Vibratable Flow Tube Frequency Sensors for Subterranean Analyte Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current subterranean formation operation technologies lack effective methods for real-time detection of deleterious analytes such as mercury and hydrogen sulfide in hydrocarbon fluids, which can cause equipment failures and safety concerns, and existing sensors are not adequately equipped to monitor these substances throughout the entire hydrocarbon fluid lifecycle.
Innovation Solution
The development of frequency sensors that utilize a vibratable flow tube functionalized with reactants sensitive to specific analytes, allowing for real-time detection of frequency shifts corresponding to analyte presence, enabling the monitoring of analytes like mercury and hydrogen sulfide in subterranean formation fluids during drilling, completion, and processing stages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional sensors are used for detecting analytes in subterranean formation operations, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and reliability for detecting deleterious analytes like mercury and hydrogen sulfide are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a vibratable flow tube that resonates at a specific frequency. When analytes such as mercury or hydrogen sulfide are present, they accumulate on the flow tube surface, changing its mass and thus its resonant frequency. This mechanical vibration-based detection method provides high measurement precision for deleterious analytes while maintaining a relatively simple sensor structure consisting of the flow tube, vibration source, and frequency detector.
2Reliability
If real-time detection of deleterious analytes is implemented throughout the hydrocarbon fluid lifecycle, then the reliability and safety are improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The frequency sensor with a vibratable flow tube is designed as a universal detection device that can identify multiple deleterious analytes (mercury, hydrogen sulfide, and other corrosive materials) using the same fundamental mechanism. The flow tube can be functionalized with different reactants to detect various analytes, allowing a single sensor design to serve multiple detection purposes throughout the hydrocarbon fluid lifecycle from wellbore to processing stages, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing system complexity.
3Measurement precision
If functionalized reactants are applied to the flow tube for specific analyte detection, then the measurement precision for specific analytes is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flow tube is functionalized with specific reactants only in the regions where analyte detection is required, rather than uniformly throughout. This local functionalization approach allows the sensor to maintain high selectivity and sensitivity for target analytes like mercury or hydrogen sulfide while simplifying the manufacturing process. The functionalized sections can be applied selectively during assembly, reducing the overall manufacturing complexity compared to requiring complete uniform functionalization of the entire flow tube surface.
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 timely detection of deleterious analytes, preventing equipment failures and ensuring safety by providing continuous monitoring of analytes throughout the hydrocarbon fluid's lifecycle, from wellbore to processing stages, thereby reducing operational risks and costs.
Implementation Method 1
When vibrated at resonance, the resonant frequency of the tube portion is indicative of the accumulation of matter and thereby the presence of the agent to which the substance is selective
Implementation Method 2
The frequency shift can respond, for example, to the change in mass, or density, of a particular reactant once it has reacted with the analyte
Implementation Method 3
a substance selective to a chemical or biological agent so that matter accumulates within the freestanding tube portion when a fluid drawn through the tube portion contains the agent
Implementation Method 4
the interior 104 of the flow tube 102 is functionalized with a reactant 112 sensitive to an analyte of interest in a fluid
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to vibration frequency sensors comprising a vibratable flow tube having an interior for receiving a fluid, a vibration detector coupled to the flow tube for detecting a frequency of the fluid received by the flow tube during vibration thereof; and measurement circuitry coupled to the vibration detector for determining a frequency shift over time of the detected frequency. At least a portion of a surface of the interior of the flow tube is functionalized with a reactant sensitive to the analyte, and the frequency shift corresponds to the presence of the analyte, the analyte having reacted with the reactant.