Torque-Based Sensor for Gas-Liquid Fraction Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbomachinery operating conditions are difficult to control under dynamic conditions with varying gas-liquid fractions, leading to significant changes in shaft torque, which existing technologies struggle to quantify and counteract effectively.
Innovation Solution
A torque-based sensor and control system that measures shaft torque and fluid temperatures to determine mass flow changes and gas-volume-fraction variations, allowing for real-time adjustment of rotational speed or torque to maintain desired operating conditions in rotating flow machines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional control techniques (venture nozzles, dual-energy fraction meters) are used to measure and control turbomachine operating conditions, then some fluid composition information can be obtained, but the system complexity increases and external calibration devices are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the necessary measurement information (shaft torque) that directly correlates with gas-volume fraction impact on turbomachine performance, eliminating the need for complex external measurement devices and calibration systems
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft torque measurement serves multiple functions: it directly indicates gas-volume fraction effects, provides control feedback, and eliminates the need for separate calibration devices, making the system universally applicable to various turbomachine configurations
2Measurement precision
If direct measurements of multi-species fluids are attempted under dynamic conditions, then accurate fluid composition data could be obtained, but the measurement difficulty and technical complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses shaft torque as an intermediary parameter that indirectly but accurately reflects gas-volume fraction effects on fluid composition, avoiding the difficulty of direct multi-species fluid measurement while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the measurement parameter from direct fluid composition analysis to shaft torque measurement, which naturally varies with gas-volume fraction and provides accurate indirect measurement without complex detection techniques
3Measurement precision
If external multiphase flow meters with calibration are used, then fluid fraction information can be obtained, but the system requires external devices and calibration procedures that reduce operational simplicity
Solution Approach 1:
The turbomachine's own shaft torque measurement is used to determine gas-volume fraction effects, making the system self-sufficient without external calibration devices or additional measurement equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The invention removes the requirement for external multiphase flow meters and calibration systems by extracting the necessary information from the shaft torque measurement that is already inherent to the turbomachine operation
Data Source
AI summary
A torque-based sensor and control method (10) for detecting varying gas-liquid fractions of a fluid entering a turbomachine (12) that operates a fluid of varying liquid phases and compositions and using information about the actual gas-liquid fraction to set a control algorithm (54) so that it can change the torque and therefore the rotation speed of the turbomachine (12) to operate at safer conditions or conditions with higher efficiency or higher power output.