Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7152460?dq=ELIST
Timestamp: 2015-05-29 08:27:38
Document Index: 507527583

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

Patent US7152460 - Apparatus and method for compensating a coriolis meter - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA flow measuring system is provided that provides at least one of a compensated mass flow rate measurement and a compensated density measurement. The flow measuring system includes a gas volume fraction meter in combination with a coriolis meter. The GVF meter measures acoustic pressures propagating...http://www.google.com/patents/US7152460?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7152460 - Apparatus and method for compensating a coriolis meterAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7152460 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/892,886Publication dateDec 26, 2006Filing dateJul 15, 2004Priority dateJul 15, 2003Fee statusPaidAlso published asCA2532592A1, CA2532592C, DE602004017739D1, EP1646849A2, EP1646849B1, US7380439, US20050044929, US20070125154, WO2005010470A2, WO2005010470A3Publication number10892886, 892886, US 7152460 B2, US 7152460B2, US-B2-7152460, US7152460 B2, US7152460B2InventorsDaniel L. Gysling, Patrick Curry, Douglas H. Loose, Thomas E. BanachOriginal AssigneeCidra CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (108), Non-Patent Citations (15), Referenced by (28), Classifications (22), Legal Events (7) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetApparatus and method for compensating a coriolis meter
US 7152460 B2Abstract
The present invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/579,448 filed Jun. 14, 2004, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/570,321 filed May 12, 2004, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/539,640 filed Jan. 28, 2004, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/524,964 filed Nov. 25, 2003, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/512,794 filed Oct. 20, 2003, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/510,302 filed Oct. 10, 2003, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/504,785 filed Sep. 22, 2003, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/503,334 filed Sep. 16, 2003, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/491,860 filed Aug. 1, 2003, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/487,832 filed Jul. 15, 2003, which are all incorporated herein by reference.
Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 2, 20 and 21, the SOS measuring apparatus may be a gas volume fraction (GVF) meter that comprises a sensing device 116 having a plurality of strain-based or pressure sensors 118–121 spaced axially along the pipe for measuring the acoustic pressures 190 propagating through the flow 12. The GVF meter 100 determines and provides a first signal 27 indicative of the SOS in the fluid and a second signal 29 indicative of the gas volume fraction (GVF) of the flow 12, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
Rearranging, the algebraic relation between the measured natural frequency ƒnat of the vibrating tube and the density of the fluid within the tube can be written as follows.
ρ mix = ∑ i = 1 N ϕ i ρ i and κmix is the mixture compressibility, and φi is the component volumetric phase fraction.
FIG. 9 illustrates a lumped parameter model for the effects of inhomogeniety in the oscillation of an aerated-liquid-filled tube. In this model, a gas bubble 40 of volume fraction φ is connected across a fulcrum 42 to a compensating mass of fluid with volume 2Γ. The fulcrum is rigidly connected to the outer tube 44. The effects of viscosity can be modeled using a damper 46 connected to restrict the motion of the gas bubble 40 with respect to the rest of the liquid and the tube itself. The remaining volume of liquid in the tube cross section (1–3Γ) is filled with an inviscid fluid. In the inviscid limit, the compensating mass of fluid 48 (2Γ) does not participate in the oscillations, and the velocity of the mass-less gas bubble becomes three times the velocity of the tube. The effect of this relative motion is to reduce the effective inertia of the fluid inside the tube to (1–3Γ times that presented by a homogeneous fluid-filled the tube. In the limit of high viscosity, the increased damping constant minimizes the relative motion between the gas bubble and the liquid, and the effective inertia of the aerated fluid approaches 1-Γ. The effective inertia predicted by this model of an aerated, but incompressible, fluid oscillating within a tube agrees with those presented by (Hemp, et al, 2003) in the limits of high and low viscosities.
For a given coriolis meter, the level of aeration has a dominant effect on the difference between actual and apparent mixture density. However, other parameters identified by the lumped parameter model also play important roles. For example, the damping parameter associated with the movement of the gas bubble relative to the fluid within the tube, ζgas, is a parameter governing the response of the system to aeration. The influence of ζgas on the apparent density of the mixture is illustrated in FIG. 11. As shown, for ζgas approaching zero, the apparent density approaches 1–3Γ, i.e., the meter under reports the density of the aerated mixture by 2Γ. However, as the ζgas is increased, the apparent density approaches the actual fluid density of 1-Γ.
The density of the liquid component of the aerated liquid, i.e. the water, was assumed constant. Several coriolis meters of various designs and manufactures were tested. FIG. 14 shows apparent density measured by a coriolis meter with 1 inch diameter tubes with a structural resonant frequency of 100 Hz. Data were recorded over flow rates ranging from 100–200 gpm and coriolis inlet pressures of 16 to 26 psi. The theoretically correct density of the aerated mixture density factor of 1-Γ is shown, as is the result from quasi-steady inviscid bubble theory of 1–3Γ. Density factor produced by the lumped parameter with the ζgas tuned to 0.02 is also shown. As shown, the apparent density of the coriolis meter is highly correlated to the gas volume fraction as measured by the GVF meter 100. The lumped parameter model appears to capture the trend as well.
FIG. 15 shows the apparent density measured by the Coriolis meter with 1 inch diameter tubes with a structural resonant frequency of ˜300 Hz. Data was recorded over a similar range of flow rate and inlet pressures as the previous meter. Again, the theoretically correct density of the aerated mixture density factor of 1-Γ is shown, as is the result from quasi-steady inviscid bubble theory of 1–3Γ. Density factor produced by the lumped parameter with the ζgas empirically tuned to 0.007 is also shown. As with the other meter tested, the apparent density of the coriolis meter 16 is highly correlated to the gas volume fraction as measured by the GVF meter 100. The correlation between the output of the lumped parameter model and the output of the density meter provides a useful framework for assessing the impact of aeration on the apparent density of the process fluid 12.
FIG. 20 illustrates a gas volume fraction meter 100 of FIG. 2, as described herein before. The GVF meter 100 includes a sensing device 116 disposed on the pipe 14 and a processing unit 124. The sensing device 116 comprises an array of strain-based sensors or pressure sensors 118–121 for measuring the unsteady pressures produced by acoustic waves propagating through the flow 12 to determine the speed of sound (SOS). The pressure signals P1(t)–PN(t) are provided to the processing unit 124, which digitizes the pressure signals and computes the SOS and GVF parameters. A cable 113 electronically connects the sensing device 116 to the processing unit 124. The analog pressure sensor signals P1(t)–PN(t) are typically 4–20 mA current loop signals.
The array of pressure sensors 118–121 comprises an array of at least two pressure sensors 118,119 spaced axially along the outer surface 122 of the pipe 14, having a process flow 112 propagating therein. The pressure sensors 118–121 may be clamped onto or generally removably mounted to the pipe by any releasable fastener, such as bolts, screws and clamps. Alternatively, the sensors may be permanently attached to, ported in or integral (e.g., embedded) with the pipe 14. The array of sensors of the sensing device 116 may include any number of pressure sensors 118–121 greater than two sensors, such as three, four, eight, sixteen or N number of sensors between two and twenty-four sensors. Generally, the accuracy of the measurement improves as the number of sensors in the array increases. The degree of accuracy provided by the greater number of sensors is offset by the increase in complexity and time for computing the desired output parameter of the flow. Therefore, the number of sensors used is dependent at least on the degree of accuracy desired and the desire update rate of the output parameter provided by the apparatus 100. The pressure sensors 118–119 measure the unsteady pressures produced by acoustic waves propagating through the flow, which are indicative of the SOS propagating through the fluid flow 12 in the pipe. The output signals (P1(t)–PN(t)) of the pressure sensors 118–121 are provided to a pre-amplifier unit 139 that amplifies the signals generated by the pressure sensors 118–121. The processing unit 124 processes the pressure measurement data P1(t)–PN(t) and determines the desired parameters and characteristics of the flow 12, as described hereinbefore.
Similar to the apparatus 100 of FIG. 20, an apparatus 200 of FIG. 21 embodying the present invention has an array of at least two pressure sensors 118,119, located at two locations x1,x2 axially along the pipe 14 for sensing respective stochastic signals propagating between the sensors 118,119 within the pipe at their respective locations. Each sensor 118,119 provides a signal indicating an unsteady pressure at the location of each sensor, at each instant in a series of sampling instants. One will appreciate that the sensor array may include more than two pressure sensors as depicted by pressure sensor 120,121 at location x3,xN. The pressure generated by the acoustic pressure disturbances may be measured through strained-based sensors and/or pressure sensors 118–121. The pressure sensors 118–121 provide analog pressure time-varying signals P1(t),P2(t),P3(t),PN(t) to the signal processing unit 124. The processing unit 124 processes the pressure signals to first provide output signals 151,155 indicative of the speed of sound propagating through the flow 12, and subsequently, provide a GVF measurement in response to pressure disturbances generated by acoustic waves propagating through the flow 12.
To calculate the power in the k-ω plane, as represented by a k-ω plot (see FIG. 22) of either the signals or the differenced signals, the array processor 160 determines the wavelength and so the (spatial) wavenumber k, and also the (temporal) frequency and so the angular frequency ω, of various of the spectral components of the stochastic parameter. There are numerous algorithms available in the public domain to perform the spatial/temporal decomposition of arrays of sensor units 118–121.
While the embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2, 20 and 21 shown the pressure sensors 118–121 disposed on the pipe 14, separate from the coriolis meter, the present invention contemplates that the GVF meter 100 may be integrated with the coriolis meter to thereby provide a single apparatus as shown in FIGS. 24 and 25. As shown in these Figures, the pressure sensors 118–121 may be disposed on one or both of the tubes 302 of the coriolis meters 300, 310.
Referring to FIG. 24, a dual tube 302 coriolis meter 300 is provided having an array of pressure sensors 118–121,318–320 disposed on a tube 302 of the coriolis meter. In this embodiment, an array of piezoelectric material strip 50 are disposed on a web and clamped onto the tube 302 as a unitary wrap. This configuration is similar to that described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/795,111, filed on Mar. 4, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference. Similar to that described herein before, the pressure signals are provided to a processing unit to calculate at least one of the SOS, GVF and reduced frequency.
FIG. 25 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention that integrated the pressure sensors 118–121 within the coriolis meter 310. The advantages associated with integrating sonar array into the existing footprint of a Coriolis meter are numerous and include cost advantages, marketing advantages and potential for performance advantages.
Most coriolis meters have highly tuned, well balanced sets of flow tubes. It is important to minimize any impact of the sensor on the dynamics of the flow tubes. For the U-tube shown in FIG. 25 sensors as shown deployed near the body 306 of the meter where the tubes 302 or essentially cantilevered. By attaching lightweight, strain based sensors 118–121 at this position, the dynamics of the flow tube should be essentially unaffected by the sensor array. Further, placing the two groups of sensors 118,119 and 120,121 at the ends allows the sensor array aperture to span the entire flow tube. Instrumenting the flow tubes as described herein maximize the aperture of the sensor array contained within a coriolis meter. Locating multiple sensors, but relatively closely spaced sensors near the ends results in a non-uniformly spaced array. Initial data processed with such arrays indicates that this approach will be suitable.
The pressure sensors 118–121 of FIG. 20 described herein may be any type of pressure sensor, capable of measuring the unsteady (or ac or dynamic) pressures within a pipe 14, such as piezoelectric, optical, capacitive, resistive (e.g., Wheatstone bridge), accelerometers (or geophones), velocity measuring devices, displacement measuring devices, etc. If optical pressure sensors are used, the sensors 118–121 may be Bragg grating based pressure sensors, such as that described in U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 08/925,598, entitled “High Sensitivity Fiber Optic Pressure Sensor For Use In Harsh Environments”, filed Sep. 8, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,702, and in U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 10/224,821, entitled “Non-Intrusive Fiber Optic Pressure Sensor for Measuring Unsteady Pressures within a Pipe”, which are incorporated herein by reference. In an embodiment of the present invention that utilizes fiber optics as the pressure sensors 14 they may be connected individually or may be multiplexed along one or more optical fibers using wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), time division multiplexing (TDM), or any other optical multiplexing techniques.
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and a respective methodWO2010036319A1 *Sep 18, 2009Apr 1, 2010Gas Technology InstituteImpact sensing multi-layered plastic material* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification73/32.00A, 73/61.44, 73/861.18International ClassificationG01N22/00, G01F1/84, G01F1/20, G01N7/00, G01F1/74, G01N9/00Cooperative ClassificationG01N2291/02818, G01F15/024, G01F1/8413, G01N9/002, G01F1/74, G01F25/0007, G01F1/8477European ClassificationG01F1/84F8C2, G01F1/84D2, G01F1/74, G01N9/00B, G01F25/00A, G01F15/02B2Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionSep 4, 2014ASAssignmentOwner name: HSBC CORPORATE TRUSTEE COMPANY (UK) LIMITED, AS COFree format text: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:EXPRO METERS, INC.;REEL/FRAME:033687/0078Effective date: 20140902Jun 26, 2014FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Jan 25, 2012ASAssignmentOwner name: HSBC CORPORATE TRUSTEE COMAPNY (UK) LIMITED, UNITEFree format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:EXPRO METERS, INC.;REEL/FRAME:027630/0109Effective date: 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