Abstract
The use of hydrodynamic pressure wave generated from the action of a fast acting valve as well as acoustic reflectometry in the detection of anomalies like leaks, deposits and blockages in a pipe or fluid flow system in the context of the prevailing scientific theories in fluid flow is discussed. The focus of this paper is the application of the theories to more complex scenarios involving multi-phase fluid flow, specifically, two-phase and two-component fluid flow. The principal concern is the determination of acoustic velocity in a two-phase flow regime; which is problematic because it varies with mixture composition along multiphase flowlines. A technique for simulating flow regimes in the laboratory using stacked S-shaped pipes is presented as well as a discussion of the results from a computational fluid dynamics model.
Highlights
Deposit of wax and other scales in pipelines used for oil extraction and transportation is very common
The principal concern is the determination of acoustic velocity in a two-phase flow regime; which is problematic because it varies with mixture composition along multiphase flowlines
The example case in this study is a system for inducing multiple flow regime in a 2-phase, 2-component flow using connected stacked horizontal pipes: The new method extends principles used in single-phase applications to two-phase conditions
Summary
Deposit of wax and other scales in pipelines used for oil extraction and transportation is very common. A large variation in the predicted location of deposits may result in partial cleaning or no cleaning at all Another common anomaly in pipe systems is leakage. Leak detection in pressurized single-phase pipelines is a very well-studied problem. Lee et al [18] used an impulse response function to find leaks in pipelines They compared the transient behavior of a leaking pipe with that of a non-leaking one. The propagation of pressure pulse in two-phase mixtures has been studied extensively in the context of nuclear engineering and phase changing fluids [19] [20]. Gudmundsson and Celius [21], utilized pressure pulse to calculate the mass flow rate downhole, at the wellhead and proposed a multiphase metering method. Acoustic reflectometry for blockage detection has been explored recently [13] [22] [23]
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