135 results about "Phase fraction" patented technology

A flow measuring system combines a density measuring device and a device for measuring the speed of sound (SOS) propagating through the fluid flow and / or for determining the gas volume fraction (GVF) of the flow. The GVF meter measures acoustic pressures propagating through the fluids to measure the speed of sound αmix propagating through the fluid to calculate at least gas volume fraction of the fluid and / or SOS. In response to the measured density and gas volume fraction, a processing unit determines the density of non-gaseous component of an aerated fluid flow. For three phase fluid flows, the processing unit can determine the phase fraction of the non-gaseous components of the fluid flow. The gas volume fraction (GVF) meter may include a sensing device having a plurality of strain-based or pressure sensors spaced axially along the pipe for measuring the acoustic pressures propagating through the flow.

In accordance with the present invention, there are provided compositions and methods useful for the in vivo delivery of substantially water insoluble pharmacologically active agents (such as the anticancer drug paclitaxel) in which the pharmacologically active agent is delivered in the form of suspended particles coated with protein (which acts as a stabilizing agent). In particular, protein and pharmacologically active agent in a biocompatible dispersing medium are subjected to high shear, in the absence of any conventional surfactants, and also in the absence of any polymeric core material for the particles. The procedure yields particles with a diameter of less than about 1 micron. The use of specific composition and preparation conditions (e.g., addition of a polar solvent to the organic phase), and careful selection of the proper organic phase and phase fraction, enables the reproducible production of unusually small nanoparticles of less than 200 nm diameter, which can be sterile-filtered. The particulate system produced according to the invention can be converted into a redispersible dry powder comprising nanoparticles of water-insoluble drug coated with a protein, and free protein to which molecules of the pharmacological agent are bound. This results in a unique delivery system, in which part of the pharmacologically active agent is readily bioavailable (in the form of molecules bound to the protein), and part of the agent is present within particles without any polymeric matrix therein.

In accordance with the present invention, there are provided compositions and methods useful for the in vivo delivery of substantially water insoluble pharmacologically active agents (such as the anticancer drug paclitaxel) in which the pharmacologically active agent is delivered in the form of suspended particles coated with protein (which acts as a stabilizing agent). In particular, protein and pharmacologically active agent in a biocompatible dispersing medium are subjected to high shear, in the absence of any conventional surfactants, and also in the absence of any polymeric core material for the particles. The procedure yields particles with a diameter of less than about 1 micron. The use of specific composition and preparation conditions (e.g., addition of a polar solvent to the organic phase), and careful selection of the proper organic phase and phase fraction, enables the reproducible production of unusually small nanoparticles of less than 200 nm diameter, which can be sterile-filtered. The particulate system produced according to the invention can be converted into a redispersible dry powder comprising nanoparticles of water-insoluble drug coated with a protein, and free protein to which molecules of the pharmacological agent are bound. This results in a unique delivery system, in which part of the pharmacologically active agent is readily bioavailable (in the form of molecules bound to the protein), and part of the agent is present within particles without any polymeric matrix therein.

Methods for determining and validating a first phase fraction of a gravitationally-separated multiphase fluid by conducting physical and electrical property measurements on samples of the fluid. The water content of crude petroleum oil is determined after the oil and water have begun to separate into phase layers such as occurs during un-agitated holding of the crude petroleum oil. A series of measurements of electrical properties such as permittivity and physical properties such as density is collected. The density minima can be used to generate hindsight determinations of average properties, such as the dry oil phase density, which in turn can be used to increase the accuracy of the water percentage in the oil determined by the permittivity and density methods. Flow weighted averages of water percentages by each method can be used to determine and validate the water content of the crude petroleum oil.

An apparatus is provided that determines a characteristic of a multiphase fluid, such as an aerated oil and water fluid, flowing within a pipe. The apparatus includes a fluid flow meter, a water cut meter, and a density meter, wherein the density meter determines the density of the fluid flow to determine the gas volume (or void) fraction of the multiphase fluid flow. The output signal of each of the meters is provided to a multiphase flow model to provide a plurality of multiphase parameters, such as phase fraction, volumetric flow, mass flow of each of the phases of the multiphase mixture, optimized for various flow conditions. Each of the meters may be secured to the outer surface of the pipe using various means, such a clamping means.

Methods and apparatus determine phase fractions for phases within a fluid mixture flow under a wide range of flow conditions including wet-gas flow. Appropriate flow algorithms can utilize this phase fraction information with a total flow rate of the mixture to find individual flow rates for phases, such as oil, water, and gas or gas and liquid, which can represent a combination of oil and water phases. For some embodiments, a multiphase flowmeter includes an array of spatially distributed pressure sensors configured to determine a velocity of the mixture flow and hence the total flow rate, which is applied with information from a differential pressure meter to calculate the bulk density of the fluid mixture. Further, additional speed of sound information or a water-in-liquid ratio as may be determined by spectral analysis can enable differentiation between the oil and water phases.

Method and apparatus enable direct measurement of at least one flow velocity for one or more phases within a multiphase fluid mixture flowing in a conduit. Some embodiments provide determination of actual individual phase flow rates for three phases (e.g., oil, water and gas) that are distinct from one another within the fluid mixture. A multiphase flowmeter according to embodiments of the invention includes at least two optical sensors spatially distributed along a length of the conduit and designed to detect light interactions with the fluid mixture unique to the phases such that detected time-varying signals can be processed via cross-correlation or an array processing algorithm to provide desired individual phase flow velocity for oil, water and / or gas phases. This flow velocity can be applied to phase fraction measurements, which can be obtained utilizing the same flowmeter or another separate device, to calculate the flow rates for the phases.