Revolving ultrasound field multiphase flowmeter

Abstract

The present invention includes a device and method for determining the flow of one or more phases of a multiphase fluid mixture comprising: a tube, a pipe, a main body or any combinations thereof comprising an interior and an exterior, wherein the interior receives a multiphase fluid mixture for the determination of the fractions in the multiphase; a first ultrasound field detector ring comprising: two or more pairs of transversal paired dual frequency ultrasound transmitter/receivers are on the same normal plane and are positioned in a transversal direction to a flow of the multiphase fluid mixture on the exterior of the tube, pipe, or main body, wherein the sampled volume covers a part of or the whole cross-section of the flow volume; and a computer connected to the ultrasound transmitter/receivers that determines the one or more phases of a multiphase fluid mixture.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for determining the flow of one or more phases of a multiphase fluid mixture comprising:
 a tube, a pipe, a main body or any combinations thereof comprising an interior and an exterior, wherein the interior receives a multiphase fluid mixture for the determination of the fractions in the multiphase;   a first ultrasound field detector ring comprising: two or more pairs of transversal paired frequency ultrasound transmitter/receivers are on the same plane and are positioned in a transversal direction to a flow of the multiphase fluid mixture on the tube, pipe, or main body, wherein the sampled volume covers a part of or the whole cross-section of the flow volume; and   a computer connected to the ultrasound transmitter/receivers that determines the one or more phases of a multiphase fluid mixture.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises at least one of:
 one or more ultrasound field detector rings, each of the one or more ultrasound field detectors positioned in a transversal direction to a flow of the multiphase fluid mixture;   one or more ultrasound field detector rings adjacent to the first ultrasound field detector ring are placed on one or more parallel planes; or   a pressure sensor to sense a fluid pressure of the multiphase fluid mixture, a temperature sensor to sense a fluid temperature of the multiphase fluid mixture, a flow meter for a real-time determination of the multiphase fluid mixture, and a computer to determine a gas fraction, a water fraction, and a non-water fluid fraction of the multiphase fluid mixture, based on the sensed fluid pressure, the sensed fluid temperature, and at least one characteristic of the detected ultrasonic wave in the multiphase fluid.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transmitter/receivers are in contact with the multiphase fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transmitter/receivers are capable of at least one of: scanning at the same time, scanning in series, scanning in parallel, scanning in pulses, or scanning with one pair acting as a transmitter and the second pair acting as a receiver. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a Gas-Volumetric-Fraction (GVF) is estimated using at least one of:
 a moving average of an amplitude of all signal(s) received by the ultrasound transmitter/receivers in a scan configuration after ultrasound propagation through the multiphase fluid mixture; or   a GVF is estimated using at least one characteristic of one or more of a signal(s) received for a scan configuration after propagation through the mixture at the ultrasound transmitter/receivers.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transmitter/receivers are capable of detecting at least one of:
 one or more ultrasonic flashes that are transient in time and have at least one of a larger amplitude or a different frequency spectra from that transmitted;   one or more ultrasonic flashes that are transient in time and have at least one or a larger amplitude or different frequency spectra from that transmitted, wherein the ultrasound flashes are calculated using a Fourier transform of the signal (spectral analysis);   one or more ultrasonic flashes, wherein the detection threshold for flashes can be constant or can be a function of the moving average of the gas-volumetric-fraction of the mixture and the total flow rate; or   one or more ultrasonic flashes, ultrasonic flashes can then be used to determine the percentages of liquid phases in the mixture based on the arrival time of the ultrasonic flashes.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transmitter/receivers are paired dual frequency (high and low) or multi frequency ultrasound transmitters/receivers. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transmitter/receivers sample in the same direction and are positioned at a known distance and are used to determine flow velocity using signal cross-correlation. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is defined further as comprising at least one of:
 a Venturi tube and the computer calculates a total mass flow using the Venturi tube with real-time correction for mixture density provided by the GVF and a water cut measured by the meter;   a positive displacement flowmeter and the computer calculates a total mass flow using the positive displacement flowmeter with real-time correction for mixture density provided by the GVF and a water cut measured by the meter, to measure the total mass flow.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the multiphase fluid mixture may comprise a gas phase; two or more liquids, wherein at least one of the liquid is a non-water liquid; or a gas and two liquids, wherein at least one of the liquid is a non-water liquid. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the determination of the fractions of the multiphase fluid mixture is based on a detection of at least one characteristic of the detected ultrasonic wave in the multiphase fluid mixture. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is capable of measuring at least one of a high, medium, or a low gas volumetric fraction (GVF) in the multiphase fluid mixture. 
     
     
         13 . A method for determining the flow of one or more phases of a multiphase fluid mixture comprising:
 positioning about a tube, a pipe, a main body or any combinations thereof comprising an interior and an exterior, a first ultrasound field detector ring comprising:   two or more pairs of transversal paired frequency ultrasound transmitter/receivers that are on the same plane and are positioned in a transversal direction to a flow of the multiphase fluid mixture, wherein the sampled volume covers a part of or the entire cross-section of the interior of the tube, pipe, main body or any combinations thereof; wherein the transmitter/receivers are connected to a computer connected to the ultrasound transmitter/receivers; and   calculating the one or more phases of a multiphase fluid mixture by measuring the ultrasound signal.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the device further comprises one or more ultrasound field detector rings, each of the one or more ultrasound field detectors positioned in a transversal direction to a flow of the multiphase fluid mixture. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the device further comprises at least one of:
 one or more ultrasound field detector rings adjacent to the first revolving ultrasound field detector ring are placed on one or more parallel planes; or   a pressure sensor to sense a fluid pressure of the multiphase fluid mixture, a temperature sensor to sense a fluid temperature of the multiphase fluid mixture, a flow meter for a real-time determination of the multiphase fluid mixture, and a computer to determine a gas fraction, a water fraction, and a non-water fluid fraction of the multiphase fluid mixture, based on the sensed fluid pressure, the sensed fluid temperature, and at least one characteristic of the detected ultrasonic wave in the multiphase fluid.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the ultrasound transmitter/receivers are in contact with the multiphase fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the ultrasound transmitter/receivers are capable of at least one of: scanning at the same time, scanning in series, scanning in parallel, scanning in pulses, or scanning with one pair acting as a transmitter and the second pair acting as a receiver. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of estimating a Gas-Volumetric-Fraction (GVF) using the moving average of an amplitude of all signal(s) received by the ultrasound transmitter/receivers in a scan configuration after ultrasound propagation through the multiphase fluid mixture; or estimating a GVF using at least one characteristic of one or more of a signal(s) received for a scan configuration after propagation through the mixture at the ultrasound transmitter/receivers. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of detecting at least one of:
 one or more ultrasonic flashes that are transient in time and have at least one of a larger amplitude or different frequency spectra from that transmitted;   one or more ultrasonic flashes that are transient in time and have at least one of larger amplitude and different frequency spectra from that transmitted, wherein the ultrasound flashes are calculated using a Fourier transform of the signal (spectral analysis);   one or more ultrasonic flashes, wherein the detection threshold for flashes can be constant or can be a function of the moving average of the gas-volumetric-fraction of the mixture and the total flow rate; or   one or more ultrasonic flashes, ultrasonic flashes can then be used to determine the percentages of the liquid phases in the mixture based on the arrival time of the ultrasonic flashes.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of pairing dual frequency (high and low) ultrasound transmitters/receivers. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of calculating total mass flow using a Venturi tube with real-time correction for mixture density provided by the GVF and a water cut measured by the meter; or calculating total mass flow using a positive displacement flowmeter with real-time correction for mixture density provided by the GVF and a water cut measured by the meter. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the multiphase fluid mixture may comprise a gas phase; two or more liquids, wherein at least one of the liquid is a non-water liquid; or a gas and two liquids, wherein at least one of the liquid is a non-water liquid. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of determining the fractions of the multiphase fluid mixture is based on a detection of at least one characteristic of the detected ultrasonic wave in the multiphase fluid mixture. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of measuring a high medium or low gas volumetric fraction (GVF) in the multiphase fluid mixture.