Sand separator interface detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10046252-B2
Application number	US-201414782908-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2014
Priority date	Apr 29, 2013
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

A sand separator is provided that includes a separation chamber and a drain. The sand separator comprises a meter in fluid communication with an interior of the separation chamber, wherein the meter is configured to detect a liquid/solid interface. Meter electronics in electrical communication with the meter are configured to receive a signal from the meter indicating the liquid/solid interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sand separator ( 100 ) including a separation chamber ( 106 ) and a drain ( 118 ), comprising:
a meter ( 120 ) in fluid communication with an interior of the separation chamber ( 106 ), wherein the meter ( 120 ) is configured to detect a liquid/solid interface, wherein the meter comprises a vibratory element, a driver configured to vibrate the vibratory element, and a pickoff sensor configured to detect vibration of the vibratory element; and
meter electronics ( 128 ) in electrical communication with the meter ( 120 ) configured to receive a signal from the meter ( 120 ), wherein the signal from the meter is a phase difference between a driver signal provided to the driver and a pickoff signal received from the pickoff sensor, and wherein meter electronics are configured to indicate when the vibratory meter is unable to maintain a fixed phase difference between the drive signal and the pickoff signal to detect the liquid/solid interface.

2. The sand separator ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the meter ( 120 ) is located proximate a level in the separation chamber ( 106 ) that corresponds to a maximum desired level of the liquid/solid interface.

3. The sand separator ( 100 ) of claim 2 , wherein the vibratory meter is at least one of a densitometer and viscometer.

4. The sand separator ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the signal from the meter ( 120 ) is a signal strength of the pickoff sensor ( 126 ).

5. The sand separator ( 100 ) of claim 4 , wherein the signal strength is a voltage.

6. The sand separator ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the drain ( 118 ) is remotely actuatable.

7. The sand separator ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the driver ( 124 ) comprises a piezoelectric element, and the pickoff sensor ( 126 ) comprises a piezoelectric element.

8. A sand separator ( 100 ) including a separation chamber ( 106 ) and a drain ( 118 ), comprising:
a vibratory fork densitometer ( 120 ) in fluid communication with an interior of the separation chamber ( 106 ) that is configured to indicate a liquid/solid interface;
a vibratory element ( 122 ) of the fork densitometer ( 120 ) that is configured to vibrate;
a driver ( 124 ) configured to receive a driver signal, wherein the driver ( 124 ) is further configured to vibrate the vibratory element ( 122 );
a pickoff sensor ( 126 ) configured to detect a vibration of the vibratory element ( 122 ) and generate a pickoff signal that represents the vibration detected; and
meter electronics ( 128 ) in electrical communication with the densitometer ( 120 ) configured to provide the driver signal to the driver ( 124 ) and receive the pickoff signal from the densitometer ( 120 ), wherein the meter electronics calculates a phase difference between the driver signal and the pickoff signal and determines the presence of the liquid/solid interface when a fixed said phase difference can no longer be maintained.

9. The sand separator ( 100 ) of claim 8 , wherein the pickoff signal is a signal strength of the pickoff sensor ( 126 ).

10. The sand separator ( 100 ) of claim 9 , wherein the pickoff signal strength is a voltage.

11. The sand separator ( 100 ) of claim 8 , further comprising a drain ( 118 ) configured to release material from the sand separator ( 100 ).

12. The sand separator ( 100 ) of claim 11 , wherein the drain ( 118 ) comprises a valve that is actuatable by the meter electronics ( 128 ).

13. A method of detecting a liquid/solid interface in a sand separator comprising the steps of:
placing a vibratory meter in a sand separator;
vibrating a vibratory element of the vibratory meter at a resonant frequency of the vibratory element and fluid surrounding the vibratory element;
receiving a signal from a pickoff sensor of the vibratory meter;
detecting a presence of the liquid/solid interface by maintaining a fixed phase difference between a drive signal and a pickoff signal; and
indicating when the vibratory meter is unable to maintain the fixed phase difference between the drive signal and the pickoff signal.

14. The method of detecting a liquid/solid interface in a sand separator of claim 13 , wherein the fixed phase difference is approximately 45°.

15. The method of detecting a liquid/solid interface in a sand separator of claim 13 , wherein the step of detecting the presence of the liquid/solid interface further comprises the step of:
indicating when a phase difference between the drive signal and the pickoff signal fluctuates from the fixed phase difference by greater than a predetermined amount.

16. The method of detecting a liquid/solid interface in a sand separator of claim 13 , wherein the step of detecting the presence of the liquid/solid interface further comprises the step of:
indicating when the vibratory element ceases to vibrate.

17. The method of detecting a liquid/solid interface in a sand separator of claim 13 , wherein the step of detecting the presence of the liquid/solid interface further comprises the step of:
indicating the presence of the liquid/solid interface in the sand separator if an intensity of the vibrational response is below a predetermined threshold.

18. The method of detecting a liquid/solid interface in a sand separator of claim 17 , wherein the step of detecting the presence of the liquid/solid interface wherein the intensity comprises a voltage.

19. The method of detecting a liquid/solid interface in a sand separator of claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
emptying solids from the sand separator if the liquid/solid interface is detected.

20. The method of detecting a liquid/solid interface in a sand separator of claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
opening a drain of the sand separator.

Assignees

• Micro Motion Inc

Inventors

• Smith Stephen Dewhurst
• Wheeler Simon P H

Classifications

• G01F23/296 Primary

  Acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01N2009/006

  vibrating tube, tuning fork · CPC title

• B01D21/34

  Controlling the feed distribution; Controlling the liquid level {; Control of process parameters} · CPC title

• B01D21/2483

  Means or provisions for manually removing the sediments · CPC title

• B01D21/302 Primary

  Active control mechanisms with external energy, e.g. with solenoid valve · CPC title