Patent ID: 6941254
Filing Date: 2005-09-06
Classification: G05B

Abstract:
1. A method of real-time estimation of a flow mode, at all points of a pipe whose structure can be defined by structural parameters, of a multiphase fluid stream defined by physical quantities and comprising at least a liquid phase and at least a gas phase, the method comprising: forming a non-linear neural network with an input layer having as many inputs as there are structural parameters and physical quantities, an output layer with as many outputs as there are quantities necessary for estimation of the flow mode and at least one intermediate layer; creating a learning base with predetermined tables connecting values obtained for the output data to corresponding values of the input data; determining by iterations weighting factors of activation function allowing connection of the values in input and output data table, determining at least a velocity difference between gas and liquid and a stratified flow fraction with the neural network defined by the weighting factor; and estimating the flow mode from at least the velocity difference and the stratified flow fraction.