SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT FOR DETERMINING THE VOLUME OF PHASES OF A TWO-PHASE MIXTURE IN THE PIPELINE OF THE STAND
Authors:   Ufa State Petroleum Technological University, Khuramshin Dim R. , Ulikanov Rim R. ,   The Pipeline Transport Institute Transneft R&D, LLC, Koledin Sergey N. ,   Ufa State Petroleum Technological University
Published: November 2024

Relevance The problem of internal corrosion in pipeline transport of petroleum products, caused by the accumulation of water, remains insufficiently studied, especially in the linear part of the pipeline, where detection of static water zones is difficult. Effectively controlling the hydraulic flow regime of a multiphase fluid is a key method of preventing internal corrosion, especially at low points in the pipeline, by reducing fluid accumulation. Specialized hydrodynamic stands that simulate the pumping of a model fluid with the formation of water accumulations provide important data for studying the dynamics of the accumulation process. The stands are equipped with sensors for measuring and monitoring parameters during research, such as the angle of inclination of the measuring line, the speed of liquid flow, the concentration of water in the mixture, and the pressure values in the measuring line. These parameters can be measured with high accuracy using appropriate sensors. However, the volume of water accumulation cannot be accurately determined directly using sensors due to the changing experimental conditions and the continuous change in the liquid level during accumulation and removal of water. To derive mathematical models of patterns in pipeline parameters and accumulations and optimize pumping processes, it is necessary to provide real-time, dynamic and accurate measurements of water volume in laboratory conditions. The use of computer vision techniques represents a promising approach for measuring the volume of water accumulations. Aim of research Aim of research is to create software for determining the volume of water copies on a pipeline stand using computer vision methods. Research methods During the study, video materials of the operation of the block for accumulation and removal of water (BARW) of the hydrodynamic installation «stand for studying the flow of liquid in a pipeline», which is located at the Scientific and Technical Center of Transneft Research Institute LLC, were used. It is necessary to calculate the volume of water accumulations in the specified video frames. To solve the problem, methods used in measuring the volume of liquid in transparent containers are considered. However, these methods require vertical placement of containers and placement of the camera perpendicular to the measurement object, which is not suitable for non-uniform pipe shapes. Vertical examination of a pipeline also introduces distortions due to the different widths of the pipe at different pixels in the image. An algorithm has been developed that takes into account water transparency and is based on calculating the volume of the pipeline at each pixel of the image. A method for identifying objects based on color analysis (color-based) was used, taking into account water transparency. To eliminate the influence of the background behind the water, canvases of red and black colors were used. The color-based method was used in the RGB color space. An important aspect when choosing this method is its ease of implementation and high processing speed. To process data and images, as well as to develop a graphical interface for the program, the Python programming language and the OpenCV and PyQt5 libraries were chosen. Results The developed software represents an innovative approach to solving the problem and demonstrates relative accuracy in determining the volume of water accumulations in a pipeline on a special hydrodynamic stand. The results of comparison of numerical and experimental data show an error of no more than 9 %, which confirms the effectiveness of the proposed method. The data obtained as a result of the program will be used for study by pipeline transport specialists to determine the patterns of pipeline parameters, oil pumping modes and the amount of water accumulation. The discovered patterns will make it possible to minimize the risk of internal corrosion and increase the reliability of pipelines.