Underwater Flowmeter Ray Windows With Titanium-Beryllium Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow metering equipment for offshore petroleum engineering faces challenges with ceramic materials due to poor ductility, difficulty in processing, and high gamma ray absorption, leading to inaccurate measurement of three-phase flows and short service life.
Innovation Solution
A ray transceiving system using a combination of titanium alloy and beryllium pads to reduce gamma ray absorption and improve compressive strength, combined with a deduction metering method to correct for Compton scattering effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If ceramic materials are used to seal the fluid metering channel, then gamma ray absorption is reduced, but the material has poor ductility, is difficult to process, and has low reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite sealing structure combining titanium alloy and PEEK material. The titanium alloy provides mechanical strength and reliability, while the PEEK layer maintains low gamma ray absorption. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating materials with complementary properties.
2Strength
If steel is used as sealing material, then compressive strength is high, but gamma ray absorption is excessive making measurement impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure with titanium alloy (providing strength similar to steel but with lower density) and PEEK material (providing low gamma ray absorption). This combination achieves both high compressive strength and low gamma ray absorption, resolving the contradiction between strength and measurement capability.
3Strength
If titanium alloy thickness is increased to ensure strength, then compressive strength is sufficient, but gamma ray absorption increases causing measurement distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite sealing structure where the PEEK material layer provides low gamma ray absorption, allowing thinner titanium alloy thickness while maintaining sufficient compressive strength. This resolves the contradiction by enabling reduced titanium alloy thickness without compromising strength, thereby minimizing Compton scattering effects and improving measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different materials to different parts of the sealing structure: titanium alloy in regions requiring mechanical strength and PEEK in regions where low gamma ray absorption is critical. This local differentiation optimizes both strength and measurement accuracy.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If ceramic materials are used, then gamma ray transmission is good, but the material is easy to break and has short service life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines titanium alloy (providing mechanical strength, ductility, and long service life) with PEEK material (providing low gamma ray absorption). This composite structure resolves the contradiction by replacing the fragile ceramic material with a durable titanium alloy-PEEK composite that maintains both longevity and radiation transmission properties.
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
Enhances measurement accuracy by reducing gamma ray absorption and correcting for scattering effects, ensuring reliable operation and improved reliability of flow metering.
Implementation Method 1
A first beryllium pad is arranged between the collimator and the first isolation seat... the beryllium pad is used to reduce absorption of gamma rays
Implementation Method 2
titanium alloy has a density much lower than ordinary steel, making it an alternative. However, when the thickness of the titanium alloy material is excessively large, it will still largely absorb gamma rays
Implementation Method 3
Compared with ordinary ceramic windows or PEEK windows, titanium alloy forms an obvious Compton effect on the ray spectrum... The high-energy gamma ray γh is partially reduced to the energy level γl after the Compton scattering of the titanium alloy
Data Source
AI summary
A ray transceiving system of an underwater flowmeter includes a flowmeter body. A fluid metering channel, a transmitting window, and a probing window are arranged on the flowmeter body. The transmitting window and the probing window are respectively in communication with the fluid metering channel, and each of the transmitting window and the probing window is provided with a titanium alloy isolation seat and a beryllium pad. Titanium alloy is used to seal the fluid metering channel, the titanium alloy and the beryllium pad are combined to bear pressure, and the beryllium pad is used to reduce absorption of gamma rays. A deduction metering method of the underwater flowmeter partially deducts the gamma count rate distortion caused by the Compton scattering effect, and calculates the content of each phase in a three-phase mixed flow to improve the metering accuracy of the three-phase content of oil, gas, and water.