Patent ID: 6422092
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: G01F

Abstract:
A multiple-phase flow meter for measuring a multiple-phase flow in a conduit, comprising:at least two flow meters including at least one obstruction flow meter serially disposed in the conduit so that the at least two flow meters each having an upstream side and a downstream side, and any two adjacent flow meters have an intermediate region therebetween, the at least two flow meters being spaced at a minimum such that the downstream flow meter encounters little of the flow profile distortion caused by the upstream flow meter so that the performance of the downstream flow meter is not substantially degraded, and spaced at a maximum such that a percentage of flow constituents remains substantially the game from the upstream flow meter to the downstream flow meter; a plurality of sensors located upstream, downstream, and in the intermediate region of the at least N flow meters, the plurality of sensors measuring predetermined characteristics of the multi-phase flow; and a processor coupled to the plurality of sensors and capable of computing a total mass flow rate of the multiple-phase flow by computing a quality of the multiple-phase flow based on the measured predetermined characteristics.