Nusonics, Inc.

Mapco, Inc.

Other

Ellis M Zacharias, Jr

An improved transducer for transmitting and receiving sonic energy, the transducer having a housing with a cylindrical opening, an acoustic end member closing one end of the opening, and providing an acoustic window, a crystal element having one planar surface in engagement with the acoustic end member rearward face, a thrust producing compression screw threadably received in the cylindrical opening, and a spring between the compression screw and crystal element to maintain a substantially steady force of the crystal element against the acoustic end member rearward face. In one embodiment particularly adapting the transducer for sanitary environments the end member includes an integrally formed reflector portion with provision for fluid to flow freely between the sonic window portion and the reflector portion.

Sonic transducer

A method of measuring the composition of an oil and water mixture flowing in a pipeline includes the steps of extracting a sample of the mixture from the pipeline, measuring the speed of sound transmission of the mixture which may be carried out either in the pipeline or in a portion of the extracted sample, separating the water from at least a portion of the extracted sample, measuring the speed of sound transmission of the sample of the mixture having the water separated therefrom, and comparing the determined speed of sound transmission of the mixture and the speed of sound transmission of the sample having water separated therefrom to determine the ratio of oil and water in the mixture.

Method of measuring the amount of water flowing in a crude oil pipeline

A high pressure transducer for transmitting and/or receiving sonic energy, the transducer having a housing with a cylindrical opening, a metallic acoustic window element closing one end of the opening, a cylindrical transducer crystal having one planar surface in engagement with the acoustic window rearward face, a thrust producing compression screw threadably received in the cylindrical opening supplying pressure through dampening means to the crystal rearward face to force the crystal into intimate engagement with the acoustic window, the acoustic window having a thickness of about N times 1/2 of the wavelength of crystal produced sound in the acoustic window, N being the least whole number providing an acoustic window having strength to withstand the pressure to which the transducer is subjected without significant deformation.

High pressure transducer

A method of determining the net volume of water and oil in a flow stream including the steps of measuring the gross volume of fluid flowing in the stream, periodically collecting from the stream samples of the oil and water mixture, treating each sample of the oil and water mixture to cause any entrained gas bubbles to be absorbed in the mixture or reduced to selected maximum size and entrained emulsion droplets are reduced in size, passing the treated sample of oil and water mixture through a sonic apparatus, measuring the speed of sound transmission of the mixture within the sonic apparatus and determining from the speed of sound transmission the relative composition of water and oil in the mixture, and calculating the gross volumetric oil and water utilizing the measurements obtained from the sonic apparatus and from the measurement of the gross volume of fluid.

Method of determining the net volume of water and oil in a flow stream

A method of determining the net volume of water and oil in a flow stream, including the steps of collecting the fluid in a vessel providing a quiescent zone, venting pressure from the vessel to permit at least a portion of dissolved gas to flush from the fluid, repressuring the fluid within the vessel to a superatmospheric pressure to force any remaining entrained gas bubbles back into solution, passing the fluid from the vessel while subjected to a superatmospheric pressure through a sonic apparatus having a sonic path disposed at an angle to the flow stream to measure the upstream and downstream speed of sound transmission of the fluid, calculating from the difference in the upstream and downstream speeds of sound transmission the volume of fluid flow and from the summation of the speeds of sound transmission the fluid composition, and from these calculations the net volume of oil and water flow.

Method of measuring the composition of an oil and water mixture

A sonic flow meter in the form of a conduit providing a linear fluid flow path and having first and second openings on opposite sides of the conduit displaced in an upstream-downstream relationship providing a sonic path through the interior of the conduit, with sonic transducers elements positioned to transmit and receive energy through the sonic path, and having an upstream and downstream flow straightener for separating the fluid stream into a plurality of reduced-cross-sectional area streams, ends of the flow straightener being in planes paralleling, and adjacent the sonic path.

Sonic flow meter having improved flow straighteners

A high-temperature transducer for transmitting and/or receiving sonic energy having a housing with a cylindrical opening, a metallic acoustic window element closing one end of the opening, a cylindrical transducer crystal having one planar surface in engagement with the acoustic window rearward face, a cylindrical dampening member in contact with the crystal rearward face, a first and a second thrust disc received in the cylindrical opening with a thrust transmitting sphere between the discs, and a thrust producing compression screw threadably received in the cylindrical opening supplying pressure against the first of the thrust discs which pressure is applied by means of the sphere to the second thrust disc, to the dampening means and to the crystal rearward face to force the crystal into intimate engagement with the acoustic window for effective sound transmission.

High-temperature transducer

An improved dampened ultrasonic transducer for imparting sonic energy to or receiving sonic energy from fluid, having a housing with a cylindrical cavity therein providing a closed end wall at one end and an opening in the opposite end, the housing having internal threads adjacent the opening. A piezoelectric crystal is positioned within the housing, the front face being contiguous to the cavity closed end wall, a cylindrical dampening member positioned within the cavity with the front face contiguous to the crystal rear face, a plurality of spring washers, the forwardmost washer engaging the rearward face of the dampener member, and an externally threaded plug member positioned in the rearward end of the housing and threadably advanced to apply compressive resilient force against the dampening member to maintain firm contact of the dampening member with the crystal and the crystal with the housing closed end wall.

Dampened ultrasonic transducer

An improved sonic flowmeter having a conduit with an inlet and outlet through which fluid flows for rate measurement, a portion of the conduit providing a linear flow path, a first and second spaced apart transducer element positioned to transmit and receive energy traveling through fluid as it traverses the linear flow path, circuitry connected to the transducer elements for detecting the speed of sound transmission between the transducer elements as an indication of the rate of fluid flow through the linear flow path, and dividers within the linear flow path separating the fluid stream into a plurality of reduced cross-sectional area streams, each providing a separate linear flow path through which sound is transmitted between the transducer elements providing means of increasing the linearity and repeatability of the detected rate of fluid flow.

Growing community of inventors

Tulsa, OK, United States of America

Ellis M Zacharias, Jr