Method of cleaning surfaces in contact with a fluid flow
A method of cleaning a light-transmissive and/or light reflective surface in contact with a fluid flow comprising particles extracted or generated in an oil extraction installation is described. The method comprises providing a source of flushing fluid comprising ozone, providing means for flushing the surface with the flushing fluid, and operating flushing means such that the surface is flushed with the flushing fluid. Apparatus for optically monitoring characteristics of such a fluid flow, the apparatus being adapted to take advantage of the aforementioned method, is also described.
1 . A method of cleaning a light-transmissive and/or light reflective surface in contact with a fluid flow comprising particles extracted or generated in an oil extraction installation, said method comprising:
providing a source of flushing fluid comprising ozone;
providing means for flushing said surface with said flushing fluid; and operating said flushing means such that said surface is flushed with said flushing fluid.
2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein said flushing fluid comprises a flushing liquid/ozone mixture, said source of flushing fluid comprising a reservoir of said flushing liquid and means for generating ozone and mixing the same with said flushing liquid prior to the flushing operation.
3 . A method according to claim 2 , wherein said flushing liquid is an ozone solvent such that on mixing said flushing liquid with ozone a flushing liquid/ozone solution is formed.
4 . A method according to claim 3 , wherein the flushing liquid is water.
5 . A method according to claim 3 , wherein the flushing means ejects the flushing liquid/ozone solution at high pressure.
6 . A method according to claim 3 , wherein the flushing liquid is saturated with ozone.
7 . A method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of saturating the flushing liquid with ozone is carried out at a higher pressure than that of the fluid flow in contact with the surface to be cleaned, such that when the step of flushing said surface or surfaces is carried out the drop in pressure results in ozone coming out of solution.
8 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is for cleaning one or more light-transmissive and/or reflective components of an apparatus for optically monitoring characteristics of said fluid flow.
9 . Apparatus for optically monitoring characteristics of a fluid flow comprising particles extracted or generated in an oil extraction installation, the apparatus comprising:
a duct for receiving the fluid flow;
light generating means adjacent the duct for transmitting light into the fluid flow via a light-transmissive part of the duct;
light-responsive detection means for receiving light from the light generating means that has passed through the fluid flow;
means for processing signals produced by the detection means so as to provide data relating to the fluid flow;
flushing means adapted to flush the light-transmissive part of the duct with a flushing fluid comprising ozone; and
means for generating said ozone.
10 . Apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising means for monitoring the optical characteristics of said light-transmissive part comprising:
light reflecting means adapted to reflect a proportion of the light passing through the light-transmissive part;
light-responsive detection means for receiving said reflected light; and
means for processing the data produced by said reflected light detection means so as to produce data relating to said light-transmissive part, wherein the flushing means is further adapted to flush the light reflecting means with flushing fluid.