Patent ID: 8220341

Claim:
A method of analyzing a multiple-phase fluid flowing through a pipe, the fluid comprising a liquid phase having at least two constituents in contact with a surface of the pipe and having a gas phase located away from the surface of the pipe, said method comprising: (a) determining relative fractions of the two constituents of the liquid phase, said determining of the relative fractions comprising the following sub-steps: (a1) illuminating the fluid using a first coaxial probe placed in contact with the liquid phase emitting a first electromagnetic wave at a high frequency; (a2) measuring an admittance at an interface between the first coaxial probe and the fluid; and (a3) calculating of the relative fractions of the two constituents of the liquid phase based on the measured admittance at the interface between the first coaxial probe and the fluid; and (b) determining a thickness of the liquid phase, said determining of the thickness comprising the following sub-steps: (b1) calculating an effective permittivity of the liquid phase based on the relative fractions calculated in sub-step (a3); (b2) illuminating the fluid using a second coaxial probe separate from the first coaxial probe, the second coaxial probe emitting a second electromagnetic wave at a low frequency; (b3) measuring an admittance at the interface between the second coaxial probe and the fluid; and (b4) calculating the thickness of the liquid phase based on the calculated effective permittivity of the liquid phase and on the measured admittance at the interface between the second coaxial probe and the fluid.