Torque Isolation Tube Flow Sensor for Downhole Measurement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow measurement technologies, such as turbine flow meters, face challenges in accurately measuring fluid flow in downhole environments due to size limitations, bearing friction, and contamination, which hinder their reliability and accuracy, especially when used in multi-probe designs for phase flow profiling in oil or gas wells.
Innovation Solution
A torque-based flow sensor system that uses a torque isolation tube to transmit torque from a high-pressure well bore environment to an atmospheric pressure instrument environment, eliminating the need for moving parts and utilizing a sensitive torque sensor for measurement, allowing for miniaturization and resistance to vibration and shock.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a turbine flow meter is used for downhole fluid flow measurement, then flow measurement capability is provided, but the device size becomes too large for multi-probe application and moving parts cause bearing friction and contamination issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the moving impeller from the high-pressure downhole environment and places it in a separate low-pressure chamber. Only the static impeller remains in the high-pressure environment, eliminating the need for moving parts in the downhole section while maintaining flow measurement capability through torque transmission to the external impeller.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow meter is divided into two separate chambers: a high-pressure chamber containing the static impeller exposed to downhole fluid, and a low-pressure chamber containing the rotating impeller connected to the measurement mechanism. This segmentation allows the device to be miniaturized for multi-probe application while maintaining reliable measurement.
2Volume of moving object
If the impeller diameter is reduced for multi-probe application, then device miniaturization is achieved, but the available torque to spin the impeller is reduced by both the moment arm radius and effective area
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible membrane acts as an intermediary between the static impeller in the high-pressure chamber and the rotating impeller in the low-pressure chamber. This membrane transmits torque from the smaller static impeller to the rotating impeller, enabling the system to maintain sufficient torque for accurate measurement while using a miniaturized impeller design suitable for multi-probe application.
3Strength
If bearing friction is present in the turbine flow meter, then the turbine can support the impeller structure, but bearing friction limits low flow measurements and bearing wear causes failure to spin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the bearing and all moving parts from the high-pressure downhole environment. The static impeller is supported by a rigid structure without bearings, eliminating bearing friction that would limit low flow measurements. The static impeller transmits torque through a flexible membrane to an external rotating impeller, which can be supported by bearings in the low-pressure external environment.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the turbine flow meter is exposed to contaminated fluid media, then downhole measurement is enabled, but fluid contamination causes bearing wear and failure to spin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the rotating impeller and bearing components from the contaminated downhole fluid environment and places them in a separate low-pressure chamber that can be isolated from direct fluid contamination. The static impeller remains in the high-pressure environment but has no moving parts to wear. This separation protects the sensitive moving components from fluid contamination while maintaining downhole measurement capability.
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 and reliable fluid flow measurements in high-pressure, corrosive, and dynamic environments while avoiding the limitations of traditional turbine flow meters, such as bearing friction and contamination, by using a torque isolation tube and sensitive torque sensor combination.
Implementation Method 1
The torque isolation tube allows the torque force to pass from a high pressure environment to an ambient pressure without any seals so that it accurately appears within the instrument housing for measurement
Implementation Method 2
This invention measures fluid flow by passing the fluid through an impeller and measuring the torque resulting from the flow
Data Source
AI summary
A flow sensor with h no moving parts and which is suitable for miniaturization into a probe for fluid measurements in remote, hostile environments. It comprises an isolation torque tube to isolate a high pressure media from an instrument environment. and a highly sensitive disc torque sensor to measure the values of torque generated by flow across a static impeller. A proportionalized electric property signal is transmitted to a value reading station.