Patent ID: 8286466

Claim:
An apparatus for determining the water cut value of a multi-phase fluid flowing within a pipe, which pipe has a wall, the device comprising: a sequestering structure disposed within the pipe, having a first member extending out from a first section of the wall, which first member at least partially defines a sensing passage within the pipe, which sensing passage has a gap extending substantially normal to a direction of fluid flow within the pipe, and which sensing passage is oriented to sequester an amount of a liquid component of the multi-phase fluid sufficient to extend across the gap of the sensing passage; a transmitting device operable to transmit an ultrasonic signal through the liquid across the gap of the sensing passage; a receiving device operable to receive the ultrasonic signal after the ultrasonic signal has traversed the liquid within the sensing passage, and create sensor data; and a processing device in communication with at least the receiving device to receive and process the sensor data to determine the water cut value of the liquid.