General Electric Company

Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC

Baker Hughes Holdings LLC

Chong Tao

Anthony Kowal

Aniruddha S Weling

Lei Sui

Yufeng Huang

Xiaoyong Liu

Daniel Robert Johnson

Randy Scott Pfenninger

Joshua Daniel Brooks

Vinayak Tilak

Sandip Maity

Chayan Mitra

Rachit Sharma

Gary Stephen Parece

Tony Kowal

Dan Johnson

Gary S Parece

Jon W Chow

Ashraf El-Messidi

Anan Wang

Michael Muller

A method of in situ ultrasonic flow meter validation includes receiving data characterizing first signal diagnostics and data characterizing a first speed of a first acoustic signal through a gas mixture along a first path in a pipe. The first speed of the first acoustic signal is detected by a first channel of an ultrasonic flow meter including a first pair of transducers that are separated by a first path length of the first path. The gas mixture is configured to flow along a flow path in the pipe. The method also includes determining a status associated with the ultrasonic flow meter based on the data characterizing the first signal diagnostics and/or a difference between the first speed of the first acoustic signal and an independently calculated speed of sound. The speed of sound is calculated based on one or more properties of the gas mixture.

In situ ultrasonic flow meter validation

In an embodiment, a method of controlling flaring of a combustion gas including a flare gas, a supplemental fuel gas, and an assist gas is provided. Models estimating, based on flow rates and in-situ speed of sound measurements in the gases, net heating value of the combustion gas within a flare combustion zone, combustion efficiency of the combustion gas, and smoke yield of the combustion gas are maintained. The method also includes receiving measurements of the gas flow rates and determining set points for flow rates of the fuel gas and/or the assist gas based upon the models that achieve a target combustion efficiency. When a difference between a determined set point and its corresponding flow rate for the fuel gas and/or the assist gas is greater than a corresponding predetermined tolerance amount, that flow rate can be adjusted to reduce the determined difference below the predetermined tolerance amount.

Emission monitoring and control of flare systems

A system for flare combustion control includes a sound speed measurement device for measuring sound speed in a flare vent gas, and a flare combustion controller including a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to receive the measured sound speed and determine, based on the measured sound speed, a molecular weight of the flare vent gas. The processor is further configured to determine, based on the determined molecular weight, a net heating value of the flare vent gas, and adjust the net heating value of the flare vent gas by regulating an amount of a supplemental fuel gas in the flare vent gas.

Integrated flare combustion control

Systems and methods for monitoring emissions of a combusted gas are provided. The method includes determining a first net heating value of a flare gas. The method also includes determining a second net heating value of a combustion gas including the flare gas. The second net heating value can be determined based upon the first net heating value and a volumetric flow rate of the flare gas. Based upon the value of the second net heating value, an empirical model or a non-parametric machine learning model can be selected. A combustion efficiency of the combustion gas can be determined using the selected model, the second net heating value, and selected ones of the process conditions and the environmental conditions. Total emissions of the combustion mixture can be further determined from the combustion efficiency and a volumetric flow rate of the combustion gas.

Emission monitoring of flare systems

A method for baseline calibration of methane sensor includes receiving data characterizing methane detection by a sensor and sensor measurement parameters. The received data characterizing methane detection includes a plurality of methane measurements and detection times associated with the plurality of methane measurements. The method also includes determining a first plurality of calibrated methane measurements by at least calibrating the plurality of methane measurement based on the sensor measurement parameters and one or more of a humidity and a temperature associated with the sensor. The method further includes calculating an offset parameter based on a difference between a global baseline reference and one of a previous baseline value and a measurement baseline value associated with the first plurality of calibrated methane measurements. The method also includes providing a second plurality of calibrated methane measurements by at least subtracting the offset parameter from the first plurality of calibrated methane measurements.

Methane sensor automatic baseline calibration

A method includes receiving data characterizing a speed of an acoustic signal through a gas mixture in a pipe. The speed of the acoustic signal can be detected by an ultrasonic flow meter coupled to the pipe. The method also includes receiving data characterizing a concentration of one or more inert gases in the gas mixture detected by an inert gas analyzer. The method further includes determining, based on the received data characterizing the speed of the acoustic signal and the received data characterizing the concentration of the one or more inert gases in the gas mixture, a net heating value of the gas mixture. The method also includes adjusting a processing of the gas mixture based on the determined net heating value.

Online analyzers for flare gas processing

A method includes receiving a gas mixture at a first pressure including at least a primary gas and a secondary gas and changing a pressure of the received gas mixture from the first pressure to a second pressure. Further, the method includes determining a spectra of the gas mixture at the second pressure, wherein at least the first spectral line of the primary gas is spectrally distinguished from at least the second spectral line of the secondary gas, identifying a peak wavelength associated with the spectrally distinguished first spectral line of the primary gas based on at least two wavelengths of the secondary gas corresponding to at least two peak amplitudes in the spectra of the gas mixture, and determining a concentration of the primary gas based on the identified peak wavelength associated with the spectrally distinguished first spectral line of the primary gas.

System and method for measuring concentration of a trace gas in a gas mixture

A system includes a moisture analyzer configured to detect moisture in a process gas. The moisture analyzer includes an absorption cell that encloses and conducts the process gas. The moisture analyzer also includes a pressure control device that may reduce a pressure of the process gas inside the absorption cell. The moisture analyzer includes a light emitting device that may transmit light through the process gas inside the absorption cell, as well as a photodetector that may detect an intensity of the light transmitted through the process gas and exiting the absorption cell.

Method and system for detecting moisture in a process gas involving cross interference

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Winchester, MA, United States of America

Chong Tao