Hydrostatic Pressure Testing Solar Irradiance Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydrostatic pressure testing methods fail to accurately account for the impact of solar irradiance, leading to misleading leak rate measurements due to pressure changes caused by solar radiation, which can disguise actual leak rates in pressurized systems used in the oil and gas industry.
Innovation Solution
A hydrostatic pressure testing system equipped with solar irradiance sensors, such as pyranometers and pyrheliometers, that use regression and sinusoidal models to predict pressure changes caused by solar irradiance, allowing for real-time monitoring and correction of pressure measurements, thereby isolating the effect of solar radiation on pressure behavior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If solar irradiance is not accounted for in pressure testing, then the testing process is simple and quick, but the leak rate measurements become inaccurate and misleading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces solar irradiance sensors as an intermediary measurement device that captures solar radiation data. This mediator allows the system to distinguish between pressure changes caused by solar heating and actual leaks, thereby improving measurement accuracy without fundamentally altering the pressure testing mechanism itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring solar irradiance levels and using this information to adjust or interpret pressure measurements in real-time. The controller processes irradiance data alongside pressure data to compensate for solar-induced pressure variations, enabling accurate leak detection even under varying solar conditions.
2Productivity
If solar irradiance effects are ignored, then the testing procedure remains simple, but testing time is wasted while artificial pressure increases subside
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement by capturing solar irradiance data before and during the pressure testing process. This advance knowledge of solar radiation patterns allows the system to predict and compensate for artificial pressure increases, enabling faster identification of true leaks and reducing unnecessary waiting time for pressure stabilization.
Solution Approach 2:
Real-time feedback from solar irradiance sensors allows the controller to dynamically adjust testing interpretation. When solar irradiance is detected, the system automatically accounts for the resulting pressure changes, preventing false conclusions and eliminating the need to wait for artificial pressure increases to subside before making leak rate determinations.
3Reliability
If solar irradiance is measured and accounted for, then data integrity improves, but the measurement and control system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it manages pressure testing operations, processes solar irradiance sensor data, calculates compensated pressure values, and determines leak rates. By making the controller multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated processing hardware, thereby improving data integrity while minimizing the increase in overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the solar irradiance measurement function with the existing pressure testing control system. Rather than creating entirely separate measurement and control subsystems, the irradiance sensors are integrated into the control architecture, allowing unified data processing and decision-making in a single coordinated system.
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
This approach enables more accurate and reliable hydrostatic pressure testing by distinguishing between solar-induced pressure changes and actual leaks, reducing testing time and improving data integrity for regulatory compliance.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of irradiance sensors configured to measure solar irradiance on the installation
Implementation Method 2
Solar radiation can be related to the heat within the system, and heat has a known relationship with pressure
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a hydrostatic pressure testing system that can account to solar irradiance, comprising a controller configured to control the hydrostatic pressure testing system during hydrostatic pressure testing on an installation, a test fluid assembly configured to transfer a test fluid to the installation, a plurality of pumps configured to pressurize the installation to a first pressure level using the test fluid, a plurality of pressure sensors configured to measure pressure of the test fluid in the installation, and a plurality of irradiance sensors configured to measure solar irradiance on the installation.