Flow field measurement device and method for scale model of natural gas hydrate reservoir

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11746647-B2
Application number	US-202017059202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2020
Priority date	Aug 6, 2020
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A flow field measurement device and a method for a scale model of a natural gas hydrate reservoir are provided. The measurement device includes non-central vertical well pressure sensors, non-central vertical well outlet valves, communicating vessel valves, differential pressure sensors, a communicating vessel, a central vertical well outlet valve, and a central vertical well pressure sensor. By providing differential pressure sensors, between a measuring point of the central vertical well and a measuring point of each of the non-central vertical wells, to measure pressure differences, the flow field measurement device enables a reasonable distribution of a three-dimensional space inside the reactor to analyze gas-liquid flow trends in the reactor with a simulated flow field. Determining whether to turn on the differential pressure sensors according to a predetermination based on a feedback from the pressure sensors, allows flow field measurements in the reactor under both high and low pressure differences.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow field measurement device for a natural gas hydrate system, wherein the natural gas hydrate system comprises a reactor, wherein the reactor is divided into a plurality of layers from top to bottom, a plurality of vertical wells are disposed throughout each layer, the plurality of vertical wells comprise a central vertical well and non-central vertical wells, and the central vertical well is located at a center of the plurality of vertical wells; wherein the flow field measurement device comprises non-central vertical well pressure sensors, non-central vertical well outlet valves, communicating vessel valves, differential pressure sensors, a communicating vessel, a central vertical well outlet valve, and a central vertical well pressure sensor; wherein
the non-central vertical well pressure sensors, the non-central vertical well outlet valves, the differential pressure sensors, and the communicating vessel valves are respectively provided in an amount identical to an amount of the non-central vertical wells; each of the non-central vertical wells is provided with a non-central vertical well outlet pipeline, wherein the non-central vertical well outlet pipeline is correspondingly provided with one of the non-central vertical well pressure sensors, one of the non-central vertical well outlet valves, one of the differential pressure sensors, and one of the communicating vessel valves communicatedly in sequence, and all of the communicating vessel valves are connected with the communicating vessel;
the central vertical well is provided with a central vertical well outlet pipeline, wherein the central vertical well outlet pipeline is provided with the central vertical well pressure sensor and the central vertical well outlet valve communicatedly in sequence, and the central vertical well outlet valve is connected with the communicating vessel.

2. The flow field measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein the flow field measurement device further comprises a display terminal, wherein a data output of each of the non-central vertical well pressure sensors, the central vertical well pressure sensor, and the differential pressure sensors is connected to the display terminal.

3. The flow field measurement device according to claim 2 , wherein the display terminal is a computer, a tablet computer, or a mobile phone.

4. The flow field measurement device according to claim 3 , wherein the communicating vessel is provided with a communicating vessel pressure sensor and a gas injection valve.

5. The flow field measurement device according to claim 2 , wherein the communicating vessel is provided with a communicating vessel pressure sensor and a gas injection valve.

6. The flow field measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein the differential pressure sensors and the communicating vessel are disposed outside the reactor.

7. The flow field measurement device according to claim 6 , wherein the communicating vessel is provided with a communicating vessel pressure sensor and a gas injection valve.

8. The flow field measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein the differential pressure sensors have a measuring accuracy higher than a measuring accuracy of the central vertical well pressure sensor and a measuring accuracy of the non-central vertical well pressure sensors, and the differential pressure sensors have a measuring range lower than a measuring range of the central vertical well pressure sensor and a measuring range of the non-central vertical well pressure sensors.

9. The flow field measurement device according to claim 8 , wherein the communicating vessel is provided with a communicating vessel pressure sensor and a gas injection valve.

10. The flow field measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein the reactor is divided into three layers from top to bottom, and nine vertical wells are evenly disposed throughout each layer.

11. The flow field measurement device according to claim 10 , wherein the communicating vessel is provided with a communicating vessel pressure sensor and a gas injection valve.

12. The flow field measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein the communicating vessel is provided with a communicating vessel pressure sensor and a gas injection valve.

13. A flow field measurement method for a natural gas hydrate system, wherein the flow field measurement method is conducted using the flow field measurement device of claim 12 and comprises the following steps:
recording readings of the non-central vertical well pressure sensors and a reading of the central vertical well pressure sensor to obtain a pressure difference between each vertical well and the central vertical well, and comparing the pressure difference with a measuring range of the differential pressure sensors; if the pressure difference is higher than the measuring range of the differential pressure sensors, then determining the pressure difference to be a pressure difference between the non-central vertical well corresponding to the differential pressure sensor and the central vertical well; if the pressure difference is not higher than the measuring range of the differential pressure sensors, then opening the non-central vertical well outlet valve and the communicating vessel valve connected to the differential pressure sensor, and measuring the pressure difference between the corresponding non-central vertical well and the central vertical well using the differential pressure sensor.

14. The flow field measurement method according to claim 13 , wherein the flow field measurement method further comprises the following steps of testing the differential pressure sensors using the gas injection valve:
closing the non-central vertical well outlet valves, such that the differential pressure sensors show a same reading at ends of the differential pressure sensors connected to the non-central vertical well outlet valves; connecting the gas injection valve of the communicating vessel to a gas cylinder with a given pressure lower than the measuring range of the differential pressure sensors; opening the communicating vessel valves, and opening a valve of the gas cylinder, recording readings of the differential pressure sensors, and determining based on the recorded readings of the differential pressure sensors whether the differential pressure sensors require replacement or repair.

15. A flow field measurement method for a natural gas hydrate system, wherein the natural gas hydrate system comprises a reactor, wherein the reactor is divided into a plurality of layers from top to bottom, and a plurality of vertical wells are disposed throughout each layer, the plurality of vertical wells comprise a central vertical well and non-central vertical wells, and the central vertical well is located at a center of the plurality of vertical wells; wherein the flow field measurement method comprises the following steps: connecting a measuring point of the central vertical well to a measuring point of each of the non-central vertical wells with a differential pressure sensor respectively, performing pressure measurements in a three-dimensional space inside the reactor, quantifying a flow field inside the reactor according to pressure differences between the measuring point of the central vertical well and the measuring point of each of the non-central vertical wells to analyze gas-liquid flow in the reactor.

Assignees

• Guangzhou Inst Energy Conversion Cas

Inventors

• Li Xiaosen
• Wang Yi
• Chen Zhaoyang
• Xia Zhiming
• Li Gang
• Zhang Yu

Classifications

• E21B47/06 Primary

  Measuring temperature or pressure · CPC title

• G01L13/06

  using electric or magnetic pressure-sensitive elements · CPC title

• G01N33/222 Primary

  Solid fuels, e.g. coal · CPC title

• G01P5/001 Primary

  Full-field flow measurement, e.g. determining flow velocity and direction in a whole region at the same time, flow visualisation · CPC title

• G01D21/02

  Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass · CPC title