Multiphase Flow Sensor Gain Drift Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multiphase flow measurement technologies face challenges in accurately determining the properties of gas, oil, and water phases in multiphase flows due to varying flow regimes and environmental factors like high pressure and temperature, which affect signal quality and accuracy in oilfield environments.
Innovation Solution
A sensor system using electromagnetic methods, specifically combining signals from multiple transmitters and receivers with different spacings to isolate the effects of gain drifts and other environmental factors, allowing for accurate measurement of permittivity and conductivity of multiphase fluids, independent of antenna gain values, and enabling determination of water conductivity and salinity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If electromagnetic sensors are used to measure multiphase flow properties, then measurement sensitivity to water phase is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to gain drifts and environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using multiple receivers to continuously monitor electromagnetic signals and comparing their outputs. The system uses the signals from multiple receivers at different positions to detect and compensate for gain drifts and environmental variations, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy over time while preserving high sensitivity to water phase detection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spatial parameter by positioning receivers at different distances from the transmitter (different spacings). This parameter change allows the system to measure both near-field and far-field signals, enabling differentiation between signal components affected by gain drifts versus those containing actual flow property information, thus resolving the contradiction between sensitivity and accuracy
2Reliability
If multiple receivers at different spacings are used, then compensation for gain drifts is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the measurement function by dividing the sensing task across multiple receivers positioned at different spacings from the transmitter. Each receiver segment captures specific signal characteristics, and the combined information from these segments enables gain drift compensation. This segmentation approach achieves improved stability while keeping each individual receiver component relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the receiver array multi-functional by designing it to simultaneously perform multiple tasks: detecting water phase presence, measuring flow properties, and compensating for gain drifts and environmental factors. This universal design allows the same hardware configuration to achieve multiple objectives, reducing overall system complexity compared to having separate systems for each function
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 provides more accurate and stable measurements of multiphase flow properties over time, even in harsh environments, by compensating for signal drifts and other influencing factors, ensuring reliable water fraction and salinity determination for flow assurance and hydrate/corrosion management in subsea operations.
Implementation Method 1
A sensor system using electromagnetic methods, specifically combining signals from multiple transmitters and receivers with different spacings to isolate the effects of gain drifts and other environmental factors, allowing for accurate measurement of permittivity and conductivity of multiphase fluids
Data Source
AI summary
Properties of a multiphase mixture flow are measured in a blind-tee. The measured properties include the permittivity and/or the conductivity of the multiphase mixture flowing through a conduit. The permittivity and/or conductivity are measured at liquid-rich region(s) in a blind-tee section of the conduit and are used to determine properties of a liquid phase of the multiphase fluid flow, including one of the water conductivity, water in liquid ratio and water volume fraction. One or more electromagnetic sensors may be used in the blind-tee to measure the permittivity and/or conductivity. The sensors may be in contact with the multiphase flow or be disposed behind a dielectric window.