Patent ID: 7908930
Filing Date: 2011-03-22
Classification: G01F,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for measuring flow properties of phases in a multiphase mixture flowing in a conduit configured to transport liquid hydrocarbons at a location in the conduit, comprising: flowing the multiphase mixture through a venturi, wherein the venturi comprises a constricting inlet, a throat section and a diverging outlet, and wherein a first internal diameter of the conduit is larger than a second internal diameter of the throat section, and measuring attenuation and phase shift of microwaves transmitted through the multiphase mixture in the throat section, wherein: the microwaves are transmitted by a transmitting antenna and are received by a receiving antenna: and the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna are coupled with the venturi; measuring a count rate of radiation detected by a radiation detector configured to detect radiation emitted from a radiation source, wherein: the radiation detector and the radiation emitter are configured to provide that the radiation detector detects radiation emitted from the radiation emitter and that passes through the multiphase mixture in the throat section; and the radiation source and the radiation detector are coupled with the venturi; processing the count rate to determine a density of the multiphase mixture; determining a mixture flow rate for the multiphase mixture; and processing the attenuation, phase shift, the density and the mixture flow rate to determine the flow properties of the multiphase mixture.