True vapor pressure and flashing detection apparatus and related method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022260469-A1
Application number	US-201917630707-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 19, 2019
Priority date	Aug 19, 2019
Publication date	Aug 18, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of determining vapor pressure of a fluid is provided. The method comprises the step of providing a meter having meter electronics, wherein the meter comprises at least one of a flowmeter and a densitometer. A process fluid is flowed through the meter. A low-pressure location associated with the meter is provided. The pressure of the process fluid is adjusted until flashing is detectable at the low-pressure location. The true vapor pressure of the process fluid is calculated at an instant where flashing is detected.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method of determining vapor pressure of a fluid, comprising the steps of:
providing a meter having meter electronics, wherein the meter comprises at least one of a flowmeter and a densitometer; flowing a process fluid through the meter; providing a low-pressure location associated with the meter; measuring a temperature of the process fluid at the low-pressure location; adjusting the static pressure of the process fluid until flashing is detectable at the low-pressure location; and determining the true vapor pressure of the process fluid at an instance where flashing is detectable.

2 . The method of determining vapor pressure of a fluid of claim 1 , wherein measuring the temperature comprises IR thermography.

3 . The method of determining vapor pressure of a fluid of claim 1 , wherein detecting the flashing comprises optical analysis.

4 . The method of determining vapor pressure of a fluid of claim 1 , wherein the low-pressure location comprises a flowmeter manifold.

5 . The method of determining vapor pressure of a fluid of claim 1 , wherein the low-pressure location comprises a differential pressure element.

6 . The method of determining vapor pressure of a fluid of claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
measuring the temperature of the process fluid; and calculating the Reid Vapor Pressure from the temperature and the true vapor pressure.

7 . The method of determining vapor pressure of a fluid of claim 1 , comprising the step of measuring a vapor:liquid ratio at a time point where the Reid vapor pressure is measured; and
associating the vapor:liquid ratio with the Reid vapor pressure at the time point the Reid vapor pressure is measured.

8 . A system ( 300 ) for determining true vapor pressure of a process fluid comprising:
a meter ( 5 ) comprising at least one of a flowmeter and a densitometer; a low-pressure location associated with the meter; a pressure regulator ( 308 ) in fluid communication with the meter ( 5 ); a pressure sensor ( 312 ) in fluid communication with the process fluid; a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature at the low-pressure location; meter electronics ( 20 ) in communication with the meter ( 5 ) and the pressure sensor ( 312 ), wherein the meter electronics ( 20 ) is configured to:
control the pressure regulator ( 308 ) to adjust the static pressure of the process fluid until flashing at the low-pressure location is detected; and
calculate a true vapor pressure of the process fluid at an instance where flashing is detectable.

9 . The system ( 300 ) of claim 8 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises an IR thermograph.

10 . The system ( 300 ) of claim 8 , wherein an optical sensor is configured to detect flashing.

11 . The system ( 300 ) of claim 8 , wherein the low-pressure location comprises a flowmeter manifold.

12 . The system ( 300 ) of claim 8 , wherein the low-pressure location comprises a differential pressure element.

13 . The system ( 300 ) of claim 8 , wherein the meter electronics ( 20 ) is configured to:
measure a vapor:liquid ratio at a time point where the Reid vapor pressure is measured; and associating the vapor:liquid ratio with the Reid vapor pressure at the time point where the Reid vapor pressure is measured.

14 . The system ( 300 ) of claim 8 , wherein the meter ( 5 ) comprises:
one or more conduits ( 103 , 103 ′); at least one driver ( 104 ) attached to the one or more conduits ( 103 , 103 ′) configured to generate a vibratory signal to the one or more conduits ( 103 , 103 ′); and at least one pickoff ( 105 , 105 ′) attached to the one or more conduits ( 103 , 103 ′) configured to receive a vibratory signal from the one or more conduits ( 103 , 103 ′).

Assignees

• Micro Motion Inc

Inventors

• Hollingsworth Justin Craig

Classifications

• G01N25/50

  by investigating flash-point; by investigating explosibility · CPC title

• G01F1/8436 Primary

  signal processing · CPC title

• G01F1/8422

  exciters · CPC title

• G01N33/22

  Fuels; Explosives · CPC title

• G01F1/8427

  detectors · CPC title