Multiphase metering system
View Patent ↗A multi-phase fluid is passed through a Coriolis flowmeter and a watercut meter. The multi-phase fluid includes two phases during a first time period and three phases during a second time period. It is determined that the multi-phase fluid includes two phases during the first time period, and a first value of a parameter of the multi-phase fluid is determined using a value measured by the Coriolis flowmeter during the first time period. A second value of a parameter of the multi-phase fluid is determined using a value measured by the watercut meter during the first time period. The first value is compared to the second value, and it is determined, based on the comparison, that the first value and the second value are inconsistent with each other.
1. A system comprising:
a watercut meter configured to receive a fluid; and
a Coriolis flowmeter coupled to the watercut meter, wherein the Coriolis flowmeter is configured to receive the fluid, and the flowmeter is oriented such that the fluid flows downward through the Coriolis flowmeter.
2. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a fluidic system configured to fluidly connect the watercut meter and the Coriolis flowmeter in series between a system inlet and a system outlet.
3. A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the fluidic system comprises a downward leg, the system being configured such that the fluid flows downward through the downward leg when the fluid flows from the inlet to the outlet, the Coriolis flowmeter being on the downward leg.
4. A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the fluidic system comprises an upward leg, the system being configured such that the fluid flows upward through the upward leg when the fluid flows from the inlet to the outlet.
5. A system as set forth in claim 4 wherein the fluidic system is arranged such that the fluid flows through the upward leg before flowing through the watercut meter and before flowing through the Coriolis flowmeter.
6. A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein the watercut meter is on the downward leg and oriented such that the fluid flows downward through the watercut meter.
7. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the Coriolis meter comprises a flowtube having a flowtube inlet and a flowtube outlet, and wherein the Coriolis meter is mounted in the system such that the flowtube inlet is above the flowtube outlet.
8. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a non-return valve positioned below the Coriolis meter to prevent backflow through the Coriolis meter.
9. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a flow switch configured to detect the presence or absence of liquid flow.
10. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an electronic processor and a communications interface for connecting the electronic processor with at least one of the watercut meter and the Coriolis flowmeter.
11. A system as set forth in claim 10 further comprising a differential pressure meter positioned to measure a differential pressure of the fluid across a portion of the system.
12. A system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the electronic processor is configured to determine whether or not there is liquid flow in the flowtube using the differential pressure meter.
13. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive a watercut measurement from the watercut meter and a flow measurement from the Coriolis flowmeter.
14. A system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the electronic processor is configured to identify a malfunction in at least one of the watercut meter and the Coriolis meter by cross-checking the measurements from the watercut meter and the Coriolis meter.
15. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the electronic storage stores a density cutoff value.
16. A system as set forth in claim 15 wherein the Coriolis flowmeter is configured to report a measured density value to the electronic processor, and wherein the electronic processor is configured to compare the measured density value with the density cutoff value to detect a partially filled state in the Coriolis flowmeter when the density cutoff value exceeds the measured density value.
17. A system as set forth in claim 10 further comprising an interface module, the interface module including the electronic processor, the electronic storage, and an input/output device, the input/output device including the communications interface, a display and a tactile manual input.