Determination of substance presence, identity and/or level in vessels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10599164-B2
Application number	US-201415128768-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2014
Priority date	Jun 12, 2014
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

A process control system can include a vessel, and at least one heat transfer property sensor that measures a heat transfer property of a substance at the vessel. The process control system can also include a monitoring device that receives an output of the heat transfer property sensor, and a process control device that is adjusted in response to the heat transfer property sensor output. A method of controlling a process can include measuring a thermal conductivity of a substance at a vessel, and adjusting the process in response to the measuring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process control system for processing a first substance, comprising:
a first vessel with the first substance containable within the first vessel;
a first plurality of heat transfer property sensors distributed along the first vessel to measure a heat transfer property of the first substance in the first vessel; and
a monitoring device in communication with the first plurality of heat transfer property sensors and configured to identify the first substance in the first vessel based on outputs of only the first plurality of heat transfer property sensors, wherein the monitoring device is operable to determine a level of the first substance in the first vessel, based on outputs of only the first plurality of heat transfer property sensors.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second plurality of heat transfer property sensors distributed along a second vessel to measure a second heat transfer property in the second vessel, and wherein the monitoring device is configured to compare outputs of only the first and second plurality of heat transfer property sensors to determine whether the first substance is present in the first vessel.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second substance in the first vessel, and wherein the monitoring device is configured to determine a position of an interface between the first and second substances in the first vessel based on the outputs of only the first plurality of heat transfer property sensors.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device is operable to adjust operation of a process control device in response to the outputs of the first plurality of heat transfer property sensors.

5. The system of claim 1 for also processing a second substance, further comprising:
a second vessel in fluid communication with the first vessel and the first substance is also containable within the second vessel;
a second plurality of heat transfer property sensors distributed along the second vessel to measure a second heat transfer property in the second vessel;
a third vessel in fluid communication with the first vessel and a second substance containable within the third vessel; and
a third plurality of heat transfer property sensors distributed along the third vessel to measure a third heat transfer property in the third vessel;
wherein the second substance is also containable within the third vessel;
wherein the monitoring device is in connection with the second plurality of heat transfer property sensors and third plurality of heat transfer property sensors, and the monitoring device is configured to determine a second level of the first substance in the second vessel, a third level of the second substance in the third vessel, a fourth level of the second substance in the first vessel, and the location of an interface between the first substance and the second substance in the first vessel, based on the outputs of only the first plurality of heat transfer property sensors, second outputs of only the second plurality of heat transfer property sensors, and third outputs of only the third plurality of heat transfer property sensors.

6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a mixer positioned in the first vessel and operable to mix the first substance and second substance, and operation of the mixer adjustable based on outputs of the first plurality of heat transfer property sensors and the second plurality of heat transfer property sensors.

7. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of process control devices adjustable in response to outputs of the first plurality of heat transfer property sensors, the second plurality of heat transfer property sensors, and the third plurality of heat transfer property sensors, to selectively adjust flow rates of the first substance into or out of the first vessel or second vessel or flow rates of the second substance into or out of the first vessel or third vessel.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein a process control device is controllable by the monitoring device in response to the outputs of the first plurality of heat transfer property sensors to ensure that the first and second substances are mixed in the first vessel.

9. A method of controlling a process, the method comprising:
measuring a first heat transfer property of a first substance in a first vessel via a first plurality of thermal heat transfer property sensors distributed along the first vessel;
determining, with a monitoring device, a level of the first substance in the first vessel based on the measuring of only the first plurality of heat transfer property sensors;
identifying, with the monitoring device, the first substance in the first vessel based on the measuring of only the first plurality of heat transfer property sensors; and
adjusting the process in response to the measuring of the first plurality of heat transfer property sensors, wherein adjusting the process comprises at least one of adjusting a flow rate of the first substance into or out of the first vessel or adjusting an operation of a mixer in the first vessel.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the measuring further comprises measuring a second heat transfer property at a second vessel, and further comprising determining whether the first substance is present in the first vessel and the second vessel, based on a comparison of the first heat transfer property and the second heat transfer property.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining an interface between the first substance and a second substance in the first vessel, based on the measuring.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising discharging the mixture from the first vessel.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
measuring a third heat transfer property of the first substance in a second vessel via a second plurality of heat transfer property sensors distributed along the second vessel;
measuring a fourth heat transfer property of the second substance in a third vessel via a third plurality of heat transfer property sensors distributed along the third vessel;
determining, with the monitoring device, a second level of the first substance in the second vessel based on the measuring of only the second plurality of heat transfer property sensors and a second level of the second substance in the third vessel based on the measuring of only the third plurality of heat transfer property sensors; and
selectively adjusting a plurality of process control devices with the monitoring device in response to outputs of the first, second, and third plurality of heat transfer property sensors to adjust flow rates of the first substance into or out of the first vessel or the second vessel or flow rates of the second substance into or out of the first vessel or the third vessel.

14. A process control system for processing a first substance, comprising:
a first vessel;
a thermal conductivity sensor that measures a thermal conductivity of the first substance at the first vessel, wherein the monitoring device is operable to determine a level of the first substance in the first vessel, based on the output of only the thermal conductivity sensor;
a monitoring device that receives an output of the thermal conductivity sensor and, based on the output of only the thermal conductivity sensor, is operable to identify the first substance in the first vessel; and
a process control device adjustable in response to the thermal conductivity sensor output to adjust a flow rate of the first substance into or out of the first vessel.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a sec

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Newman Katerina V
• Jamison Dale E
• Mcdaniel Cato Russell
• Ye Xiangnan

Classifications

• G05D11/132 Primary

  by controlling the flow of the individual components (G05D11/133 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01F23/247

  for discrete levels · CPC title

• G05D9/12

  characterised by the use of electric means · CPC title

• B01D17/00 Primary

  Separation of liquids, not provided for elsewhere, e.g. by thermal diffusion (devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material from water, waste water, or sewage C02F1/40; cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; arrangements for separating lubricants from refrigerants F25B43/02) · CPC title

• G01N25/18

  by investigating thermal conductivity (by calorimetry G01N25/20; by measuring change of resistance of an electrically-heated body G01N27/18) · CPC title