IP Library Granted Patent US 10,605,711
Granted Patent B2
US 10,605,711 · App. 15/535,278 · Granted Mar 31, 2020

Ultrasonic measuring method and system for measuring particle size and mass concentration

Inventors: Yan Mei (Shanghai, CN); Longtao Yuan (Shanghai, CN); Ran Niu (Shanghai, CN); Weihua Shang (Shanghai, CN); Jing Ye (Shanghai, CN); Xin Qu (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: General Electric Company
G01N15/02G01N15/06G01N29/032G01N29/11G01N29/449G01N2291/02408G01N2291/02809G01N2291/044G01N2291/101G01N2291/106
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,605,711
App. No.
15/535,278
Granted
Mar 31, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A measurement method comprising: transmitting a plurality of ultrasonic signals to the fluid to be measured; receiving an return signal reflected or scattered from the particles in the fluid under test; calculating a one or more calculated values of the R parameter associated with the particle properties based on the return signal; determining the theoretical curve of the R parameter associated with the particle properties; and determining the mean diameter of the particles in the fluid based on the one or more calculated values of the R parameter and the theoretical curve of the R parameter; determining the mass concentration of the particles in the fluid according to the mean diameter of the particles. Embodiments also provide a measurement system for measuring the mean diameter and mass concentration of the particles.

Claims (33)

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting a plurality of ultrasonic signals to a fluid with particles;

receiving a plurality of return signals reflected or backscattered from the particles;

calculating one or more calculated values of a R parameter related to particle property of the particles according to the plurality of return signals;

determining a theoretical curve of the R parameter;

determining a mean diameter of the particles according to the one or more calculated values and the theoretical curve of the R parameter; and

determining a mass concentration of the particles according the mean diameter.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting the plurality of ultrasonic signals to a plurality of regions in the fluid via a plurality of transducers arranging on a conduit and spaced from each other;

determining the mean diameter and the mass concentration of the particles in each region; and

determining a particle size distribution of the particles in the conduit according to the mean diameters and the mass concentrations of the particles in the plurality of regions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the mean diameter of the particles comprises fitting the one or more calculated values and the theoretical curve of the R parameter to get the mean diameter of the particles.

4. The measurement method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a root-mean-square of voltage amplitudes of the return signals as a function of the particle property of the particles; and

calculating the one or more calculated values according to the function.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the theoretical curve of the R parameter comprises determining the theoretical curve according to an average backscatter form function and an average normalized total scattering cross-section.

6. A system, comprising:

one or more transducers configured to transmit a plurality of ultrasonic signals to a fluid with particles and receive a plurality of return signals reflected or backscattered from the particles; and

a processor coupled to the one or more transducers and configured to:

calculate one or more calculated values of a R parameter related to particle property of the particles according to the plurality of return signals;

determine a theoretical curve of the R parameter;

determine a mean diameter of the particles according to the one or more calculated values and the theoretical curve of the R parameter; and

determine a mass concentration of the particles according the mean diameter.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a conduit:

wherein the one or more transducers comprise a plurality of transducers arranging on the conduit and spaced from each other to transmit the plurality of ultrasonic signals to a plurality of regions in the fluid; and

wherein the processor is configured to:

determine the mean diameter and the mass concentration of the particles in each region, and

determine a particle size distribution of the particles in the conduit according to the mean diameters and the mass concentrations of the particles in the plurality of regions.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to fit the one or more calculated values and the theoretical curve of the R parameter to get the mean diameter of the particles.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to

determine a root-mean-square of voltage amplitudes of the return signals as a function of the particle property of the particles; and

calculate the one or more calculated values according to the function.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the theoretical curve according to an average backscatter form function and an average normalized total scattering cross-section.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 27, 2021
From: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS, LLC
To: HYDRIL USA DISTRIBUTION LLC
Reel/Frame 057608/0034 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2019
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 049755/0352 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2017
From: MEI, YAN; YUAN, LONGTAO; NIU, RAN; SHANG, WEIHUA; YE, JING; QU, XIN
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 042678/0102 →