Low power water cut sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11859491-B2
Application number	US-201917043177-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2019
Priority date	Apr 9, 2018
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

A system for determining a water cut of a water/oil emulsion includes a water cut sensor with a magnetoelastic ribbon, an inductive coil arranged proximate to the magnetoelastic ribbon so that an electromagnetic field produced by the inductive coil electromagnetically excites the magnetoelastic ribbon, and an alternating current source. A processor is configured to determine the water cut of the water/oil emulsion based on a resonant frequency of the magnetoelastic ribbon while the magnetoelastic ribbon is excited by the inductive coil. A feed line is coupled to the water cut sensor. The feed line includes an electrical coupling between the alternating current source and the inductive coil of the water cut sensor. The feedline includes an electrical coupling between the processor and the inductive coil of the water cut sensor or the processor is coupled to an acoustic sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for determining a water cut of a water/oil emulsion, the system comprising:
a water cut sensor comprising a magnetoelastic ribbon and an inductive coil arranged proximate to the magnetoelastic ribbon so that an electromagnetic field produced by the inductive coil electromagnetically excites the magnetoelastic ribbon;
an alternating current source;
a processor configured to determine the water cut of the water/oil emulsion based on a resonant frequency of the magnetoelastic ribbon while the magnetoelastic ribbon is excited by electromagnetic field produced by the inductive coil, wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the water cut sensor is surrounded by an air/gas mixture when the resonant frequency is lower than a resonant frequency corresponding to a 90% water cut; and
a feed line coupled to the water cut sensor, wherein the feed line includes an electrical coupling between the alternating current source and the inductive coil of the water cut sensor,
wherein the feed line includes an electrical coupling between the processor and the inductive coil of the water cut sensor or the processor is coupled to an acoustic sensor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the water cut sensor further comprises a magnetic biasing ribbon arranged adjacent to the magnetoelastic ribbon.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the magnetoelastic ribbon includes a protective coating.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the protective coating is polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the water cut sensor further comprises a housing in which the magnetoelastic ribbon and inductive coil are arranged.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the feedline includes the electrical coupling between the processor and the inductive coil, and the processor is configured to:
determine the water cut of the water/oil emulsion by determining a resonant frequency or a vibration amplitude of an impedance of the inductive coil when the alternating current source is applied to the inductive coil; and
identify, using a table correlating resonant frequencies or vibration amplitudes of the impedance of the inductive coil and water cut, the water cut based on the determined resonant frequency or the determined vibration amplitude of the impedance of the inductive coil.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a memory, coupled to the processor, which stores the table.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system detects water cut ranging from 10%-90%.

9. A method for determining a water cut of a water/oil emulsion, the method comprising:
arranging a water cut sensor in the water/oil emulsion, wherein the water cut sensor comprises a magnetoelastic ribbon and an inductive coil arranged proximate to the magnetoelastic ribbon so that an electromagnetic field produced by the inductive coil electromagnetically excites the magnetoelastic ribbon;
electromagnetically exciting the magnetoelastic ribbon by the electromagnetic field produced by the inductive coil;
determining the water cut of the water/oil emulsion based on a resonant frequency of the magnetoelastic ribbon while the magnetoelastic ribbon is electromagnetically excited; and
determining that the water cut sensor is surrounded by an air/gas mixture when the resonant frequency is lower than a resonant frequency corresponding to a 90% water cut.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determination of the water cut of the water/oil emulsion based on the resonant frequency of the magnetoelastic ribbon comprises:
determining a resonant frequency or vibration amplitude of an impedance of the inductive coil while the magnetoelastic ribbon is electromagnetically excited;
identifying, using a table correlating resonant frequencies or vibration amplitudes of the impedance of the inductive coil and water cut, the water cut based on the determined resonant frequency or vibration amplitude of the impedance of the inductive coil.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the resonant frequency or vibration amplitude is detected electromagnetically.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the table correlating resonant frequencies or the vibration amplitudes of the impedance of the inductive coil and water cut is generated by:
exposing the water cut sensor to a plurality of water/oil emulsions having different water cuts;
determining the resonant frequency or the vibration amplitude of the impedance of the inductive coil when the water cut sensor is exposed to the plurality of water/oil emulsions; and
recording, in the table, the correlation between the resonant frequency or the vibration amplitude of the impedance of the inductive coil and the water cut of the corresponding one of the plurality of water/oil emulsions.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
generating a linear fit of the determined resonant frequencies or vibration amplitudes of the impedance of the inductive coil; and
recording, in the table, water cut values for water cuts that the water cut sensor were not exposed to using the linear fit.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the resonant frequency of the inductive coil decreases as the water cut increases.

15. A method of producing a system for determining a water cut of a water/oil emulsion, the method comprising:
providing a water cut sensor comprising a magnetoelastic ribbon and an inductive coil arranged proximate to the magnetoelastic ribbon so that an electromagnetic field produced by the inductive coil electromagnetically excites the magnetoelastic ribbon;
coupling the water cut sensor to a feed line;
coupling an alternating current source to the inductive coil via the feed line;
coupling a processor to the inductive coil via the feedline or coupling the processor to an acoustic sensor, wherein the processor is configured to determine the water cut of the water/oil emulsion based on a resonant frequency of the magnetoelastic ribbon,
wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the water cut sensor is surrounded by an air/gas mixture when the resonant frequency is lower than a resonant frequency corresponding to a 90% water cut.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
applying a protective coating on the magnetoelastic ribbon.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the application of the protective coating comprises:
dipping the magnetoelastic ribbon in Polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
arranging a magnetic biasing ribbon adjacent to the magnetoelastic ribbon.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
storing, in a memory associated with the processor, a table correlating resonant frequencies or vibration amplitudes of an impedance of the inductive coil and water cut.

Assignees

• Univ King Abdullah Sci & Tech

Inventors

• Kosel Jürgen
• Kaidarova Altynay
• Almansouri Abdullah Saud
• Khan Mohammed Asadullah
• Swanepoel Liam

Classifications

• E21B49/0875 Primary

  determining specific fluid parameters · CPC title

• G01N27/023

  where the material is placed in the field of a coil · CPC title

• G01N29/032

  by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01N29/036

  by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01N29/2412 Primary

  using the magnetostrictive properties of the material to be examined, e.g. electromagnetic acoustic transducers [EMAT]; (investigating the presence of flaws using eddy currents G01N27/90, magnetostrictive transducers B06B1/08, measuring magnetostrictive properties G01R33/18) · CPC title