Two-phase coriolis mass flow metering with high viscosity oil. (March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tombs, Michael; Zhou, Feibiao; Henry, Manus
• Is Part Of: Flow measurement and instrumentation. Volume 59(2018)
• Page Start: 23
• Page End: 27
• Publication Date: 2018-03
• Subjects: Coriolis -- Mass flow -- Neural net -- Multi phase flow -- Two phase flow -- Oil and gas -- High viscosity oil; Fluid dynamic measurements -- Periodicals; Flow meters -- Periodicals; Fluides, Dynamique des -- Mesure -- Périodiques; Débitmètres -- Périodiques; 681.2805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.flowmeasinst.2017.11.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0955-5986

Abstract

Abstract: Previous work has described the use of Coriolis mass flow metering for multiphase flows, with applications in the oil and gas industry. This paper describes the development and testing of a Coriolis two-phase flow metering solution for nitrogen/synthetic oil mixtures with viscosities ranging from 50 cSt to 500 cSt, and with Gas Volume Fractions (GVFs) ranging from 0% to 90%. Formal trials took place at the UK National Flow Laboratory. A single synthetic oil was used; its viscosity was adjusted by controlling temperature. The results show that Coriolis metering is well suited to high viscosity oil/gas mixtures: in the formalized trials, mass flow errors for gas were mostly within 5% and for liquid were mostly within 2.5%. Achieving this accuracy up to 90% GVF represents an advance on previous work, which has been limited to around 50% GVF for low viscosity oils in two-phase and three-phase mixtures. Highlights: Two-phase (oil/gas) flow metering trials are described, using Coriolis Mass Flow metering. Formal trials have taken place at the UK National Flow Laboratory, TUV-NEL. The viscosity ranged from 50 cSt to 500 cSt and the gas volume fraction ranged from 0% to 90%. The liquid mass flow error was within ± 2.5%, and the gas mass flow error within ± 5.0%.