Fuzzy Logic Controls Pressure in Fracturing Fluid Characterization Facility

Abstract

Abstract A fuzzy logic pressure control system has been designed and implemented to deal with the demanding requirements of the Fracturing Fluid Characterization Facility (FFCF), a test bed that simulates downhole conditions for investigating fluid behavior during fracturing stimulation. Pressure control in the fracture simulator was difficult because of the wide range of fluid types and pumping conditions used and by the compliant structure of the simulator, which uses servo-controlled actuators to maintain a constant gap width under varying pressure conditions. The FFCF pressure control system must handle fluids that vary from water to high-viscosity gel slurries at flow rates ranging from 1/2 to 3 bbl/min. Conventional control approaches were successful only under very limited conditions. To solve this problem, a fuzzy logic controller (FLC) was developed to be a user function in the FFCF supervisory control and data acquisition system. Using several fuzzy logic rules, the FLC generates a position set point for a slurry throttling valve. An electro-hydraulic directional control valve uses the set point supplied by the FLC to position the active control element of the slurry throttling valve.