Method and apparatus for measuring entrained gas bubble content of flowing fluid

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the gas bubble content of a flowing fluid on a continuous basis and without having to extract a sample of the fluid. A flowing fluid flows into a density sensor (5) and pressure sensors (7) are disposed at the entrance (3) and exit (4) of the density sensor (5), and a temperature sensor (6) is disposed at the inlet (3) to measure the temperature of the flowing fluid. An operating panel (12) supplies required constant data regarding the fluid and gas. A data processor (10) calculates the gas bubble content using the above information in accordance with a predetermined formula.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring the content of gas bubbles entrained in a flowing fluid. In industrial applications involving the treatment of liquids, such as surfactant solutions, raw material reactants, lubricants, or polymer solutions, it often occurs that air or other gas bubbles are entrained in the fluid due to agitation, stirring or the like. Such entrainment of gas bubbles can lead to difficulties such as inaccurate flow rate measurements, nonuniformity of products, and the generation of noise. Also, in the case of lubricants such as hydraulic oils, engine oils, turbine oils and the like, there may occur a reduction of hydraulic efficiency and an abnormal amount of wear of the parts to be lubricated. The conventional approach to determining the content of gas bubbles entrained in such a fluid involves extracting from the flow of fluid a sample of known volume and subsequently weighing the sample or subjecting the sample to gas chromatography. Such methods, however, are disadvantageous because they are time consuming. They are also generally inaccurate due to the possibility of gas escaping from the container holding the sample. Thus, a method of measuring the gas bubble content of a flowing fluid without having to first extract a sample has long been desired. A first prior art of interest is DE-A-3 210 591 that discloses an apparatus for measuring continuously the gas bubble content in hydraulic fluids. The apparatus comprises an ultrasonic transducer combined with a display and several reflectors. These reflectors are arranged in a pipe which contains the fluid. The measuring of the gas bubble content is based on the measuring of the delay time and the magnitude of the ultrasonic waves. A further prior art of interest is US-A-4 763 525 that discloses a method and apparatus for measuring the quantity of bubbles in a gas/liquid mixture. An ultrasonic wave is launched into the mixture and the magnitudes of two refledted waves are measured and compared. The logarithm of the magnitudes of the reflected waves is a measure of the quantity of gas content. The method and apparatus are stated to be suitable for measuring gas bubble content repetitively in a mixture turbulently fowing through a conduit. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an improved in-line measuring method and apparatus for measuring the content of gas bubbles entrained in a flowing fluid. In accordance with the above and other objects, the invention provides a method and apparatus for measuring the content of gas bubbles entrained in a flowing fluid which operates by detecting the mean density of flowing fluid which contains both liquid and gas bubbles entrained in the liquid. The apparatus of the present invention is as defined in the accompanying Claim 1. The method of the present invention is as defined in the accompanying Claim 3. The apparatus for measuring the gas bubble content in a flowing fluid comprises a housing/containing: a density sensor for detecting the average density of the flowing fluid and a density signal amplilfier; a first pipe connected to the entrance of the density sensor; a second pipe connected to the exit of the density sensor; a temperatuare sensor disposed on said first pipe near said entrance of said density sensor and a temperature signal amplilfier; first and second pressure sensors respectively disposed on said pipes near said entrance and exit of said density sensor and pressure signal amplifier(s); means for supplying basic physical data of the gas and liquid concerned; data processing means receiving outputs of said density signal amplifier and said temperature signal amplifier, said first and second pressure signal amplifiers, and said predetermined basic physical data for calculating a gas bubble content of said flowing fluid in accordance with said outputs of said density sensor, said temperature sensor, said first and second pressure sensor, and said basic physical data of the gas and liquid concerned; said housing comprising means for connecting said pipes with further pipes outside said housing for conveying said flowing fluid to and from said density sensor, In accordance with the invention, the gas bubble content is calculated employing the following formula: wherein: X₀: the gas bubble content by volume percentage in the fluid to be measured at t₀ °C and P₀ kg/cm² ρ ℓ : the density of gas-free liquid in g/cm³ at t °C and P kg/cm² ρ a : the gas density in g/cm³ at t °C and P kg/cm³ ρ m : the average density of the fluid in g/cm³ at t °C and P kg/cm² t₀: normalized temperature in °C t: fluid temperature in °C P₀: normalized pressure in kg/cm² P: average pressure of the fluid in the density sensor, expressed by P = (P₁ + P₂)/2 (kg/cm²) , where P₁ and P₂ are the respective pressures at the entrance and the exit of the density sensor VCF(t₀): volume correction factor of gas-free liquid at a temperature of t₀ °C where ρ ℓ and ρ ℓ are, respectively, the density of gas-free liquid at temperatures of 15°C and t₀ °C. VCF(t): volume correction factor of gas-free liquid at a temperature of t °C where ρ ℓ and ρ ℓ are, respectively, the density of gas-free liquid at temperatures of 15°C and t °C. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus for measuring the content of gas bubbles entrained in a flowing fluid constructed according to the invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 1, which shows a schematic view of an apparatus of the invention for measuring the content of gas bubbles entrained in a flowing fluid. In this example, it is assumed that the fluid whose gas bubble content is to be measured is an oil. In this apparatus, an inlet pipe 1 and an outlet pipe 2 are connected via respective inside pipes 3 and 4 to the entrance and exit of a density sensor 5. Connectors 16 join the inlet pipe 1 and the outlet pipe 2 to the respective inside pipes 3 and 4. A temperature sensor 6 is disposed on the inlet-side inside pipe 3 to detect the temperature of the flowing fluid. Two pressure sensors 7 and disposed on respective ones of the inside pipes 3 and 4 just before and after the density sensor 5 to detect the pressures of the flowing fluid at the entrance and exit, respectively, of the density sensor 5. A density signal amplifier 11 receives the output signal from the density sensor 5 and a temperature signal amplifier 8 receives the output signal from the temperature sensor 6, while pressure signal amplifiers 9 receive the output signals from the two pressure sensors 7. A data processor 10 receives the outputs from the density signal amplifier 11, the temperature signal amplifier 8 and the pressure signal amplifiers 9. The data processor 10 is also connected to a operation panel 12 containing source switches, function keys or the like for supplying basic physical data of the gas and liquid concerned. If desired, the operation panel 12 can be used to furnish constant data for the density sensor 5. The operation panel 12 is connected to a display panel 13 for displaying results of calculation, specifically, the bubble content of the gas expressed as a volume percentage, the density of the fluid, the temperature and pressure of the fluid, and other desired parameters. A valve 14 is disposed on the outlet pipe 2 to adjust the flow rate and the pressure of the fluid. All of the above-described components, except the inlet pipe 1, outlet pipe 2, connectors 16 and valve 14 are installed in a housing 15. The fluid whose gas bubble content is to be measured flows in through the inlet pipe 1 and then via the inside pipe 3 to the density sensor. The fluid exits the density sensor 5 and flows out through the inside pipe 4, the outlet pipe 2 and the valve 14. In accordance with the invention, the gas bubble content of the gas is calculated by the data processor 10 employing the formula described before.

Claims: An apparatus for measuring the gas bubble content in a flowing fluid, comprising: a housing (15) containing: a density sensor (5) for detecting the average density of the flowing fluid and a density signal amplifier (11); a first pipe (3) connected to the entrance of the density sensor (5); second pipe (4) connected to the exit of the density sensor (5); a temperature sensor (6) disposed on said first pipe (3) near said entrance of said density sensor (5) and a temperature signal amplifier (8); first and second pressure sensors (7,7) respectively disposed on said pipes (3,4) near said entrance and exit of said density sensor (5) and pressure signal amplifier(s) (9); means (12) for supplying basic physical data of the gas and liquid concerned; data processing means (10) receiving outputs of said density signal amplifier (11), said temperature signal amplifier (8), said first and second pressure signal amplifiers (9,9), and said predetermined basic physical data for calculating a gas bubble content of said flowing fluid in accordance with said outputs of said density sensor (5), said temperature sensor (6), said first and second pressure sensor (7,7), and said basic physical data of the gas and liquid concerned; said housing (15) comprising means (16) for connecting said pipes (3,4) with further pipes (1,2) outside said housing (15) for conveying said flowing fluid to and from said density sensor (5). The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein said data, processing means calculates said gas bubble content of said flowing fluid in accordance with the following formula: wherein: X₀: the gas bubble content by volume percentage in the fluid to be measured at t₀ °C and P₀ kg/cm² ρ ℓ : the density of gas-free liquid in g/cm³ at t °C and P kg/cm² ρ a : the gas density in g/cm³ at t °C and P kg/cm³ ρ m : the average density of the fluid in g/cm³ at t °C and P kg/cm² t₀: normalized temperature in °C t: fluid temperature in °C P₀: normalized pressure in kg/cm² P: average pressure of the fluid in the density sensor, expressed by P = (P₁ + P₂)/2 (kg/cm²) , where P₁ and P₂ are the respective pressures at the entrance and the exit of the density sensor VCF(t₀): volume correction factor of gas-free liquid at a temperature of t₀ °C where ρ ℓ and ρ ℓ are, respectively, the density of gas-free liquid at temperatures of 15°C and t₀ °C VCF(t): volume correction factor of gas-free liquid at a temperature of t °C where ρ ℓ and ρ ℓ are, respectively, the density of gas-free liquid at temperatures of 15°C and t°C. A method for determining the gas bubble content of a flowing fluid, comprising the steps of: sensing the density of the flowing fluid at a density sensor; sensing the temperature of the flowing fluid at the entrance of said density sensor; sensing the pressure of said flowing fluid at said entrance and at the exit of said density sensor; amplifying said sensings and inputting them together with basic physical data of the gas and liquid concerned to a data processing means; and using said data processing means to calculate from said amplified sensings and said basic physical data the gas bubble content of said flowing fluid in accordance with the formula: wherein: X₀: the gas bubble content by volume percentage in the fluid to be measured at to °C and P₀ kg/cm² ρ ℓ : the density of gas-free liquid in g/cm³ at t °C and P kg/cm² ρ a : the gas density in g/cm³ at t °C and P kg/cm³ ρ m : the average density of the fluid in g/cm³ at t °C and P kg/cm² t₀: normalized temperature in °C t: fluid temperature in °C P₀: normalized pressure in kg/cm² P: average pressure of the fluid in the density sensor, expressed by P = (P₁ + P₂)/2 (kg/cm²) , where P₁ and P₂ are the respective pressures at the entrance and the exit of the density sensor VCF (t₀): volume correction factor of gas-free liquid at a temperature of t o °C where ρ ℓ and ρ ℓ are, respectively, the density of gas-free liquid at temperatures of 15°C and t₀ °C. VCF(t): volume correction factor of gas-free liquid at a temperature of t °C where ρ ℓ and ρ ℓ are, respectively, the density of gas-free liquid at temperatures of 15°C and t °C.

Inventors: YABUMOTO JUNSUKE, YANO HISASHI, YABUMOTO, JUNSUKE, YANO, HISASHI
Applicants: MITSUBISHI OIL CO, MITSUBISHI OIL COMPANY, LIMITED
Application year: 1989
Main classification: G01N9
IPC codes: G01N9