A novel method for holdup measurement of three phases by an ultrasonic device with the flexible substrate

• Published in: Measurement : journal of the International Measurement Confederation Vol. 235; p. 114905
• Main Authors: Fan, Jinhui, Liu, Hang, Cui, Haibin, Wang, Wenyuan, Song, Jizhou, Wang, Fei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2024
• Subjects: Flexible substrate; Phase holdup; Transit-time; Ultrasonic reflection; Flexible substrate; Transit-time; Phase holdup; Ultrasonic reflection
• ISSN: 0263-2241; 1873-412X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.measurement.2024.114905

•A novel method for holdup measurement of three phases is proposed.•The holdup error for all three phases remains within 1%•An ultrasonic flexible substrate device was used for fluid hold up measurements.•Specific attenuation coefficient was introduced to distinguish oil and water phases. The precise measurement of multiphase flow holds significant importance across diverse industrial contexts. However, rigid probes struggle with the variable dimensions of curved surfaces, while flexible probes are hindered by fragility, susceptibility, and challenges in large-scale production. Herein, we propose an ultrasonic device featuring a flexible substrate that seamlessly amalgamates flexibility and rigidity to enable precise measurement of three-phase flow. Through simulation, we determine the optimal ultrasonic frequency (1 MHz) and flexible substrate thickness (3 mm) for a specified probe and pipe size (20 mm). A novel concept, the specific attenuation coefficient (SAC), derived from the voltage-amplitude of transmitted and received signals and propagation distance, is introduced to differentiate between oil and water. The discrepancy between measured and actual three-phase holdups are 0.55 %, 0.36 %, and 0.59 % for water, gas and oil, respectively, with a variance of measurement results 0.027.