular to a crude oil flow metering device used in the petroleum field. Background Art

[0002] In the process of oil extraction, ground oil extraction equipment, such as pumping units, extracts a mixture of oil, gas and water (hereinafter referred to as crude oil) from the formation and transports it to a crude oil processing plant for processing through ground pipelines, or transports it to oil storage tanks for temporary storage. In order to understand the output of an oil well, it is necessary to use relevant equipment to measure the output of the oil well. In theory, flow meters such as vortex flowmeters, ultrasonic flowmeters, and metal float flowmeters can be installed in the oil pipeline to measure the crude oil flow, and then the output of the oil well can be obtained through conversion. However, in practical applications, the flow characteristics of crude oil in the ground pipeline of an oil well are closely related to the way the oil well produces liquid. The working process of the oil extraction equipment includes two strokes, an upstroke and a downstroke. In the upstroke, crude oil flows out to the ground pipeline through the sucker rod. In the downstroke process, there is basically no crude oil flowing out, so the liquid in the ground pipeline of the oil well flows in streams. In addition, the crude oil that has just been mined and has not been treated has a complex composition. It is a mixed liquid that integrates oil, gas, water, various other liquid components, and solid particles. It is viscous and has poor fluidity, and there are also oil blocks that are bonded together in the liquid. If the above-mentioned vortex flowmeter, ultrasonic flowmeter, turbine flowmeter, metal float flowmeter and other devices are used to measure flow rate in the surface pipeline of the oil well, firstly, due to the unique liquid discharge mode of the oil well, the measurement error will be too large and the accuracy requirement will not be met; in addition, due to the liquid nature of crude oil, it is easy to clog the measuring tube of the flowmeter, which not only makes it impossible to measure, but also easily causes the pressure in the pipeline to rise, burst the pipeline, and cause safety accidents such as oil leakage and pipeline burst. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a flow metering device that is safe, easy to install, and meets the accuracy requirements. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of the technical problems existing in the prior art, the present invention proposes a crude oil flow metering device, which can safely measure the crude oil flow of a crude oil transportation pipeline and meet the crude oil metering accuracy.

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a crude oil flow metering device, which includes a measuring part and a metering part, the measuring part includes a measuring tube and a float assembly, the measuring tube includes a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, and the inner diameter of the measuring tube gradually increases from the liquid inlet to the liquid outlet; the float assembly is built into the measuring tube, including a float and a float connecting rod integrally connected thereto, and the end of the float connecting rod is connected to a detection part; the detection part extends out of the measuring tube when the float rises from the bottom; the metering part includes a position detection module and a processing module, the position detection module is located above the measuring tube and in a detection cavity formed by a first shell, when the detection part at the end of the float connecting rod extends into the detection cavity, the position of the detection part at the end of the float connecting rod is detected to obtain a float height detection signal, the processing module is connected to the position detection module, and the flow rate of the measured crude oil is calculated according to the float height detection signal.

[0005] Wherein, when the float in the device is a sphere, the processing module calculates the flow rate of the measured crude oil according to formula 1-5:

[0006]

[0007] Among them, q v is the volume flow rate, α is the flow coefficient of the device, g is the gravitational acceleration, V f is the volume of the floating ball, ρ f is the density of the float material, ρ is the density of the crude oil being measured, θ is the cone angle of the measuring tube, Δh is the height of the float from its lowest point to the current measuring position, R f is the float radius.

[0008] The float in the crude oil flow metering device is a structure with a circular working cross section and symmetrical along the vertical center line. The processing module calculates the flow of the measured crude oil according to formula 1-8:

[0009]

[0010] Among them, q v is the volume flow rate, α is the flow coefficient of the device, g is the gravitational acceleration, V f is the volume of the float, ρ f is the density of the float material, ρ is the density of the crude oil being measured, θ is the cone angle of the measuring tube, Δh is the height of the float from its lowest point to the current measuring position, R f is the maximum working radius of the float.

[0011] The float in the present invention can overcome the resistance caused by the viscosity of the crude oil and rise, stabilize at a certain height, fall, rise again, stabilize at a certain height, fall again, etc. in accordance with the flow law (the crude oil flows in streams) during the flow of the measured crude oil from the liquid inlet to the liquid outlet of the measuring tube. It can also stabilize at different heights according to the size of the flow rate when the crude oil continues to flow. Therefore, the flow metering device provided by the present invention can well adapt to the flow characteristics of crude oil and the liquid properties of crude oil. In addition, the present invention does not use the transmission mechanism in the traditional float flowmeter, and is therefore not limited by the fatigue damage of the traditional float detection component, and can ensure the reliability and accuracy of the long-term measurement of the device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0013] Figure 1 is a partial structure of a crude oil flow metering device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a float connecting rod according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the calculation principle of a crude oil flow metering device when the float is a floating ball according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the calculation principle of a crude oil flow metering device when the float is in a gyro shape according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figures 5A-5C is a schematic diagram of a Hall sensor array in a metering unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a Hall sensor array in a metering unit according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 7 Yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the expanded array of six Hall sensors in the figure;

[0020] Figure 8 is a principle block diagram of a processing module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Fig. 9 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a crude oil flow metering device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Fig.10 is a flow chart of a flow metering method of a crude oil flow metering device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figures 11A-11C is a partial structural schematic diagram of a crude oil flow metering device according to three other embodiments of the present invention;

[0024] Figures 12A-12B is a schematic diagram of arrangement of photoelectric sensors according to two other embodiments of the present invention;

[0025] Fig.13 is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of an application embodiment of a crude oil flow metering device provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0026] Fig.14 It is a schematic diagram of an application embodiment of a crude oil flow metering device provided according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] In the following detailed description, reference may be made to the various specification drawings that are part of the present application and are used to illustrate specific embodiments of the present application. In the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals describe substantially similar components in different figures. The various specific embodiments of the present application are described below in sufficient detail so that a person of ordinary skill in the art with relevant knowledge and skills in the art can implement the technical solutions of the present application. It should be understood that other embodiments may also be used or structural, logical or electrical changes may be made to the embodiments of the present application.

[0029] The present invention provides a crude oil flow metering device, which determines the rising height of the float in the measuring tube by detecting the position of the detection part on the float connecting rod, thereby calculating the flow rate of the measured crude oil. Among the existing flow metering devices, the float flowmeter is a widely used gas and liquid flow metering device. The metering element of the float flowmeter includes a measuring tube and an indicator. The interior of the measuring tube is a conical measuring chamber that gradually expands from bottom to top, the lower end of which is a fluid inlet and the upper end is a fluid outlet. The conical measuring chamber is equipped with a float that is guided by a guide rod and can move freely up and down. When the measured fluid flows from bottom to top through the conical measuring tube, the upper and lower ends of the float generate differential pressure to form an upward force. When the upward force on the float is greater than the weight of the float immersed in the fluid, the float rises, and the annular gap area between the float and the wall of the measuring tube increases accordingly. The fluid flow rate at the annular gap immediately decreases, and the differential pressure between the upper and lower ends of the float decreases. The upward force acting on the float also decreases until the upward force is equal to the weight of the float immersed in the fluid. The float stabilizes at a certain height, and the annular gap area between the float and the wall of the measuring tube remains constant. There is a certain correspondence between the annular gap area and the rising height of the float, that is, the position of the float rising in the measuring tube can represent the size of the flow rate. There are usually two types of indicators. One type is to set a scale on the tube body, and determine the scale value according to the corresponding relationship between the position and the flow rate. This type of flowmeter can obtain the flow value by observing the scale position where the liquid is located. Another type of indicator is a pointer indicator. In this type of flow meter, a first magnet is built into the float, a second magnet coupled to the first magnet is built into the indicator, and the second magnet is connected to the pointer through a transmission mechanism such as a connecting rod. When the float moves up and down and rotates with the measured fluid, the magnetic field generated by the first magnet built into the float changes with the movement and rotation of the float. Since the second magnet in the indicator is magnetically coupled with the first magnet, the second magnet rotates under the change of the magnetic field, and the second magnet drives the pointer of the indicator to rotate through the connecting rod as a transmission mechanism. After correction, the height of the float rises one-to-one with the position of the pointer, and the position of the pointer indicates the corresponding flow rate. However, after long-term use, the above-mentioned metal float flow meter is limited by processing and material conditions, and the connecting rod in the transmission mechanism cannot accurately transmit the float position due to fatigue damage, resulting in inaccurate measurement and poor reliability after long-term use. The present invention does not use a transmission mechanism, so it is not limited by the fatigue damage of the traditional float position detection component, and can ensure accuracy during long-term use. In addition, the traditional float has a small mass and cannot adapt to complex and viscous fluids such as crude oil. Although the present invention is very similar to the traditional float flow meter in some structures, in order to adapt to the special flow state and fluid composition of crude oil, the structure of the present invention is significantly different from the traditional float flow meter. The present invention is described in detail below through specific embodiments.

[0030] Figure 1This is a partial structure of a crude oil flow metering device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the sensor is a Hall sensor, and the corresponding detection part at the end of the float connecting rod is a magnet. Figure 1 The crude oil flow metering device includes a measuring part and a metering part, wherein the measuring part includes a measuring tube 11, which includes a liquid inlet 111 and a liquid outlet 112, and the measuring tube 11 includes a straight tube and an inverted conical tube sleeved therewith. The bottom of the conical tube is the liquid inlet 111, and the liquid outlet 112 is arranged on the side wall of the straight tube. The inner diameter of the measuring tube 11 as a whole gradually increases from the liquid inlet 111 to the liquid outlet 112. By changing the different cone angles of the conical tube, it can adapt to the measured oil with different flow rates. A large cone angle is used for a large flow rate, and a small cone angle is used for a small flow rate. According to experience, the conical tube adopts a cone angle of no more than 20 degrees to meet the accuracy requirements well when measuring a certain flow range. In the present invention, the conical tube and the straight tube are movably nested and connected, and a conical tube with different cone angles can be selected to cooperate with the straight tube according to the current flow rate in the measured oil pipeline.

[0031] In some embodiments, the distance between the liquid outlet and the top of the measuring tube is not less than the maximum vertical working distance of the float. Figure 1 As shown in the figure, the distance D1 between the liquid outlet 112 and the top of the measuring tube, that is, the lower surface of the upper flange, is not less than the diameter Rf of the float 121. When the measured petroleum fluid includes oil masses that are bonded together, when it enters the measuring tube 11, even if it cannot immediately flow out of the measuring tube 11 through the liquid outlet 112, when the liquid flow rate is large enough, the float 121 rises upward to make way for the liquid flow channel, so that the liquid can flow out of the measuring tube through the liquid outlet 112, and will not stay in the measuring tube for a long time and block the measuring tube.

[0032] The measuring tube 11 is provided with a float assembly 12, including a float 121 and a float connecting rod 122 integrally connected thereto. The float 121 in this embodiment is a solid metal sphere, for example, with a density of 7.8 kg / m 3 The stainless steel sphere has a diameter larger than the liquid inlet 111. Therefore, compared with the float in the existing float type flowmeter, the float 121 in this embodiment has a larger weight and can well adapt to the flow environment with poor fluidity caused by the viscosity of crude oil.

[0033] The end of the float connecting rod 122 is provided with an installation groove, and the magnet 123 is installed in the installation groove by shrinking riveting. When the float connecting rod 122 moves up and down, it can be sensed by the Hall sensor when it reaches the sensing point of the Hall sensor. The magnet 123 in the present invention can be a permanent magnet with strong magnetism, such as a neodymium iron boron magnet, a samarium cobalt magnet, an aluminum nickel cobalt magnet, etc.

[0034] When the float moves in the vertical direction, in order to straighten the float, in a better embodiment, the end of the float connecting rod 122 is connected to a float stabilizing structure 124, such as Figure 2 As shown, the float stabilizing structure 124 includes a column and a plurality of side edges protruding from the side surface of the column along the axial direction of the column. There are four side edges in this embodiment, and the four side edges form a cross structure in the cross section of the column. The mounting groove of the magnet 123 can be opened on the column of the float stabilizing structure 124. The other end of the float connecting rod 122 is embedded in the central groove of the float 121, so as to be connected with the float as a whole.

[0035] The top of the measuring tube 11 is connected with a lower flange 31, and the lower flange 31 has a through hole with the same inner diameter as the straight tube in the measuring tube 11. A sealing gasket, a sealing ring and other devices are arranged between the upper flange 32 and the lower flange 31, so that the upper flange 32 and the lower flange 31 are sealed and connected. A fixing seat is fixed on the upper flange 32, and the housing 41 is fixed on the fixing seat, so as to form a detection chamber to protect the internal position detection element. A conduit 33 is arranged at the center of the upper flange 32, for example, it is a metal pipe, which is sealed and connected with the upper flange 32 and the open end of the connecting rod sleeve 125, and the float connecting rod 122 can freely and vertically pass through the conduit 33 and extend into the connecting rod sleeve 125. When the float connecting rod 122 is located in the connecting rod sleeve 125, the cross structure at the end of the float rod can straighten the float connecting rod 122, so that the float and the float connecting rod 122 move in the vertical direction. In addition, the cross structure at the end of the float rod can effectively reduce the contact area between the float connecting rod 122 and the inner wall of the connecting rod sleeve 125, thereby reducing the friction between the float connecting rod 122 and the inner wall of the connecting rod sleeve 125 when the float connecting rod 122 moves up and down. At the same time, it can also prevent negative pressure from being generated when there is water and oil in the connecting rod sleeve 125, which would suck the float connecting rod 122 and cause the float connecting rod 122 to fail to fall back into the measuring tube normally.

[0036] In this embodiment, the metering unit includes a position detection module and a processing module, and the position detection module is located in a detection chamber formed by a housing 41. In this embodiment, the position detection module includes a sensor array 21, which is arranged on a sleeve (it can be known that the sleeve can be an independent component, as shown in the figure, or it can be a connecting rod sleeve 125). The bottom of the sleeve is fixedly connected to the upper flange 32, and the sensor array 21 composed of a plurality of Hall sensors is arranged on the outer surface of the sleeve, and the plurality of Hall sensors are arranged along the vertical up and down movement direction of the float connecting rod and are located within the moving range of the magnet 123 at the end of the float connecting rod. The processing module is connected to the signal output end of the sensor array 21, and calculates the flow rate of the measured crude oil according to the received Hall sensor data.

[0037] like Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the calculation principle of the crude oil flow metering device when the float is a floating ball. It is a schematic diagram of the axial cross-section of the measuring tube. The measuring tube is a cone. When the float is not rising, it is located at the bottom of the conical measuring tube, and the distance from the top of the conical measuring tube is h1. The float moves upward under the action of the measured crude oil. When the float is balanced in the measuring tube, it stabilizes at a height, and the height of the float rises at this time is △h. The volume flow calculation formula 1-1 of the crude oil flow metering device is:

[0038]

[0039] q v is the volume flow rate, α is the flow coefficient of the device, ε is the gas expansion coefficient when the measured fluid is gas (the present invention is used for crude oil measurement, crude oil is an incompressible fluid ε = 1), g is the gravitational acceleration, V f is the volume of the float or ball, ρ f is the density of the float material, ρ is the density of the crude oil being measured, F f is the cross-sectional area of ​​the float at its maximum working position, ΔF is the flow annular area, θ is the cone angle of the measuring tube, and Δh is the rising height of the float from its lowest point to the current measuring position.

[0040] When the float is a sphere, R f is the float radius; Rp is the working radius of the measuring tube corresponding to the location of the float.

[0041] Where Rp=(R f +Δhsin(θ / 2)) 1-2

[0042] ΔF=πRp 2 -F f 1-3

[0043] F f =πR f 2 1-4

[0044] Substituting the above three formulas into formula 1-1, we get the following formula 1-5:

[0045]

[0046] In formula 1-5, except for the height Δh of the float from its lowest point to the current measurement position, all other parameters are known parameters. When the sensor senses the height value Δh of the float's rise, the instantaneous flow rate of the measured crude oil can be calculated by formula 1-5, and the cumulative flow rate over a period of time can be obtained by the following formula 1-6.

[0047]

[0048] Among them, Qt represents the accumulated flow at time t, Q0 represents the accumulated flow at time t=0, and q t It represents the instantaneous flow at time t, where t represents time (unit: s).

[0049] In addition to the spherical shape, the float in the present invention can also be any structure with a circular working cross-section and symmetric along the vertical center line, such as a cylinder, a cone, an ellipsoid, a sphere, etc., or a structure obtained by combining the above various shapes, so that the force conditions of the float on all sides are uniform, so that it can stably move up and down in the measured original flow fluid. The float in this embodiment is a sphere, and the contact between the float and the inner wall of the measuring tube 11 is a line contact. Compared with other shapes, firstly, the friction generated when the float contacts the inner wall of the measuring tube can be ignored, thereby reducing the force conditions of the float, making the calculation process more accurate, thereby improving the measurement accuracy. Secondly, when the measured fluid is a liquid with a certain viscosity such as crude oil, the curved surface of the float is conducive to reducing the viscous liquid from hindering the float from moving up and down in the liquid.

[0050] like Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the calculation principle of the crude oil flow metering device when the float is gyro-shaped. When the float is gyro-shaped, when it is impacted by a large flow of fluid, it reduces the lateral shaking through its own rotation, so that it can move up and down stably in the vertical direction. Figure 4 The volume flow formula of the crude oil flow metering device is as follows:

[0051]

[0052] q v is the volume flow rate, α is the flow coefficient of the flow meter, ε is the gas expansion coefficient when the measured fluid is gas (the present invention is used for crude oil measurement, crude oil is an incompressible fluid ε = 1), g is the gravitational acceleration, Vf is the float volume, ρ f is the density of the float material, ρ is the density of the crude oil being measured, F f is the maximum cross-sectional area of ​​the float, ΔF is the flow annular area, θ is the cone angle of the measuring tube, Δh is the height of the float from its lowest point to the current measuring position, Rp is the working radius of the measuring tube corresponding to the location of the float, and Rf is the working radius of the float.

[0053] Where, Rp = (Rf + Δhtan (θ / 2)) 1-7

[0054] ΔF=πRp 2 -F f 1-3

[0055] F f =πRf 2 1-4

[0056] Substituting the above three formulas into formula 1-1, we get the following formula 1-8:

[0057]

[0058] In formula 1-8, except for the height Δh of the float from its lowest point to the current measurement position, all other parameters are known parameters. When the sensor senses the height value Δh of the float's rise, the instantaneous flow rate of the measured crude oil can be calculated by formula 1-8, and the cumulative flow rate over a period of time can be obtained by the above formula 1-6.

[0059] Figures 5A-5C : is a schematic diagram of a sensor array in a metering unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the first sensor array 210 includes a chip board 211, on which a plurality of Hall sensors 212 are evenly arranged, and the arrangement direction is the same as the up and down movement direction of the float connecting rod 122, that is, vertical arrangement. A signal socket 213 is provided on the back of the chip board 211, wherein the chip board 211 is a circuit board, such as a printed circuit board, on which corresponding conductive strips are printed corresponding to a plurality of pins of the Hall sensors 212; the pins of the plurality of Hall sensors 212 are respectively connected to the corresponding conductive strips on the circuit board, and the interfaces of the signal socket 213 are respectively connected to the corresponding conductive strips. For example, the pins of the Hall sensor 212 correspond to the positive electrode of the power supply, the ground wire, the clock, the latch and the data pins, so the chip board 211 has a total of five corresponding conductive strips, and the signal socket 213 has a total of five interfaces, which are respectively connected to the corresponding conductive strips. The two ends of the chip board 211 are respectively provided with fixing holes 214, which are convenient for fixing on the relevant support or bracket.

[0060] Each Hall sensor 212 on the chip board 211 has a unique position and corresponds to the rising height of the float in the measuring tube. For example, the lowest Hall sensor 2120 on the chip board 211 corresponds to the position when the float does not rise and is located at the bottom of the measuring tube, that is, at this time, the rising height of the float in the measuring tube corresponding to the Hall sensor 2120 is 0, the rising height of the float in the measuring tube corresponding to the Hall sensor 2121 is 2mm, and the rising height of the float in the measuring tube corresponding to the Hall sensor 2122 is 4mm... and so on, the rising height of the float in the measuring tube corresponding to the top Hall sensor 21216 on the chip board 211 is 30mm, so it can be known that the total sensing height of the sensor array composed of multiple Hall sensors 2121-21216 on the chip board 211 is 30mm. Therefore, the present invention sets position information for each Hall sensor in the first sensor array 210, for example, each Hall sensor is numbered 0000, 0001, 0002, ... 0015 from bottom to top, and a corresponding table of sensor position information and height is stored. When the first sensor array 210 sends sensor data, each sensor data includes not only the voltage information sensed by the Hall sensor, that is, the data information, but also the position information of the sensor that sends the data information. The position information can be represented by its number, so that when the processing module analyzes the sensor data, the corresponding position is determined according to the sensor number in the sensor data, thereby determining the rising height of the float in the measuring tube.

[0061] During the metering process, when the measured petroleum fluid enters the measuring tube from the bottom inlet, the float is generally subjected to an upward force, the float 121 moves upward, and the magnet 123 at the end of the float connecting rod 122 rises accordingly. When the magnet 123 passes through the Hall sensor 212 in the first sensor array 210, the magnetic field of the magnet 123 is applied to the Hall sensor 212, and the Hall sensor 212 generates an electrical signal. The Hall sensor 212 forms the generated electrical signal and its position information into sensing data, which is output through the signal output end of the first sensor array 210. The processing module regularly collects the signal output end of the first sensor array 210. When the sensing data is collected, the position of the Hall sensor that generates the electrical signal in the sensing data can be determined by identifying the position information in the sensing data, and then the rising height of the magnet 123 in the measuring tube can be determined by querying the corresponding table of position and height, so that the instantaneous flow rate of the measured crude oil can be calculated by formula 1-5.

[0062] Figure 65 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the sensor array in the metering part 2 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the Hall sensor array 21 includes six first sensor arrays 210 in FIG. 5. In one embodiment, the six first sensor arrays 210 are fixed on the outer surface of the side of the first sensing sleeve 40, and are arranged in a spiral ascending manner in the circumferential direction of the first sensing sleeve 40. The end of the first sensing sleeve 40 is fixed together with the upper flange 32, and the chip board arranged with the Hall sensors 212 faces the inside of the first sensing sleeve 40. The connecting rod sleeve 125 is sleeved inside the first sensing sleeve 40, and the connecting rod sleeve 125 is sealed and connected to the conduit 33 in the upper flange. The end of the float connecting rod 122 enters the connecting rod sleeve 125 through the conduit 33, and moves freely up and down therein with the measured crude oil. In other embodiments, the six first sensor arrays 210 can be pasted on the outer surface of the connecting rod sleeve 125, with the connecting rod sleeve 125 as a supporting structure.

[0063] In this embodiment, the plurality of first sensor arrays 210 are arranged in a spiral manner along the vertical movement direction of the float connecting rod on the first sensor sleeve 40, and the signal sockets 213 of the plurality of first sensor arrays 210 are sequentially connected in series. Figure 7 , which will Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the six first sensor arrays 210 after being expanded. Figure 7 It can be seen that the distance d=D between two adjacent Hall sensor sensing points in each first sensor array 210 is, through the other five first sensor arrays 210 arranged in a spiral ascending manner, the sensing distance D in a first sensor array 210 can be evenly divided into six parts, that is, the sensing distance d=D / 6 between two adjacent Hall sensors in the current Hall sensor array. Therefore, the detection accuracy of the sensor array in this embodiment is improved by 6 times compared with only one first sensor array 210. By setting the distance d between two adjacent Hall sensors in a first sensor array 210 and the number of first sensor arrays 210, sensing distances of different accuracies can be obtained. The accuracy of the sensing distance corresponds to the measurement accuracy of the rising height of the float. The total sensing height h of the sensor array 21 in this embodiment is formed from the sensing point of the lowest sensor to the sensing point of the highest sensor. T , set the corresponding total perceived height h according to the actual measurement range in the application scenario T .

[0064] Similarly, in this embodiment, each sensor has unique position information. For example, a four-digit number is used to represent the position information of a sensor, wherein the first two digits represent the number of the first sensor array, and the last two digits represent the position number arranged vertically in the first sensor array. For example, the sensor represented by the position information 0210 is the 10th sensor in the second first sensor array.

[0065] The processing module 22 in the metering unit can be arranged in the housing 41 (see Figure 1 ) is in a detection cavity formed by a sensor array 21 or in another second shell. As needed, the second shell is made into a meter head, which is connected to the shell 41 to connect to the signal output end of the sensor array 21 in the shell 41.

[0066] Figure 8 is a principle block diagram of a processing module according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the processing module 22 includes a data acquisition unit 221, a data processing unit 222 and a wireless transmission module 223, which can be located inside a detection cavity formed by a housing 41, and an antenna of the wireless transmission module 223 is placed outside the housing 41 through a through hole or window to transmit and receive wireless signals, such as Figure 1 As shown. A sealing device, such as a sealing strip, a sealant, etc., is provided between the through hole or window and the housing 41. Components such as the data acquisition unit 221, the data processing unit 222 and the wireless transmission module 223 are placed on the circuit board and fixed at appropriate positions inside the housing 41, such as Figure 1 As shown, the circuit board 220 is fixed on the top of the housing 41, and the antenna 2230 extends through the through hole on the top of the housing. The data acquisition unit 221 on the circuit board 220 is connected to the signal interface of the sensor array 21, and collects the sensor signals of the sensor array 21 according to the preset acquisition cycle to obtain the sensing data. The data processing unit 222 is connected to the data acquisition unit 221 to process the sensing data and calculate the flow rate of the measured crude oil fluid. The wireless transmission module 223 of the present invention is connected to the data processing unit 222, and is used to establish a wireless connection with an external legal device, output the flow data of the measured crude oil to the legal device, and can receive instructions, data, etc. from the legal device to the data processing unit 222. For example, when the measured crude oil fluid changes, the external legal device sends the new measured crude oil fluid parameters to the present device by wireless means, and the wireless transmission module 223 receives the new measured crude oil fluid parameters and sends them to the data processing unit 222, and the data processing unit 222 uses the new measured crude oil fluid parameters to calculate the measured crude oil fluid flow rate.

[0067] In addition, the processing module 22 in this embodiment may also include a human-computer interaction interface 224 composed of a display screen and buttons. Fig. 9As shown, the processing module 222 is set in the table header 42, which has an external human-computer interaction interface 224, including a button 2241 and a display screen 2242. The display screen 2242 can display instantaneous and cumulative flow and parameters of each option, and the button 2241 can be used to select different options, modify corresponding parameters, etc. For example, the various parameters used in formulas 1-5 and 1-8 can be sent to the data processing unit 222 through the wireless transmission unit 223 in one way, and can be entered in the human-computer interaction interface 224 by authorized staff in another way. The authority can be verified and confirmed by the set password. Of course, the human-computer interaction interface 224 can be implemented using a touch screen.

[0068] In one embodiment, the processing module 22 may be composed of a microprocessor and corresponding peripheral circuits. The I / O interface of the microprocessor is connected to the signal interface of the sensor array 21 and the human-computer interaction interface 224, and is connected to a wireless module 223 such as Bluetooth, WiFi or ZigBee, so as to transmit the calculated flow data of the measured crude oil to a distant external device, and the staff does not need to go to the measurement site to read the data.

[0069] Fig.10 This is a flow metering method flow chart according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method is based on the aforementioned crude oil flow metering device, collects data according to a preset data collection cycle, and processes and calculates the collected data to obtain a flow value. Among them, the data processing frequency can be the same as the data collection frequency, or it can be a multiple of the data collection frequency. When processing data, only one data can be processed at a time, or multiple data can be processed at a time. For example, data is collected once a second, and when processing data, data is processed once every 5 seconds, 5 data are processed at a time, and each processing obtains a flow average value based on 5 original data. The following takes the data collection cycle of 1 second, the data processing cycle of 5 seconds, and the number of data processed at a time as an example, and the metering method described in the present invention is described in detail as follows:

[0070] Step S1, collecting sensor array signals. Figure 1 Take the crude oil flow metering device in the example, when the measured fluid enters the measuring tube from the bottom liquid inlet and flows out from the liquid outlet, the float floats upward, and correspondingly, the magnet 123 at the end of the float connecting rod 122 floats upward. In the process of the magnet 123 moving upward, the Hall sensor in the sensor array around it is affected by the magnetic field generated by the magnet 123, generating an electrical signal and forming sensing data. The sensing data includes position information and data information. The position information is the position of the sensor in the sensor array. The processing module 22 collects data from the signal output end of the sensor array 21 once per second, thereby obtaining a sensing data.

[0071] Step S2, identifying the position information from the sensing data, and obtaining the position of the specific Hall sensor affected by the magnetic field of the magnet 123 through the position information.

[0072] Step S3, based on the position of the specific Hall sensor affected by the magnetic field of the magnet 123 obtained in step S2, query the corresponding table of the sensor position and its height value stored in the processing module 22, so as to determine the height value △hi of the floating ball floating upward.

[0073] Step S4, judging whether a preset number of data is obtained, that is, judging whether 5 data are obtained in this embodiment, if 5 data are obtained, then calculating the flow value once in step S5, and ending the data processing process. If not enough data is obtained, then returning to step S1.

[0074] There are two ways to calculate the flow value in step S5:

[0075] Method 1: Based on each height value △hi, use formula 1-5 or 1-8 to calculate a flow value q vi , and then calculate 5 flow values ​​q vi The average As the flow value for this calculation.

[0076] Method 2: First calculate the average height Then calculate the flow value q according to formula 1-5 or 1-8 v .

[0077] The accumulated flow rate over a period of time is calculated according to formula 1-6 as needed. For example, the accumulated flow rate is calculated once a day or a week and displayed on a display screen or sent to an external legal device.

[0078] In another embodiment, the parameter Δh used in formula 1-5 or 1-8 may be determined by the following steps:

[0079] Firstly, the position of the sensor that sends the data information in the sensor array is determined according to the position information in the sensing data.

[0080] Then, determining the sensing distances d of a plurality of second sensors that do not send sensing data in the same first sensor array according to the positions of the sensors that send data information in the sensor array; and

[0081] Then, the total sensing distance D from the first sensor array is T Subtract the sensing distance d of the multiple second sensors that have not sent sensing data to obtain the height △h corresponding to the float at the current detection position i .

[0082] Then execute any calculation method in the above step S5 to obtain the flow value.

[0083] The processing module 22 includes a memory, and the calculated flow value is stored in the memory. The calculated flow value can be displayed on a display screen in real time, or simultaneously transmitted to other remote devices via wireless means for remote reading.

[0084] In the above embodiment, the connecting rod sleeve 125 is connected to the measuring tube 11, and they are a liquid cavity together. The liquid cavity is only connected to the outside at the conduit 33, and the communicating area is small. A conventional sealing method, such as sealing strips, sealants, etc., is used to seal the conduit 33, so that a good sealing effect can be achieved. Therefore, the position detection module uses a sensor sleeve that covers the outside of the connecting rod sleeve 125, and a sensor array is arranged thereon, or the sensor array is directly distributed on the outer surface of the connecting rod sleeve 125, so as to obtain the float height detection signal. No transmission mechanism is required, and the signal detection method without connection increases the reliability and accuracy of the device detection.

[0085] The present invention can also detect the rising position of the float by means of an image acquisition device or a photoelectric sensor arranged in the detection cavity in cooperation with a scale.

[0086] like Fig.11A As shown, a bracket 126a is provided outside the connecting rod sleeve 125a, in which a slideway 127a is provided, and a moving block 129a is provided at a position corresponding to the magnet 123a, and the moving block 129a is connected to the scale 128a. In one embodiment, the moving block 129a is an iron block. When the float rises in the measuring tube, the magnet 123a at its end rises, which attracts the moving block 129a to rise together, and the scale 128a connected to the moving block 129a rises at the same time. An image acquisition device 130a, such as a camera, is installed on the housing 41a at the end of the corresponding connecting rod sleeve 125a. The scale of the scale 128a is marked from top to bottom, that is, when the float is at the bottom, the top of the scale 128a corresponding to the image acquisition device 130a is the starting position 0, starting from 0 and going down until the position of the moving block 129a is the maximum scale. When the float rises, the magnet 123a at its end attracts the moving block 129a to drive the scale 128a to rise, and the image acquisition device 130a acquires the current scale image. The rising height of the float can be obtained through image recognition by the processing module.

[0087] like Fig. 11BAs shown, in this embodiment, the scale 128b is fixed to the bracket 126b, and the starting position of the scale 128b is at the bottom moving block 129b. And its scale is represented by depth. A photoelectric sensor is arranged on the moving block 129b. When the moving block 129b rises with the magnet 123a, the light emitted by the light emitter of the photoelectric sensor shines on the scale 128b, and the light receiver receives the light reflected back from the scale 128b, and determines the scale of the current scale 128b according to the change of the light energy of the received light signal.

[0088] In addition, other methods can also be used to achieve the tracking movement of the moving block and the magnet. For example, a Hall sensor and a linear motor are set on the moving blocks 129a and 129b. When the Hall sensor senses the magnets 123a and 123b, the linear motor drives the scale 128a and the photoelectric sensor to move following the magnets 123a and 123b.

[0089] like Fig. 11C As shown in FIG. 1 , in this embodiment, a sensor sleeve 40c is provided, which is sleeved outside the bracket 126c, the slideway 127c and the moving block 129c. In other embodiments, it is not necessary to provide a scale on the bracket 126c, but a plurality of photoelectric sensors are provided on the sensor sleeve 40c to form a sensor array for determining the position. The cross section of the sensor sleeve 40c is shown in FIG. Fig. 12A As shown. The sensor array is composed of a plurality of photoelectric sensors arranged vertically on the inner surface of the side of the sensor sleeve 40c. Each photoelectric sensor at a horizontal position includes a light emitting part 2121c and a light receiving part 2122c, which are fixed on the sensor sleeve 40c, wherein the path 2123c formed by the light emitting part 2121c and the light receiving part 2122c intersects with the vertical movement path of the moving block 129c. The float connecting rod moves up and down in the second sensing sleeve 125c, driving the moving block 129c in the sensor sleeve 40c to move on the slide 127c. When it blocks the path 2123c formed by the light emitting part 2121c and the light receiving part 2122c of a photoelectric sensor, the photoelectric sensor sends a signal. The position of the float connecting rod can be determined according to the position of the photoelectric sensor that sends the signal, so that the rising height of the float when it rises from the lowest point to the detection position can be obtained.

[0090] In another embodiment, Fig. 12BAs shown, the sensor array on the sensor sleeve 40d is composed of a plurality of light receiving parts 2122d of photoelectric sensors, which are mounted on the inner wall of the sensor sleeve 40d, and a light emitting part 2121d is mounted on the moving block 129d. The light emitting part 2121d always emits light, and when the moving block 129d moves along the bracket 126d on the slideway, the light emitted by the light emitting part 2121d can be received by the light receiving parts 2122d at different heights, and an electrical signal is emitted. The position of the float connecting rod can be determined according to the position of the photoelectric sensor that emits the electrical signal.

[0091] The processing module stores a correspondence table between the sensor position and the height. The processing module queries the correspondence table according to the sensor position to obtain the rising height of the float, thereby calculating the flow rate of the measured crude oil. The specific process can refer to the embodiment using the Hall sensor as the sensor array, which will not be repeated here.

[0092] The above position detection modules and corresponding structures merely reveal relevant position detection means, and ordinary technicians in this field can select any one of the above detection means according to actual needs, or obtain relevant position detection structures inspired by the above detection means.

[0093] Fig.13It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an application embodiment of the crude oil flow metering device provided by the present invention. In this embodiment, the liquid inlet of the crude oil flow metering device 100a is connected to the liquid inlet pipe 400a, and the liquid inlet pipe 400a is an inverted S-shaped pipe, and its end is connected to a flange 401a through a bend pipe for connecting to the crude oil delivery pipeline. The plug-in water content detection device connection seat 500a and the pressure sensor connection seat 600a are connected to the liquid inlet pipe 400a. The liquid outlet of the crude oil flow metering device 100a is connected to the liquid outlet pipe 300a, and the end is connected to the flange 301a through a bend pipe for connecting to the crude oil delivery pipeline. In this application embodiment, the crude oil flow metering device adds a liquid inlet pipe and a liquid outlet pipe, and through the bend at the connecting flange, it can be connected to the crude oil delivery pipeline in various transmission directions. As shown in the current figure, the installation direction of the crude oil delivery pipeline and the crude oil flow metering device 100a is in the same direction, that is, both are vertical. When the crude oil pipeline is in the horizontal direction, the elbow connected to the flanges 301a and 401a can be rotated to be connected to the horizontal crude oil pipeline respectively. After crude oil is mined, in addition to measuring the flow rate to calculate the output, it is usually necessary to measure the water content, pipeline pressure, etc. Since the crude oil flow metering device 100a is connected in series in the pipeline, the connection seats 500a and 600a of the water content detection device and the pressure sensor are connected to the liquid inlet pipe 400a. When necessary, the water content detection device and the pressure sensor can be directly inserted into the connection seat, which no longer requires drilling holes in the crude oil pipeline and is easy to install. In addition, the processing module, wireless connection module, etc. in the crude oil flow metering device can receive the water content measured by the water content detection device and the pressure data measured by the pressure sensor, and display them through the header (not shown in the figure) or send them to the remote end.

[0094] Fig.14Schematic diagram of another application embodiment of the crude oil flow metering device provided by the present invention. In this embodiment, there are three sections of pipelines 300b, 400b, and 700b and valves 302b, 402b, and 702b thereon, and flanges 401b and 301b are respectively connected to the lower section crude oil delivery pipeline and the upper section crude oil delivery pipeline. Similarly, a connection seat for a water content detection device and a pressure sensor can be set on the pipeline to facilitate the connection of the water content detection device and the pressure sensor. In this embodiment, a water content detection device 500b and a pressure sensor 600b have been installed. Flanges 301b and 401b are respectively used to connect the crude oil delivery pipeline. In this embodiment, three sections of pipelines and corresponding valves are set, and whether flow, water content and pressure detection are required can be controlled. If these items do not need to be measured or detected, valves 302b and 402b are closed, and valve 702b is opened, and the crude oil in the lower section crude oil delivery pipeline flows into the upper section crude oil delivery pipeline through pipeline 700b. If flow rate, water content and pressure detection is required, valve 702b is closed, valves 302b and 402b are opened, and the crude oil in the lower crude oil pipeline enters the crude oil flow metering device 100b through pipeline 400b and then flows into the upper crude oil pipeline through pipeline 300b. During the flow of crude oil, its flow rate, water content and pressure are measured.

[0095] In summary, the crude oil flow metering device provided by the present invention can be connected alone in the crude oil transportation pipeline to achieve flow metering, can work stably for a long time and meet the metering accuracy, and can also be integrated with other detection devices to facilitate installation and daily maintenance.

[0096] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, but not to limit the present invention. Ordinary technicians in the relevant technical field can make various changes and modifications without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent technical solutions should also fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A crude oil flow metering device, wherein include: The measuring unit comprises: A measuring tube, comprising a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, wherein the inner diameter of the measuring tube gradually increases from the liquid inlet to the liquid outlet; and a float assembly, which is built into the measuring tube and includes a float and a float connecting rod integrally connected thereto, wherein the end of the float connecting rod is connected to the detection part; and The metrology department includes: a position detection module, which is located above the measuring tube and in a detection cavity formed by the first shell, and obtains a float height detection signal by detecting the position of the detection portion at the end of the float connecting rod when the detection portion at the end of the float connecting rod extends into the detection cavity; and A processing module connected to the position detection module and calculating the flow rate of the crude oil under test according to the float height detection signal; A connecting rod sleeve, which is located in the detection cavity and communicated with the measuring tube; and A float stabilizing structure, which is connected to the end of the float connecting rod, and includes a column and a plurality of side edges protruding from the side surface of the column along the axial direction of the column; Wherein, when the float rises from the bottom, the float connecting rod and the float stabilizing structure extend into the connecting rod sleeve; The position detection module is a sensor array, and multiple Hall sensors are arranged into a first array along the vertical movement direction of the float connecting rod. The multiple first arrays are fixed on the outer surface of the side of the first sensor sleeve and arranged in a spiral ascending manner in the circumferential direction of the first sensor sleeve. The first sensor sleeve is internally sleeved on the connecting rod sleeve.

2. The crude oil flow metering device according to claim 1, wherein the float is a sphere, and the processing module calculates the flow rate of the measured crude oil according to formula 1-5: in, q v is the volume flow rate, α is the flow coefficient of the device, g is the gravitational acceleration, V f is the volume of the floating ball, ρ f is the density of the float material, ρ is the density of the crude oil being measured, θ is the cone angle of the measuring tube, Δh is the height of the float from its lowest point to the current measuring position, R f is the float radius.

3. The crude oil flow metering device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring tube comprises a straight tube and an inverted tapered tube movably connected thereto, and the tapered angle of the tapered tube is not greater than 20 degrees.

4. The crude oil flow metering device according to claim 1, wherein the float is a structure with a circular working cross section and symmetrical along a vertical center line, and the processing module calculates the flow rate of the measured crude oil according to formulas 1-8: in, q v is the volume flow rate, α is the flow coefficient of the device, g is the gravitational acceleration, V f is the volume of the float, ρ f is the density of the float material, ρ is the density of the crude oil being measured, θ is the cone angle of the measuring tube, Δh is the height of the float from its lowest point to the current measuring position, R f is the maximum working radius of the float.

5. The crude oil flow metering device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid inlet is located at the bottom of the measuring tube, and the liquid outlet is located at the side wall of the measuring tube.

6. The crude oil flow metering device according to claim 1, wherein when the detection portion at the end of the float connecting rod moves up and down in the detection chamber, the sensor in the sensor array outputs a float height detection signal when detecting the detection portion.

7. The crude oil flow metering device according to claim 6, wherein the detection portion at the end of the float connecting rod is a magnet.

8. The crude oil flow metering device according to claim 7, wherein the float connecting rod moves up and down in the first sensing sleeve, and each sensor corresponds to a unique detection position.

9. The crude oil flow metering device according to claim 6, wherein the sensor array is composed of a plurality of photoelectric sensors arranged on the inner surface of the side of the second sensing sleeve, and each photoelectric sensor corresponds to a unique detection position.

10. The crude oil flow metering device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the detection signal output by the sensor array includes position information and data information, and the position information is the position of the sensor that sends the data information in the sensor array.

11. The crude oil flow metering device according to claim 1, wherein the position detection module comprises an image acquisition device or a photoelectric sensor arranged in the detection cavity, and a scale for indicating the rising height of the float. 12 . The crude oil flow metering device according to claim 1 , wherein a meter head is installed on the first housing and communicated with the first housing, and the processing module is located on the meter head.

13. The crude oil flow metering device according to claim 1 or 12, wherein the processing module include: A data acquisition unit connected to the position detection module and configured to acquire a detection signal output by the position detection module according to a preset acquisition cycle to obtain detection data; A data processing unit connected to the data acquisition unit and configured to process the detection data and calculate the flow rate of the detected crude oil; as well as The output unit is connected to the data processing unit and is configured to output the flow data of the measured crude oil.

14. The crude oil flow metering device according to claim 13, wherein the output unit is a human-machine interaction interface and / or a wireless transmission module.

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