Cone-Shaped Cell and Piston for High-Pressure Liquid Volume Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for determining the volume of hydrocarbon fluids in subterranean formations face challenges with accuracy due to high pressure requirements, leading to large dead volumes and poor precision, especially when measuring small volumes of liquid.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a cone-shaped cell with markings on its peripheral surface and a slidable piston that seals the cell gas-tightly, allowing for precise measurement of small liquid volumes through visual monitoring and pressure decrement, eliminating dead volumes by locating the monitoring system outside the chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high pressure is applied to ensure accurate measurement of hydrocarbon fluid, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and dead volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two independent parts: a high-pressure cell for containing the hydrocarbon fluid at high pressure, and a separate monitoring system for visual observation. This segmentation allows the high-pressure cell to be optimized for pressure containment while the monitoring system can be designed with minimal dead volume, resolving the contradiction between requiring high pressure for accurate measurement and avoiding dead volume that would compromise measurement precision.
2Reliability
If sealants are used to ensure air-tightness between chamber and monitoring means, then reliability is improved, but dead volume increases and measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system is extracted from the high-pressure cell, eliminating the need for sealants between the chamber and monitoring means. The monitoring system is positioned outside the high-pressure cell, connected through a window or transparent barrier that allows visual observation without requiring sealants that would create dead volumes. This extraction maintains reliability through the robust sealing of the high-pressure cell while eliminating the dead volume problem associated with sealants in the monitoring path.
3Reliability
If large piston is used to accommodate high pressure, then reliability is improved, but chamber volume increases and measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the high-pressure containment function from the measurement function. The high-pressure cell can have a large piston area for reliable pressure containment, while the measurement is performed in a separate, smaller volume chamber or through a window system that does not require large volumes. This allows the piston to be large for pressure reliability while the measurement chamber maintains small volume for high measurement precision.
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 small liquid volumes with high precision, accommodating pressures up to 1500 bar and temperatures from 15 to 200°C, effectively addressing the limitations of existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
a piston (2) slidable in the cell and sealing the cell in a gas-tight manner
Implementation Method 2
a lower part (4) defined by a closed extremity which is in the shape of a cone and forms a chamber (12) configured to receive the liquid
Implementation Method 3
The presence of markings (14) on the peripheral surface (13) of the cone-shaped closed extremity facilitates the measurement of the volume of liquid in the chamber (12)
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for determining a volume of liquid in a hydrocarbon fluid sample, the device including: a cell (1) comprising an upper part (3) defined by a tubular sidewall (5) and a lower part (4) defined by a closed extremity, the lower part having a conical shape and forming a chamber (12) configured to receive the liquid; and a piston (2) comprising an upper part (15) and a lower part (16), the piston being slidable in the cell and sealing the cell in a gas-tight manner. The invention also relates to a method for determining a volume of liquid in a hydrocarbon fluid sample.