Vapor-liquid Ratio Patents (Class 73/64.44)
  • Patent number: 9399905
    Abstract: A method of treating a subsurface formation includes circulating at least one molten salt through at least one conduit of a conduit-in-conduit heater located in the formation to heat hydrocarbons in the formation to at least a mobilization temperature of the hydrocarbons. At least some of the hydrocarbons are produced from the formation. An electrical resistance of at least one of the conduits of the conduit-in-conduit heater is assessed to assess a presence of a leak in at least one of the conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Scott Vinh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8966969
    Abstract: Processing a reservoir fluid sample includes separating the reservoir fluid sample into a vapor phase stream and a liquid phase stream, assessing a composition of the vapor phase stream, sampling a property of the liquid phase steam, and assessing a volume of a components of the liquid phase stream based at least in part on the sampled property of the liquid phase stream. A system for processing a reservoir fluid sample includes a volumetric receptacle adapted to accept the reservoir fluid sample, a phase separator configured to receive the reservoir fluid sample from the volumetric receptacle and to separate the reservoir fluid sample into a vapor phase stream and a liquid phase stream, a gas chromatograph arranged to receive the vapor phase stream from the phase separator, and a liquid flow meter configured to detect an interface including at least one component of the liquid phase stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: SGS North America Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne A. Kriel, Shuzong Cai, Francisco J. Azcarate
  • Patent number: 8903662
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method for determining the heating value of a fuel, the fuel comprising at least one hydrocarbon including a first hydrocarbon present in the highest molar concentration, the method comprising: measuring the stoichiometric oxidation molar flow ratio of the fuel; determining the ideal molar heating value (HVm,i) from the measured stoichiometric oxidation molar flow ratio; measuring the molar concentration of the first hydrocarbon; and determining the real molar heating value (HVm,r) from the ideal molar heating value (HVm,i) and the molar concentration of the first hydrocarbon. An apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: ANU-BIZ BVBA
    Inventors: Johan Bats, Floris J. J. Huijsmans
  • Patent number: 8701509
    Abstract: A sampling device allows samples to be taken from a fluid that is pressurized and/or contains volatile components. The sampling device has a sampling housing (121, 521), an inlet (10, 110, 510), an outlet (11, 111, 511), a measuring cell (17, 317, 517) and a valve unit (118, 534). The valve unit has a valve which, in a first position, connects the inlet to the outlet by way of the measuring cell. In a second position, the valve connects the inlet directly to the outlet, while also disconnecting the measuring cell from both the inlet and the outlet. The valve unit also has at least one adjustable flow restrictor, through which the flow of the fluid through the sampling device is regulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo AG
    Inventors: Klaus-Dieter Anders, Dragan Radanovic
  • Patent number: 8485026
    Abstract: A method of measuring thermo-physical properties of a reservoir fluid includes introducing the fluid under pressure into a microchannel, establishing a stabilized flow of the fluid through the microchannel, inducing bubble formation in the fluid disposed in the microchannel, and determining the thermo-physical properties of the fluid based upon the bubbles formed as the fluid flows through the microchannel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Farshid Mostowfi
  • Patent number: 8268629
    Abstract: A system and method for characterizing a liquid hydrocarbon fuel having unknown or variable composition is described and shown herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: dTEC Systems L.L.C.
    Inventors: Thomas Coleman, Frederick Wolf, James E Bruya
  • Publication number: 20110290007
    Abstract: A fish tank apparatus includes a plurality of fish tanks and water measuring apparatus. The water measuring apparatus includes a measuring member for detecting water parameter, and a switchable sample water diverting member having a plurality of inlets and at least one outlet. A central measurement conduit fluidically connects the outlet of the switchable sample water diverting member with the measuring member. A plurality of peripheral measurement conduits fluidically connect the fish tanks with the inlets of the switchable sample water diverting device, which is configured to selectively feed sample water from each one of the peripheral measurement conduits to the central measurement conduit to test the water in the fish tanks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventor: Meik Südkamp
  • Publication number: 20110239747
    Abstract: A method for determining the water transfer in a water vapor transfer unit of a fuel cell system that employs a model based approach. The method includes determining a capacity ratio of wet streams and dry streams flowing through the water vapor transfer unit, determining the number of mass transfer units of the water vapor transfer unit, estimating a mass transfer effectiveness value given the capacity ratio and the number of mass transfer units for the water vapor transfer unit, and determining the amount of water transferred in the water vapor transfer unit using the mass transfer effectiveness value, the mass flow rates on a dry basis of the dry stream and the wet stream, and the mass flow rates of water of the dry inlet stream and the wet inlet stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Yan Zhang, John C. Fagley
  • Patent number: 7377148
    Abstract: An air or gas bubble detection system detects the presence of liquid in intravenous (IV) tubing. By detecting the presence of liquid rather than gas, false alarms due to micro bubbles or small air gaps between the sensor and the tubing are avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Enginivity, LLC
    Inventors: David E. Cassidy, Eric May, Richard Bucchianeri
  • Patent number: 6986276
    Abstract: The disclosed apparatus comprises a phase fraction meter and a compliant mandrel deployable within a production pipe, and may further comprise a flow velocity meter. The mandrel allows the determination of the phase fraction for a fluid comprising three phases by providing an additional cross sectional compliance within the conduit, thereby allowing the density of the fluid to be determined. The mandrel also provides a specified blockage through the flow velocity meter, thereby increasing flow velocity through the meter. This allows flow rate measurements in conditions under which flow velocity in the under-restricted cross-sectional area of the pipe would normally be very low. Further, the mandrel can provide a specified restriction in the pipe, i.e., a venturi. By measuring the differential pressure across the venturi and utilizing the measured fluid velocity from the flow velocity meter, the density of the fluid mixture can be calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel L. Gysling, Stuart E. Ferguson
  • Publication number: 20040173010
    Abstract: The disclosed apparatus comprises a phase fraction meter and a compliant mandrel deployable within a production pipe, and may further comprise a flow velocity meter. The mandrel allows the determination of the phase fraction for a fluid comprising three phases by providing an additional cross sectional compliance within the conduit, thereby allowing the density of the fluid to be determined. The mandrel also provides a specified blockage through the flow velocity meter, thereby increasing flow velocity through the meter. This allows flow rate measurements in conditions under which flow velocity in the under-restricted cross-sectional area of the pipe would normally be very low. Further, the mandrel can provide a specified restriction in the pipe, i.e., a venturi. By measuring the differential pressure across the venturi and utilizing the measured fluid velocity from the flow velocity meter, the density of the fluid mixture can be calculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Daniel L. Gysling, Stuart E. Ferguson
  • Patent number: 6499344
    Abstract: A well tester adapted to select among members of an oil well family to provide a purged and clean vessel to receive samples of well production that include gas and oil, and by selective use of production pressure and lease water under pressure, allow for the separation and separate measure of the oil and gas, and optionally to provide for improved sampling of production fluids with high gas/oil ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Inventors: Donald C. Nelson, Donald Wallace Ekdahl
  • Patent number: 6212948
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for obtaining representative samples of fluids produced from one or more oil wells by means of a closed vessel chamber with lease water supply port connected to a lease water supply line, where a pressure sensor within such internal chamber is used together with a flowmeter and liquid-sensing probe or oil/water interface sensor employed in the fluid flow path lines to determine a rate of well production along with absolute or relative amounts of oil, water and gas contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Inventors: Donald W. Ekdahl, Donald C. Nelson