Inlet Divider for Multiphase Fluid Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems for monitoring multiphase flow rates and phase fractions in the oil and gas industries are limited in accuracy and operating envelope due to non-uniformity of multiphase production fluids within pipeline cross-sections.
Innovation Solution
A system that diverts multiphase production fluid from a vertically oriented set of analyzing apertures within the pipeline, using an inlet divider with analyzing and production apertures, a fluidic separation chamber, a pressure control valve, and a fluidic control unit to separate and analyze the fluid phases accurately.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional monitoring systems are used to measure multiphase flow rates and phase fractions, then the system structure is simple, but the measurement precision is limited due to non-uniformity of multiphase production fluids within pipeline cross-sections
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet divider divides the single pipeline flow into multiple separate flow paths, each passing through individual analyzing apertures at different vertical positions. This segmentation allows independent measurement of fluid properties at each level, capturing the non-uniform vertical profile and enabling more accurate overall composition determination through weighted averaging of the segmented measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements local quality by positioning analyzing apertures at different vertical locations within the pipeline cross-section to sample fluid with different local properties. Each aperture measures the specific composition at its local position, and these local measurements are combined to represent the overall non-uniform flow, thereby improving measurement precision accounting for vertical non-uniformity.
2Measurement precision
If a single aperture is used to sample multiphase fluid, then the device complexity is low, but the representative profile of the multiphase fluid cannot be obtained due to non-uniform distribution within the pipeline cross-section
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet divider segments the single sampling point into multiple analyzing apertures distributed vertically within the pipeline. Each aperture provides a local sample, and the combination of these segmented samples creates a comprehensive representative profile of the non-uniform multiphase flow, resolving the limitation of single-point sampling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from single-point (0D) or single-line (1D) sampling to multi-point spatial sampling across the vertical dimension of the pipeline cross-section. By distributing apertures along the vertical axis, the system captures spatial variations in fluid composition, enabling construction of a representative three-dimensional profile from two-dimensional cross-sectional sampling.
3Measurement precision
If multiphase fluid is sampled from a single location in the pipeline, then the system is simple to operate, but the accuracy of phase fraction measurement is limited due to non-uniform fluid distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges measurements from multiple analyzing apertures located at different vertical positions into a single integrated phase fraction determination. By combining the data from all apertures with appropriate weighting factors, the system achieves accurate overall phase fraction measurement that accounts for vertical non-uniformity, while the fluidic control unit automates the merging process to maintain ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluidic control unit implements feedback control by continuously monitoring measurements from all analyzing apertures and automatically adjusting the weighting factors and calculation algorithms to optimize phase fraction determination. This feedback mechanism ensures accurate measurement despite variations in flow conditions, maintaining both precision and operational simplicity.
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
The system effectively captures a representative profile of the multiphase fluid, enabling accurate analysis and separation of gas, oil, and water phases, thereby improving the accuracy of multiphase flow monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
The fluidic separation chamber is configured to separate the analysis portion of the multiphase production fluid into a gas phase, an oil phase, and a water phase
Data Source
AI summary
A system for analyzing a multiphase production fluid, the system including a pipeline, an inlet divider having a set of analyzing apertures with densitometers and a set of production apertures, a fluidic separation chamber with flowmeters, a pressure control valve, and a fluidic control unit. Each analyzing aperture of the set of analyzing apertures disposed on a vertically-oriented axis of the inlet divider. The pipeline is configured to supply the multiphase production fluid to the inlet divider. The inlet divider is configured to provide an analysis portion of the multiphase production fluid to the set of analyzing apertures. The inlet divider is configured to provide a production portion of the multiphase production fluid to the set of production apertures. The set of analyzing apertures is configured to provide the analysis portion to the fluidic separation chamber.