Capacitance Water Cut Measurement Using Sample Segmentation and Drying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for measuring water content in hydrocarbons above the water saturation level are inaccurate due to the assumption of homogeneous water concentration, which is invalid beyond saturation levels.

Innovation Solution

A method involving splitting a liquid hydrocarbon sample into a first portion and a remainder, drying the first portion to remove water, and then mixing it with the remainder to bring the water concentration below saturation, allowing for accurate water content measurement using capacitance-based techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If capacitance-based measurement techniques are used directly on hydrocarbons above water saturation level, then the measurement process is simple, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to invalid homogeneous water concentration assumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement process simplicityVSAvoidwater content measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The measurement system is segmented into two functional parts: a drying chamber that removes excess water from hydrocarbon samples, and a measurement chamber that performs capacitance-based water content measurement. This segmentation allows the measurement to be performed on dried samples where homogeneous water concentration assumption is valid, thereby maintaining measurement precision while preserving operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drying chamber performs preliminary water removal action on hydrocarbon samples before they enter the measurement chamber. By pre-drying the samples to bring water concentration below saturation level, the system ensures that subsequent capacitance measurements are performed under valid conditions, resolving the precision issue without complicating the overall process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If hydrocarbons are dried to remove water before measurement, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases due to additional drying equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater content measurement accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drying chamber and measurement chamber are merged into a single integrated device with unified housing and control system. The chambers are positioned adjacent to each other with direct fluid coupling, allowing samples to flow sequentially through both functions without requiring separate external equipment, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated device performs multiple functions within a single unit: water removal in the drying chamber and water content measurement in the measurement chamber. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate standalone drying equipment and measurement instruments, reducing device complexity while ensuring precise measurements through proper sample preparation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables accurate measurement of water cut in hydrocarbons across the entire range of water concentrations, from 0% to 100%, including levels above water saturation, thereby improving the efficiency and accuracy of hydrocarbon processing.

Implementation Method 1

The first portion is dried to remove liquid water in the first portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDrying: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

a water content in the liquid hydrocarbon sample is determined

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP4168797B1Measuring water content of petroleum fluids using dried petroleum fluid solvent

Publication Date: 2025.02.19 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

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AI summary

To measure water content of liquid hydrocarbon using dried liquid hydrocarbon solvent, a liquid hydrocarbon sample is received from a flowline carrying the liquid hydrocarbon. The liquid hydrocarbon sample includes liquid hydrocarbon and liquid water at a concentration greater than a water saturation level. The liquid hydrocarbon sample is split into a first portion and a remainder portion. The first portion is dried to remove liquid water in the first portion. The remainder portion is mixed with the dried first portion causing the concentration of liquid water in a mixture of the remainder portion and the dried first portion to be below the water saturation level. After mixing the remainder portion with the dried first portion, a water content in the liquid hydrocarbon sample is determined.