Device for separating and for measuring the volume of the various phases of a mixture of fluids

Abstract

The invention is a device for separating a mixture of fluids (conducting fluid, non-conducting fluid, gas), suited to measure the volumes of the various fluids by means of a capacitive measuring process. The invention comprises a unit (WOS) for separating a conducting liquid phase and another, non-conducting liquid phase or non-conducting gas phase that's immiscible with said first phase along an intervening interface, comprising an elongate tubular vessel (T) whose outer wall (,) is made of a conducting material and whose inner wall (,) is made of an insulating material, this vessel being arranged vertically in operation, a conducting element (,) in contact with the conducting first phase, that can be combined with a second unit (GOS) for separating a non-conducting liquid and a gas, comprising a second elongate tubular vessel (,) made of a conducting material placed above the first unit, an elongate electrode (,) arranged substantially in line with the second vessel and electrically insulated therefrom a capacitance measuring unit (,) that is connected by conductors (LI-L,) to conducting element (,), to the outer wall (,) of the first vessel, to second vessel (,) and to electrode (,), and fluid supply means (,). The invention may be used to monitor interfaces at high temperature and pressure, notably for petrophysical measurements for example.