RU2399882C1 - Multi-sensor analyser of flow and composition of components of gas-liquid stream from oil wells - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: device has high-frequency resonators, each fitted with an input-output; limiting or limiting-dividing short-circuited turns which are coaxially placed inside a tubular metal housing on outer surfaces of dielectric pipes; computers, receiving/transmitting channels, each connecting the input-output of one of the resonators with one input of the corresponding computer; a high-frequency generator, a mode controller, X-ray tubes with a power supply, roentgenolucent housing inserts, each fitted in the emission plane of the corresponding X-ray tube; X-ray screens with roentgenolucent inserts in between; primary and secondary collimators, an orthogonal collimator, secondary radiators, scintillation detectors, multi-channel photomultipliers, multi-channel light guides, as well as straightening vane fitted at the input of the metal housing; processing and control modules.

EFFECT: more reliable measurement results.

6 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to measuring technique and can be used in the oil industry, for example, to control the flow rate of oil wells.

Known analyzers of the component flow rate of a three-component gas-liquid flow of oil wells containing a radio wave sensor of the component composition of the stream, a microwave generator and a computing and control unit (see RF patent No. 2063615, IPC G01F 1/56, RF patent No. 43068, IPC G01F 1/74 and RF patent No. 2275604, IPC G01F 1/74). These analyzers allow you to control the component flow rate of a gas-liquid stream containing oil, gas and water. However, in cases where the water included in the controlled stream contains dissolved salts, known analyzers are inoperative.

This disadvantage is due to the attenuation of microwave radiation of a microwave generator of known analyzers in substantially conductive salt water. Since the content of salts dissolved in well water, as a rule, amounts to tens of grams per liter, such water has a high electrical conductivity, which makes it virtually non-transparent for microwave radiation and does not allow reliable radio monitoring of water content at ultrahigh frequencies.

The component-free analyzer of the three-component gas-liquid flow of oil wells is free from this drawback, which includes a radio wave sensor containing high-frequency resonators, each of which is a zigzag conductor, coaxially located inside the tubular metal casing on the outer surface of the tubular dielectric casing, as well as a control computer block and controlled high-frequency generator, which is used as a controlled frequency synthesizer (see application for invention of the Russian Federation No. 2002100228/28, IPC G01F 1/00, G01F 5/00).

In this analyzer, as the informative parameters of the signal about the component composition of the controlled medium, the parameters of the resonant absorption of the high-frequency electromagnetic field by the medium at several resonant frequencies lying in the high-frequency range are used.

To measure the speed of the controlled flow in this analyzer, an autocorrelation method was selected based on measuring the transit time of a certain base length of the radio wave sensor by local inhomogeneity of the flow; the indicated time is determined by the maximum of the mutual correlation function of two time realizations of radio wave RF signals characterizing this heterogeneity.

Due to the fact that the known analyzer uses a high-frequency electromagnetic field as a probing radio wave signal, it makes it possible to probe a gas-liquid stream at a relatively low frequency compared to microwave radiation and thereby makes it possible to reliably control the parameters of a gas-liquid stream even if it contains salt water.

However, the disadvantages of this analyzer include, firstly, the insufficient reliability of information about the mass component flow rate and, secondly, the high measurement error of the volume component flow rate that occurs in each of the two extreme flow regimes of the controlled flow: in a vortex unsteady flow and vice versa , with laminar steady flow.

The first of these drawbacks is due to the fact that the radio wave method of measuring component flow rate allows you to directly control only the volumetric flows of the components. As a result, to obtain the mass flow rates of the components, it is necessary to additionally use insufficiently reliable indirect information on the density of each of the components, which makes it possible to calculate the mass component consumption of oil, water and gas.

Two other drawbacks are explained by the fact that, with a substantially unsteady flow of a gas-liquid medium, typical of most domestic oil wells, the component composition and flow rate quickly and randomly change over time, as a result of which the error in averaging chaotic changes in the flow regime can reach significant values. In the opposite case, with a steady flow of a controlled environment, the use of a known analyzer is also difficult, since the autocorrelation radio wave method of measuring the flow velocity, which is the basis of its work, can be used only if there are clearly defined local inhomogeneities in the controlled medium that are absent in a steady flow.

An X-ray analyzer of the component composition and velocity of the gas-liquid flow is also known, which includes a metal case with X-ray transparent inserts installed in its wall, an X-ray tube with a power source, the first and second primary and first and second secondary X-ray collimators with several collimating holes in each of them, the first and second scintillation detectors, the first and second multichannel photoelectronic multipliers, as well as a computer, the first and second processing modules and a control module, each of the scintillation detectors being connected to the corresponding input of the corresponding photoelectronic multiplier using a corresponding multi-channel fiber, and the output of the computer is connected to the input of the control module controlling the power supply of the x-ray tube (see utility model patent 76454, IPC 7 G01F No. 1/00, G01F No. 9/24, G01F No. 23/00).

The disadvantages of this analyzer are the relatively short life of the analyzer and the significant error in measuring the velocity of vortex non-axisymmetric flows.

The first of these drawbacks is explained by the relatively low service life of one of the main elements of the known analyzer - an x-ray tube, which does not allow for a long and continuous operation of the known analyzer.

The second drawback is associated with the feature of cross-correlation measurement of the gas-liquid flow rate by the X-ray fluorescence method. X-ray fluorescence control of the flow rate is performed at the moments of successive intersection of two x-ray beams by a moving local inhomogeneity of the flow: first, the first x-ray beam formed by the first primary x-ray collimator, and then the second beam formed by the second primary collimator. If the trajectory of the moving inhomogeneity deviates from the rectilinear coaxial direction, the heterogeneity may not intersect the second X-ray beam, which will not allow measuring the inhomogeneity transit time of the base distance between the two mentioned beams and, accordingly, will not make it possible to calculate its velocity.

Closest to the proposed invention in technical essence and the achieved result is a well-known multisensor analyzer of the flow rate and composition of the components of the gas-liquid flow of oil wells (see RF patent No. 2307328, IPC G01F 1/74, G01F 1/66, G01N 22/00, Е21В 47 / 10). The composition of the known analyzer includes a computer, coaxially located first, second and third high-frequency resonators, each of which is a short-circuited zigzag conductor equipped with input-output, limiting short-circuited coils and limiting-dividing short-circuited coils, all mentioned high-frequency resonators and all short-circuited located on the outer surface of the tubular dielectric housing coaxially mounted inside the tubular metal physical housing. The known analyzer also contains the first, second and third transceiver paths, each of which connects the input-output of the corresponding resonator with the corresponding input of the computer, a high-frequency generator and a control unit, the input of which is connected to the output of the computer, and the output to the high-frequency generator. In addition, the analyzer includes the first and second amplifiers, the input of each of which is connected to one of the outputs of the high-frequency generator, the output of the first amplifier being connected to the input of the first transceiver path, and the output of the second to the inputs of the second and third transceiver paths, as well as a controller modes and a pressure sensor installed in the wall of the metal casing, while the restrictive-dividing short-circuited coil is located between the second and third high-frequency resonators. This analyzer is taken as the closest analogue (prototype) of the proposed invention.

During operation of the known analyzer, a high-frequency generator controlled by a computer through a control unit generates a high-frequency signal, which is supplied to each of the resonators and excites a high-frequency electromagnetic field in them. In this case, the first resonator serves to obtain information on the relative volume fractions of each of the three components of the controlled medium, and the second and third resonators serve to obtain data on the speed of the controlled flow.

Since when each resonator is filled with a controlled medium, it absorbs the energy of a high-frequency electromagnetic field, the output signals of the resonators contain information about the component composition of the controlled medium.

These output signals are sent to a computer, where, firstly, the relative volume fractions of each of the components of the gas-liquid flow are calculated based on the signals of the first resonator and, secondly, on the basis of the signals of the second and third resonators, the temporal implementations of the output signals are determined, moreover, as temporal implementations are used depending on the time of the amplitudes of these signals.

After processing the temporary realizations, their mutual correlation function is determined, one of the realizations is shifted relative to the other, the offset time is determined equal to the travel time of the stable local inhomogeneity of the base length stream between the centers of the second and third resonators, and the speed of the controlled stream is calculated.

The obtained velocity value is used in the calculator to determine the instantaneous values of the component-wise volumetric flow rates of each of the three components of the gas-liquid flow: oil, water, and gas.

To determine the component-wise mass flow rates, the calculator takes into account the signals about the instantaneous pressure values of the controlled medium obtained using the pressure sensor, as well as the data on the nominal densities of each of the three components of this medium stored in the memory of the calculator.

Thus, the known analyzer allows you to directly determine the component-wise volumetric flow rate of a gas-liquid stream, and also, based on indirect data, calculate the component-wise mass flow rate of each of the three components of the stream during continuous long-term operation of the analyzer.

The disadvantages of the known analyzer include the impossibility of direct measurement of component-wise mass flow rate and a significant error in measuring component-wise flow rate of turbulent flows.

The first of the noted drawbacks leads to the need to use indirect averaged data on the nominal density of each of the three flow components, which significantly reduces the reliability and accuracy of the mass flow measurement.

The second drawback is due to the fact that the local inhomogeneity of the flow, fixed in the center of the second resonator, inevitably “erodes” by the vortex flow when it moves to the center of the third resonator, since the distance between the centers of the second and third resonators is relatively large. The erosion of local inhomogeneity by a turbulent flow sharply increases the error in measuring the speed of the controlled flow.

The objective of the proposed invention and its technical result is to increase the accuracy and reliability of measurements of the flow rate of the components of the gas-liquid flow, including the mass flow rate of the components in a turbulent flow mode during continuous long-term operation of the analyzer.

To solve this problem, the design and composition of the elements of the multisensor flow analyzer and the composition of the components of the gas-liquid flow of oil wells have been changed.

The composition of the proposed analyzer includes a tubular metal case and a tubular dielectric body coaxially installed inside it, coaxially located first, second and third high-frequency resonators, each of which is a zigzag short-circuited conductor equipped with input-output, as well as limiting short-circuited turns and a limiting-dividing a short-circuited coil, and all of the aforementioned resonators and coils are installed inside the metal casing coaxially to its bunk the surface of the dielectric housing, and a delimiting short-circuited coil is located between the second and third resonators.

The composition of the known analyzer also includes the first calculator and the first, second and third transceiver paths, each of which connects the input-output of the corresponding resonator with the corresponding input of the first calculator. The analyzer also contains a high-frequency generator and a control unit, the multi-channel input of which is connected to the output of the first computer, and the output is connected to the high-frequency generator, the first and second amplifiers, the input of each of which is connected to one of the outputs of the high-frequency generator, the output of the first amplifier connected to the input of the first transceiver path, and the output of the second to the inputs of the second and third transceiver paths.

The analyzer also includes a mode controller.

In the claimed device, new in relation to the prototype is that, according to the invention, the dielectric casing consists of two dielectric pipes: the first (downstream) dielectric pipe and the second (downstream) dielectric pipe, the first resonator and mounted at each of its ends a short-circuited limiting coil is located on the first dielectric pipe, and a second and third resonators are installed on the second dielectric pipe, both of which have a short-circuited short-circuit to coil, which is located between a restrictive-separating closed loop.

The analyzer additionally introduced the first and second X-ray tubes, each of which corresponds to an X-ray transparent insert installed in the wall of the metal casing between the first and second dielectric tubes. X-ray transparent inserts are separated from one another and from the first and second dielectric tubes by tubular X-ray screens located inside the metal body aligned with it.

In addition, the analyzer additionally includes the following elements corresponding to the first x-ray tube: the first primary collimator, the first secondary collimator and the orthogonal collimator with several collimating holes in each of them, as well as the first detectors, orthogonal detectors and first control detectors. In addition, the composition of the claimed device introduced elements corresponding to the second x-ray tube: a second primary collimator and a second secondary collimator with several collimating holes in each of them, as well as second detectors, second control detectors and secondary emitters. In this case, the control detectors are arranged so that a straight line passing through the center of radiation of the corresponding x-ray tube and the center of the corresponding control detector does not intersect the metal case.

The analyzer also includes a second calculator, a measuring transducer and a differential pressure sensor connected to the corresponding input of the second calculator through a measuring transducer.

In addition to the above, the claimed analyzer additionally includes the first and second processing modules, a control module, the output of which is connected to a power source, and the input to the output of the second computer, and a jet rectifier installed at the entrance to the metal case.

The first and second multichannel photoelectronic multipliers and the first multichannel optical fiber connecting each of the first detectors, each of the first control detectors and each of the orthogonal detectors with the corresponding input of the first photoelectric multiplier are also introduced into the analyzer.

In addition, the analyzer contains a second multichannel fiber connecting each of the second detectors and each of the second control detectors with the corresponding input of the second photoelectronic multiplier. In this case, the first multichannel photoelectronic multiplier is connected to the first processing module using multichannel information communication, one of the outputs of which is connected to the corresponding input of the second calculator, and the other output to the input of the mode controller.

The second multi-channel photoelectronic multiplier is connected via a multi-channel information connection to the second processing module, the output of which is connected to the corresponding input of the second computer.

The mode controller of the claimed analyzer is connected by its multi-channel output to a second computer connected to the first computer using bi-directional multi-channel information communication and equipped with a multi-channel input-output for connecting to external systems.

The pressure sensor of the proposed analyzer is connected to the corresponding input of the first calculator, each of the secondary emitters is made in the form of a heavy metal, for example, gadolinium, a tube installed in one of the holes of the second secondary collimator. In this case, the depth of each of the collimating holes of the orthogonal collimator is substantially larger than its diameter, and the axes of the collimating holes are parallel to each other and orthogonal to the radiation axis of the first x-ray tube.

In the metal casing, the following elements are installed in series with the flow: a straightener, a first dielectric tube, a first X-ray screen, a first X-ray transparent insert, a second X-ray screen, a second X-ray transparent insert, a third X-ray screen and a second dielectric pipe.

The device and operation of the proposed analyzer are illustrated in Fig.1 - Fig.6.

Figure 1 presents the functional diagram of the analyzer, Figure 2 is a section of the housing containing dielectric tubes, X-ray transparent inserts and X-ray screens, Figure 3 is a cross section of the housing by a plane containing the radiation axis of the first x-ray tube, Figure 4 is a transverse section of the housing by a plane containing the radiation axis of the second x-ray tube, Fig. 5 shows the dependence of the flux density of X-ray photons on their energy, and Fig. 6 shows the time sequence of optical pulses corresponding to X-ray m photons with different energies.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the following designations are introduced: 1 — casing, 2 — first dielectric tube, 3 and 4 — first and second radiolucent inserts, respectively, 5 — second dielectric tube, 6, 7, 8 — first, second, and the third high-frequency resonators, respectively, 9 is a limiting short-circuited coil, 10 is a limiting-dividing short-circuited coil, 11 is a resonator input-output, 12 is a dielectric sleeve, 13, 14 and 15 are the first, second and third transceiver paths, respectively, 16 - the first computer, 17 - the first amplifier, 18 - high hour a generator, 19 — a second amplifier, 20 — a control unit, 21 and 22 — first and second x-ray tubes, respectively, 23 — first primary collimator, 24 — second primary collimator, 25 — first scintillation detectors, 26 — first control scintillation detectors, 27 - orthogonal collimators, 28 - orthogonal scintillation detectors, 29 - first secondary collimator, 30 - second secondary collimator, 31 - second scintillation detectors, 32 - second control scintillation detectors, 33 - secondary emitters, 34 - the first many channel fiber, 35 - the first multi-channel photoelectric multiplier, 36 - the second multi-channel fiber, 37 - the second multi-channel photo multiplier, 38 and 39 - the first and second processing modules, respectively, 40 - the second computer, 41 - mode controller, 42 - control module, 43 - power supply, 44, 45 and 46 - the first, second and third x-ray screens, respectively, 47 - a straightener, 48 - external systems.

The proposed analyzer contains a metal casing 1, which is a segment of the pipeline with flanges at its ends, designed to connect the casing 1 to an external highway. Inside the housing 1, the first dielectric pipe 2, the first and second radiolucent inserts 3 and 4, respectively, and the second dielectric pipe 5 are arranged coaxially with it in a stream. On the outer wall of the first dielectric pipe 2 there is a first resonator 6, which is a zigzag short-circuited conductor, and on the outer wall of the second dielectric pipe 5, the second and third resonators 7 and 8 are arranged successively downstream, respectively, which are also zigzag short-circuited mentioned guides. At each of the ends of each of the resonators 6, 7 and 8 on the outer surface of the dielectric tubes 2 and 5, there is a short-circuited bounding coil 9, and between the bounding coils 9 located between the second and third resonators 7 and 8, respectively, on the outer surface of the dielectric pipe 5 installed restrictive separation short-circuited coil 10.

Each of the resonators 6, 7 and 8 is equipped with its own input-output 11 passing through the wall of the housing 1 through the dielectric sleeve 12. By means of a corresponding input-output 11, each of the resonators 6, 7 and 8 is connected to the input-output of the corresponding transceiver path 13 14, 15: the first resonator 6 is connected to the first transceiver path 13, the second resonator 7 is connected to the second transceiver path 14, and the third resonator 8 is connected to the third transceiver path 15. Each of these paths 13, 14 and 15 is connected by its output to one of the corresponding inputs of the first calculator 16.

The input of the first transceiver path 13 is connected to the output of the first amplifier 17, the input of which is connected to one of the outputs of the high-frequency generator 18, and the input of the second and input of the third transceiver path 14 and 15, respectively, is connected to the output of the second amplifier 19, the input of which connected to another output of the high-frequency generator 18. The input of the high-frequency generator 18 is connected to the output of the control unit 20, connected by its input to the multi-channel output of the first calculator 16. At the outer surface of the housing 1 opposite p X-ray inserts 3 and 4 are installed x-ray tubes 21 and 22 so that the radiation axis of each of them passed through the corresponding radiolucent insert 3 and 4. In the plane of the first radiolucent insert 3 is installed the first primary collimator 23, and in the plane of the second radiolucent insert 4 a second primary collimator is installed 24. In the plane of the location of the first X-ray transparent insert 3 are also installed (see Figure 3) the first detectors 25, the first control detectors 26, orthogonal collimators 27, orthogonal detectors 28 and the first secondary collimators 29, and in the plane of the second X-ray transparent insert 4 are installed (see Figure 4) the second secondary collimator 30, the second detectors 31 and second control detectors 32. In this case, the control detectors 26 and 32 are arranged so that a straight line passing through the center of radiation of the corresponding x-ray tube and the center of the corresponding control detector does not intersect the housing 1.

Secondary emitters 33 are located in the holes of the second secondary collimator 30, and the axis of the collimating holes of each of the orthogonal collimators 27 are perpendicular to the radiation axis of the first x-ray tube 21.

Each of the first detectors 25, each of the first control detectors 26, and each of the orthogonal detectors 28 are optically connected using the first multi-channel fiber 34 to the multi-channel optical input of the first photoelectronic multiplier 35, and each of the second detectors 31 and each of the second control detectors 32 are optically connected using the second multi-channel fiber 36 with a multi-channel optical input of the second photoelectronic multiplier 37.

The first photoelectronic multiplier 35 is connected to the input of the first processing module 38 using multi-channel information communication, and the second photoelectronic multiplier 37 using multi-channel information communication is connected to the input of the second processing module 39. One of the outputs of the first processing module 38 is connected to the corresponding input of the second calculator 40, and the other output of this module is connected to the input of the mode controller 41, connected to the second computer 40 using multi-channel information communication.

The output of the second computer 40 is connected to a control module 42 connected to a power source 43 of the x-ray tubes 21 and 22.

Inside the housing 1, the first, second, and third tubular x-ray screens 44, 45, and 46 are coaxial to the housing 1 in series, respectively, so that the first radiolucent insert 3 is between the first screen 44 and the second screen 45, and the second radiolucent insert 4 is between the second screen 45 and the third screen 46. In addition, a jet straightener 47 located at the inlet of the controlled flow into this body is also installed inside the housing 1.

The first and second computers 16 and 40, respectively, are interconnected two-way multi-channel information communication, while the second computer 40 is equipped with a multi-channel input-output for communication with external systems 48.

In preparation for operation, the proposed multisensor analyzer of the flow rate and composition of the components of the gas-liquid flow of oil wells works as follows.

The flow of the controlled medium moving at a speed W is pre-processed in the jet straightener 47 (see Figure 1). During processing, the gas-liquid flow is mixed in the said straightener in order to increase structural homogeneity and, above all, in order to eliminate local vortices and large single bubbles of associated gas.

After a start signal is supplied to the second calculator 40, for example, from external systems 48 via two-way information communication, the output of the second control unit 40 receives a command to turn on the power source 43, which turns on and energizes the x-ray tubes 21 and 22 with a voltage corresponding to the nominal the power mode specified by the control module 42. As a result, at the output of the first and second x-ray tubes 21 and 22, each of the x-ray transparent inserts 3, 4 and the controlled medium are excited and crosses, finding inside the case 1, low-energy x-ray radiation, the beams of which are formed in each of the collimating holes of the first primary and second primary collimators 23 and 24, respectively.

At the same time, the second computer 40 transmits the received start signal via two-way information communication to the first computer 16, which generates a start command from the last output to the input of the control unit 20 and from its output to the input of the high-frequency generator 18.

In accordance with the adopted command, said generator generates a high-frequency signal with a frequency that varies smoothly over time. The specified signal is necessary to excite a high-frequency electromagnetic field in a controlled medium located inside the first dielectric pipe 2 covered by the first resonator 6 and inside the second dielectric pipe 5 covered by the second and third resonators 7 and 8, respectively. To clearly fix the boundaries of the electromagnetic field inside each of the resonators 6, 7 and 8, restrictive short-circuited coils 9 are used, and to exclude the mutual influence of the resonators 7 and 8 on each other, a limit-dividing short-circuited round 10 is used.

After excitation of x-ray radiation and a high-frequency electromagnetic field in a controlled medium, the proposed multisensor analyzer is prepared for analysis of the composition and velocity of a three-component gas-liquid flow of oil wells.

The analysis of the parameters of the controlled flow is performed in the proposed analyzer using two complementary methods: X-ray fluorescence and radio wave. In this case, the X-ray fluorescence method is used in intermittent operation, and the radio wave method is used in continuous mode.

In the process of x-ray fluorescence analysis of the parameters of the gas-liquid flow in the proposed analyzer, the property of the controlled medium is used to absorb and scatter the x-ray radiation interacting with it. In this case, each of the primary collimators 23 and 24 forms two groups of x-ray beams interacting with the controlled medium, fan-shaped diverging from the radiation center of each of the x-ray tubes 21, 22 in the directions to the corresponding collimating holes of the corresponding secondary collimators 29 and 30.

The first group of fan-shaped diverging beams is formed by the first primary collimator 23 and lies in the plane of the cross-section AA of the housing 1 containing the first X-ray transparent insert 3 and the radiation axis of the first x-ray tube 21 (see Figure 2). The main part of the bundles of this group, with the exception of the two extreme bundles, crosses the housing 1 through the first radiolucent insert 3, and the extreme bundles do not cross the housing 1 and pass through its opposite sides through the air (see Figure 3).

The second group of fan-shaped diverging beams is formed by the second primary collimator 24 and lies in the plane of the cross-section BB of the housing 1 containing the second x-ray transparent insert 4 and the radiation axis of the second x-ray tube 22 (see Figure 2). The main part of the beams of this group, with the exception of the two extreme ones, crosses the body 1 through the second radiolucent insert 4, and the extreme beams do not cross the body 1 and pass through its opposite sides through the air (see Figure 4).

The x-ray beams of the first group, with the exception of the two outermost beams, sequentially intersect the front (along the x-rays) wall of the X-ray transparent insert 3, the controlled medium located in the housing 1, the rear wall of the X-ray transparent insert 3 and then fall into the first secondary collimator 29, in each of of the holes of which the corresponding X-ray beam is re-formed, after which each of these beams falls on one of the first scintillation detectors 25, in each of which X-ray photons are converted to photons of light.

The x-ray beams of the second group, with the exception of the two outermost beams, intersect the x-ray transparent insert 4 and the controlled medium in the same way, are re-formed in the holes of the second secondary collimator 30, and fall onto the corresponding second scintillation detectors 31, where they are converted into optical signals. Each of these X-ray beams contains secondary X-ray photons with a reference energy value necessary for calibrating the X-ray fluorescence measuring channels. Secondary x-ray photons are generated by secondary emitters 33 mounted in the holes of the second secondary collimator 30, with the exception of the two extreme holes.

The extreme beams of the first and second groups pass through the air, bypassing the housing 1, are re-formed in the extreme holes of the first and second secondary collimators 29, 30, respectively, and fall on the corresponding first and second control detectors 26 and 32, respectively, where they are converted into optical signals .

In addition to the two considered groups of x-ray beams, the proposed analyzer also uses a group of orthogonal beams of scattered x-ray radiation, which are formed by orthogonal collimators 27.

Scattered X-ray radiation arises as a result of elastic scattering of the primary X-ray radiation generated by the first X-ray tube 21 from the atoms of a controlled medium.

Scattered x-ray radiation is directed mainly at large angles to the direction of the primary radiation, close to right angles. Therefore, mainly scattered radiation is incident on each of the orthogonal detectors 28 installed in the plane of the location of the second X-ray transparent insert 4 on a line normal to the radiation axis of the first X-ray tube 21. To completely exclude the input of the orthogonal detectors 28 of the primary radiation of the first X-ray tube 21, an orthogonal collimator 27 is installed in front of each of them, containing several collimating holes whose axes are parallel to each other and directed at right angles to the radiation axis of the first X-ray tube 21, and the depth of each holes significantly exceeds its diameter. In orthogonal detectors 28, scattered X-ray radiation is converted into optical signals.

To prevent the ingress of x-ray radiation in the region inside the housing 1, directly adjacent to the x-ray transparent inserts 3 and 4, tubular x-ray screens 44, 45 and 46 are made of heavy metal, such as lead.

Since the parameters of the x-ray radiation transmitted through the gas-liquid medium depend on the properties of this medium, including its component composition, they contain information on the relative content of the components of the controlled flow. Therefore, the intensity of the light flux at the output of each of the scintillation detectors, converting the x-ray radiation interacting with the controlled medium into optical signals, depends on the component composition of the gas-liquid medium. Optical signals taken from the outputs of the first, first control and orthogonal detectors 25, 26, and 28, respectively, are transmitted through the optical channels of the first multichannel fiber 34 to the input of the first photoelectronic multiplier 35, where they are converted into electrical signals, and the optical signals generated by the second detectors and second control detectors 31 and 32, respectively, are transmitted through the optical channels of the second multi-channel fiber 36 to the input of the second photoelectric multiplier 37, where they are converted into electrical some signals. In this case, the signals of the second detectors 31 contain, in addition to information on the composition of the medium, also information on the reference value of the energy of X-ray quanta generated by the secondary emitters 33. The electrical signals from the outputs of the first and second photoelectronic multipliers 35 and 37, respectively, are transmitted via the corresponding multichannel information connections to the first and second processing modules 38 and 39, respectively: the signals from the output of the first photomultiplier tube 35 to the first processing module 38, and the signals from the output of the second phot electron multiplier 37 - in the second processing unit 39.

After processing in each of the mentioned modules 38 and 39 of the received signals, information from the outputs of the modules goes to the corresponding inputs of the second calculator 40, in which information on the relative volume content of each is calculated and transmitted via the corresponding bi-directional multi-channel information links to the first calculator 16 and to external systems 48 from components of a controlled environment.

To calculate the relative mass content of each of the components, it is necessary to use additional information about the density of the controlled medium, which is generated by orthogonal detectors 28. Additional information in the form of optical signals comes from the output of each of the orthogonal detectors 28 through the corresponding optical channels of the first fiber 34 to the first photomultiplier tube 35 and , then, from its output via multi-channel information communication, it is transmitted to the first processing module 38, from where it comes and the corresponding input of the second calculator 40.

When calculating the parameters of the controlled flow, in addition to informative signals entering the second computer 40 from the processing modules 38 and 39, the data on the flow mode generated by the mode controller 41 based on the information received at its input from the output of the first processing module 38 are also used from the output of said controller to the second computer 40 via multi-channel information communication.

In the process, the second calculator 40 continuously exchanges current information with the first calculator 16 via bi-directional information communication.

When calculating the volumetric and mass component flows of the gas-liquid flow in the second calculator 40, in addition to the above information on the relative content of the components, the data of the autocorrelation analysis of the controlled flow are also used, which allows calculating the time of movement of the local inhomogeneity of the flow to a certain base distance and, thus, determining the speed of the controlled medium .

The calculation of the component flow rate of a three-component gas-liquid flow using X-ray fluorescence analysis is based on the following theoretical assumptions.

The absorption and scattering of x-ray radiation by atoms of a controlled medium leads to a decrease in the flux density of x-ray photons incident on each of the first and second scintillation detectors 25 and 31, respectively, compared with the initial density. This makes it possible to estimate the component composition of the absorbing medium along each of the x-ray beams generated by the x-ray tubes 21, 22 and formed by the primary collimators 23, 24 and secondary collimators 29, 30, by the degree of decrease in the flux density of the x-ray photons at the inputs of the mentioned scintillation detectors in comparison with the initial the density of this stream.

To obtain more accurate data on the component composition, it is necessary to irradiate the controlled medium with X-ray beams that differ in energy levels, with each X-ray energy level being specified by the supply voltage of the X-ray tubes 21, 22. If, for example, three levels of X-ray energy are used, then they must correspond to three values of the supply voltage U ₁ , U ₂ and U ₃ , providing energy levels E ₁ (I _maxl ), E ₂ (I _max2 ) and E ₃ (I _max3 ), respectively, which correspond to the maximum m values of the photon flux densities I max ₁ , I max ₂ and I max ₃ at the output of the x-ray tubes 21 and 22. For this purpose, the x-ray tubes 21, 22 are successively energized by voltages U ₁ , U ₂ and U ₃ from the power source 43 in accordance with switching signals supplied to the input of this source from the control module 42 based on the commands of the second calculator 40.

When a controlled medium is irradiated with X-rays of various energies in the hard X-ray range of 30-100 KeV, the nature of the absorption of X-ray photons by each of the components of the controlled medium changes.

This is because the degree of attenuation of x-rays by a specific component of the controlled medium depends on the radiation energy, that is, it is a function of the energy of x-ray photons generated by x-ray tubes 21, 22:

where µ is the linear attenuation coefficient of one of the components of the controlled X-ray medium with energy E;

E is the energy of x-ray radiation.

Thus, the dependence of the degree of attenuation of the photon flux density of a given energy by a specific component of the controlled medium is determined by the chemical composition of this component and its effective linear size along the direction of the corresponding x-ray beam (hereinafter, the effective thickness of the component):

where Y (x) is the photon flux density at the input of the corresponding scintillation detector when the housing 1 is filled with a one-component controlled medium;

I is the photon flux density at the input of the corresponding scintillation detector in the absence of a controlled medium in the housing 1;

e - the basis of natural logarithms;

µ is the linear attenuation coefficient of x-ray radiation controlled environment;

x is the effective thickness of the component.

If we designate the components K _{j of the} controlled medium as follows: K ₁ is oil, K ₂ is water and K ₃ is gas (here j = 1, 2, 3 is the number of the medium component), then, if all three components are in the x-ray path , expression (2) takes the form of a functional equation:

where Y ₁ (t) is the current value of the photon flux density at the input of the corresponding scintillation detector at voltage U ₁ of the X-ray tubes 21, 22 and in the presence of a three-component controlled medium in the housing 1; x ₁ x ₂ and x ₃ are the effective thicknesses of the components K ₁ , K ₂ and K _{3 of the} controlled medium, respectively;

µ ₁ (E _q ), µ ₂ (E _q ) and µ ₃ (E _q ) are the linear attenuation coefficients of x-rays with a fixed energy E _{q by} each of the components K ₁ , K ₂ and K ₃ ;

I ₁ (t) is the current value of the photon flux density at the input of the corresponding scintillation detector at a voltage U ₁ of the X-ray tubes 21, 22 and in the absence of a controlled medium in the housing 1;

t is the current time.

Subsequently, substituting into the functional equation (3) the values of linear attenuation coefficients corresponding to three levels of radiation energy E _q = E ₁ E _q = E ₂ , E _q = E ₃ , namely, the values of μ _j (E ₁ ), μ _j (E ₂ ) and μ _j (E ₃ ), where j = 1, 2, 3, for each X-ray beam we obtain three systems of functional equations of the form (3) with three numerical unknowns x ₁ , x ₂ , x ₃ and three functional unknowns μ ₁ (E _q ), μ ₂ (E _q ), μ ₃ (E _q ).

In the case when the current value of the parameter I ₁ (t) is continuously measured, when a specific value of the radiation energy E _{q is} fixed, as well as when the experimental dependences of the linear attenuation coefficients on the radiation energy μ ₁ (E _q ) are determined and stored in the memory of the first processing module 38 , μ ₂ (E _q ) and μ ₃ (E _q ), solving systems of functional equations of the form (3) in the second calculator 40 allows us to obtain the effective thicknesses x ₁ , x ₂ and x _{3 of} each of the components K ₁ , K ₂ and K ₃ along the line of intersection of the controlled environment by each of the rents novo beams and thereby determine the volume fraction of each of these components in the cross section of the controlled flow along the direction of the mentioned beams. After determining the effective thicknesses x ₁ , x ₂ and x _{3 of} oil, water and gas, respectively, along each of the x-ray beams incident on the corresponding scintillation detector, the second calculator 40 checks the reliability of the obtained values of the found effective thicknesses, for which the control condition is used :

where l is the length of the chord, tightening the arc of a circle of radius R along the corresponding x-ray beam;

R is the inner radius of the housing 1.

For a central x-ray beam directed along the radiation axis of the corresponding x-ray tube 21, 22, the length l of said chord is

l = 2R, for all other beams it is less than the specified value: l <2R.

The operations of solving the system of functional equations of the form (3) with respect to the desired quantities x ₁ , x ₂ and x ₃ are performed in the second computer 40.

The parameter I ₁ (t) of the mentioned functional equations characterizes the current value of the photon flux density at the input of the corresponding second detector 31 in the absence of a controlled medium in the housing 1 when the x-ray tubes 21, 22 are supplied with voltage U ₁ .

Since during the operation of the proposed analyzer the controlled environment always fills the housing 1, it is very difficult to ensure the state “in the absence of a controlled environment”. At the same time, during operation of the proposed analyzer, the current value of the parameter I ₁ (t) can significantly change in magnitude relative to its nominal value, measured and entered into the memory of the first processing unit 38 when adjusting the proposed analyzer.

A change in the current value of the parameter I ₁ (t) can occur, for example, due to a change in the voltage of the power source 43, a displacement of the spatial position of the x-ray tubes 21, 22 relative to the initial position, wear of the anodes of these tubes, etc. In order to reduce the influence of these factors on the accuracy of measuring the component composition, the current value of the parameter I ₁ (t) is determined during operation in an indirect way - according to the information generated by the first and second control detectors 26 and 32, respectively.

The parameter I ₁ (t) is calculated based on the following relationship:

where I ₁ (t) is the current value of the signal generated by the first and second detectors 25, 31, respectively, with a voltage U _{1 of the} power of the x-ray tubes 21, 22 and the absence of a controlled medium in the housing 1;

I ₁ is the initial value of said signal;

I _k1 (t) is the current value of the signal generated by the first and second control detectors 26, 32, respectively, at a voltage U _{1 of the} supply of x-ray tubes 21, 22 and the presence of a controlled medium in the housing 1;

I _k1 - the initial value of the aforementioned signal;

t is the current time.

The numerical value of each of the signals I _k1 (t) and I _k1 in expression (5) is determined in the first processing unit 38 as the arithmetic mean value of the optical signals, each of which is generated by one of the control detectors 26, 32.

Since the x-ray radiation incident on each of the control detectors 26, 32 crosses only the air medium, in which absorption and scattering can be neglected at radiation energies of more than 30 keV, the optical signals generated by these detectors do not depend on the composition of the transmission medium and are determined only by the characteristics radiation of the x-ray tubes 21, 22 and can be used as control signals I _k1 and I _k1 (t). The initial values of the signals I ₁ and I _k1 are measured during the adjustment of the proposed analyzer and stored in the memory of the first processing module 38. When the analyzer is in operation, the first processing module 38 continuously receives information about the current value I _k1 (t) of the control signal at the output of each of the control detectors 26, 32.

Based on this information, using the data on the mentioned initial signal values stored in the memory of the first processing module 38, it is calculated in accordance with expression (5), and the current value of the parameter I ₁ (t) is transmitted to the second calculator 40.

From (3) and (5) we have:

where each of the designations corresponds to the designations adopted in expressions (3) and (5).

The parameters μ ₁ (E _q ), μ ₂ (E _q ) and μ ₃ (E _q ) of equation (6) are functional unknowns whose values are determined in the first processing unit 38 based on the experimental data on the relationship between the linear attenuation coefficient µ of X-ray radiation with an energy E _q scaled by reference energy values that are generated by the secondary emitters 33.

Each secondary emitter 33 is a collimating tube installed in one of the holes of the second secondary collimator 30, made of heavy metal with a pronounced characteristic line of the emission spectrum lying in the energy range 30-100 keV, for example, gadolinium or platinum.

When an x-ray beam passes through the aforementioned tube, the photons of the beam can excite the fluorescence of gadolinium atoms located in the surface layer of the collimating hole of the tube, which is accompanied by the appearance of secondary characteristic radiation. Fluorescence excitation occurs only when the energies ħω of the exciting photons coincide with or exceed the energy of characteristic radiation:

where ħ is Planck's constant;

ω is the circular frequency of exciting photons;

E _o is the energy of characteristic radiation.

The spectrum of characteristic radiation is ruled; the gadolinium characteristic line in this spectrum corresponds to the radiation energy

E _Gd = 42.996 keV

If the energy of exciting photons significantly exceeds the energy of characteristic excitation of gadolinium atoms:

then the flux density of characteristic photons with an energy level E _о significantly exceeds the flux density of photons with other energy values. Therefore, when a second x-ray tube 22, characterized by a continuous spectrum, is superimposed on the radiation, the characteristic radiation having a linear spectrum in the energy distribution I (E) of the X-ray photon flux density arises a local maximum I _Gd of the photon flux density. The level of this maximum significantly exceeds the highest level of photon flux density I _max for all other energy values that differ from the value of E _about :

I _Gd > I _max (see Figure 5).

The occurrence of a local maximum of the photon flux density I _Gd at a characteristic value of E _о energy is explained by the fact that a significant number of primary X-ray photons distributed over a wide energy range from E _о to E _max are absorbed by gadolinium atoms, which generate a flux of the same number of secondary fluorescent photons concentrated in a very narrow energy region near the characteristic energy value E _о = E _Gd . Since secondary photons cross only the air medium, in which absorption and scattering can be neglected, the largest number of these photons reaches the second detectors 31. Moreover, the number of optical pulses with an amplitude J _Gd generated by the second detectors 31 under the influence of secondary x-ray photons generated by gadolinium atoms is significantly exceeds the number of primary x-ray photons with other amplitudes in the range from the smallest amplitude value J _min to the largest value J _max , which is explained by the time diag 6, where the optical pulses with amplitude J _{Gd are} shaded.

The presence of a local maximum makes it possible to objectively distinguish a group of photons with an energy E _Gd from the total number of photons of different energies and thereby form an accurate scale mark E _Gd = 42.996 keV, which allows one to reliably scale the signals generated by the first and second scintillation detectors 25, 31.

The solution of functional equation (6) for each of the three values U ₁ , U ₂ , U _{3 of the} supply voltage of the x-ray tubes 21, 22 is performed in the second calculator 40.

The set of solutions of functional equations (6) for various voltage values U = U ₁ , U ₂ , U ₃ power supply of the x-ray tubes 21, 22 allows you to receive in the second computer 40 and transmit through the corresponding two-way multi-channel information links to the first computer 16 and to external systems 48 information on the relative content in volume units of each of the three components of the controlled environment: oil, water and gas:

where V ₁ (t) is the current value of the volume fraction of the component K ₁ (oil);

V ₂ (t) is the current value of the volume fraction of the component K ₂ (water);

V ₃ (t) is the current value of the volume fraction of the component K ₃ (gas);

t is the current time.

To obtain data on the component composition of the controlled medium in mass units, it is necessary to use additional information generated by orthogonal detectors 28, which receive secondary scattered x-ray radiation generated by orthogonal collimators 27.

Since the intensity of the scattered radiation in the hard X-ray energy range up to 100 keV is determined mainly by the density of the scattering medium and weakly depends on the intensity of the primary radiation of the first X-ray tube 21, the optical signal generated by each of the orthogonal detectors 28 is proportional to the current value of the average density ρ (t ) controlled environment.

After the conversion in the first photoelectronic multiplier 35 into electrical form, the signal is fed to the first processing module 38 and, from its output, to the second calculator 40, where, based on the received information about the current average density ρ (t) of the controlled medium and previously calculated data (9) on the current values of the volume fractions of each of its components, the current values of the relative content of each of the components of the gas-liquid flow in mass units are determined:

where M ₁ (t) is the current value of the mass fraction of the component K ₁ (oil);

M ₂ (t) is the current value of the mass fraction of the component K ₂ (water);

M ₃ (t) is the current value of the mass fraction of the component K ₃ (gas);

t is the current time.

The current values (10) of the mass content of the components are necessary for determining in the second calculator 40 the current values of the component-by-mass flow rate Q _M1 (t), Q _M2 (t) and Q _M3 (t) of each of the three components of the gas-liquid flow - oil, water and gas, respectively. To calculate the component flow rate, in addition to the current values (10), it is also necessary to use data on the gas-liquid flow velocity W ₂ .

To measure the speed W ₂ using X-ray fluorescence analysis, the autocorrelation method is selected in the proposed analyzer, in which the speed is measured based on information about the movement of natural local inhomogeneities of a gas-liquid medium.

If there are natural flow inhomogeneities, their detection by the X-ray fluorescence method is performed in the second computer 40 by processing the electrical signals supplied to its respective inputs from the outputs of the first and second processing modules 38 and 39, respectively. These signals are generated in the first and second photoelectronic multipliers 35 and 37, respectively, by converting the optical signals generated by the first and second detectors 25 and 31, respectively. The optical signals of the detectors 25 and 31 are formed as a result of exposure to the radiation of x-ray tubes 21, 22, which passed through a controlled medium located in the housing 1 in the planes of the first and second x-ray transparent inserts 3 and 4, respectively.

Since when passing through a controlled medium, X-ray radiation is partially absorbed and scattered, it carries information about the presence or absence of local inhomogeneities of the controlled medium.

As informative parameters characterizing the presence of a local inhomogeneity conditionally formed by component K ₁ , the proposed analyzer uses photon flux densities of a given energy at the inputs of the first and second detectors 25 and 31, respectively:

where Y ₁₁ (t), Y ₂₁ (t) are the current values of the photon flux density at the inputs of the first and second detectors 25 and 31, respectively, in the presence of a one-component controlled medium in case 1;

I ₁ , I ₂ - photon flux density at the inputs of the first and second detectors 25 and 31, respectively, in the absence of a controlled environment in the housing 1;

e - the basis of natural logarithms;

µ ₁ - linear attenuation coefficient of x-ray radiation component

To ₁ controlled environment with a fixed value of radiation energy;

x ₁ is the effective thickness of the component K _{1 of the} controlled environment;

t is the current time.

When crossing section AA of the housing 1 (see FIG. 2) with a moving local heterogeneity, each of the first detectors 25 detects the presence of significant changes in the value of the parameter Y ₁₁ (t) in time and forms the first time sequence of changes in this value.

With further displacement of the inhomogeneity by a distance L ₂ between the centers of the first and second inserts 3 and 4, respectively, it reaches the BB section of the housing 1 (see FIG. 2) and initiates in each of the second detectors 31 significant changes in the current value of the received flux density X-ray photons Y ₂₁ (t), forming a second time sequence of these changes, correlating with the aforementioned first time sequence.

During the flow of a three-component controlled medium, the first and second detectors 25 and 31, respectively, continuously generate the first and second time sequences of informative signals Y ₁₁ (t), Y ₁₂ (t), Y ₁₃ (t) and Y ₂₁ (t), Y ₂₂ (t), Y ₂₃ (t), respectively, the current values of the amplitudes of which depend on the effective thicknesses x ₁ , x ₂ and x _{3 of} oil, water and gas, respectively. Informative signals are converted in the first and second photoelectronic multipliers 35 and 37, respectively, from an optical form to an electric form and transmitted via corresponding multichannel information links to the first and second processing modules 38 and 39, respectively, and from their outputs to the corresponding inputs of the second calculator 40 The algorithm for converting the signals received by the second calculator 40 depends on the mode of the monitored stream. The flow mode is determined in the mode controller 41 based on the measurement information received at its input from the corresponding output of the first processing module 38, in which it is generated based on the analysis of optical signals generated by the first detectors 25 transmitted from their outputs through the channels of the first fiber 34 to the first photoelectronic multiplier 35, and from its multi-channel output into the first processing module 38.

In the first processing module 38, the received values of the photon flux densities are compared with the previously accepted values of these densities and, in the absence of significant discrepancies between the compared values, information is generated on a practically uniform flow regime, and in the presence of significant discrepancies, a signal on a substantially unsteady gas-liquid flow flow regime is generated. The information generated in the first processing module 38 comes from the corresponding output of the latter to the mode controller 41, which generates a signal about the flow mode and transmits it via multichannel information communication to the second computer 40, where the conversion algorithm corresponding to the received signal is selected.

When a substantially unsteady flow mode is determined by the mode controller 41, and a measurement information conversion algorithm corresponding to this mode is selected in the second computer 40, the first and second time sequences of informative signals previously input to this computer are continuously recorded in the memory of the second computer 40 in the form of the first and second temporary implementations, and the first temporary implementations correspond to the section AA of the housing 1, and the second temporary implementations correspond to the section BB (see Figure 2) .

Taking into account the essentially unsteady flow defined by the mode controller 41, in the second calculator 40 from the group of algorithms “Speed calculation” an algorithm is selected that corresponds to the code of this mode and, in accordance with this algorithm, the aforementioned first and second time realizations are processed for a period of time Δτ _min , the minimum required to determine the presence of correlation. The numerical value of the time interval Δτ _min is entered into the memory of the second computer 40 from external systems 48. The time interval Δτ _min should be sufficient for the first detectors 25 and second detectors 31 to receive the experimentally determined number of x-ray photons

S≥10 ⁴ ,

where S is the number of photons necessary for the correct determination of the presence of a local heterogeneity of the composition of the controlled medium in sections AA and BB of building 1. The time interval Δτ _min should not exceed the previously mentioned minimum exposure time Δt _min :

Δτ _min <Δt _min.

After processing for the time interval Δτ _{min of the} first and second time realizations in the second calculator 40, their mutual correlation function is determined and the second implementation is offset from the first in time t until the maximum of the mutual correlation function is obtained.

When this maximum is obtained, the correlation bias time interval is determined in the second calculator 40 and, since this period is equal to the travel time Δτ _{2 by the} stable fluctuation of the stream length L _{2 of the} housing 1, taken as the second base length (see Figure 2), the speed W _{2 of the} controlled flow in accordance with the expression

where W ₂ is the flow velocity along the longitudinal axis of the housing 1, measured by X-ray fluorescence method;

L ₂ is the second base length equal to the axial distance between the geometric centers of the first and second radiolucent inserts 3 and 4, respectively;

Δτ ₂ is the running time of a stable fluctuation of the flow of the second base length L ₂ .

It should be emphasized that the axial size of each of the x-ray transparent inserts 3 and 4, measured along the longitudinal axis of the housing 1, can always be chosen significantly smaller than the axial size of each of the resonators 7 and 8 together with its restrictive turns 9 (see Figure 2).

This makes it possible to choose a second base length L ₂ substantially less than the first base length L ₁ :

where L ₂ is the second base length equal to the distance between the centers of the radiolucent inserts 3 and 4;

L ₁ is the first base length equal to the distance between the centers of the resonators 7 and 8.

Inequality (13) makes it possible to reliably control by the autocorrelation method even those vortex gas-liquid flows in which local inhomogeneities are quickly washed out by liquid vortices. The possibility of reliable control arises in connection with the relatively small value of the second base length L ₂ in comparison with the first L ₁ (see Figure 2), since the local inhomogeneity, usually eroded when moving over a relatively large distance L ₁ , does not have time to erode by vortices of the flow at moving a relatively small distance L ₂ between the first and second radiolucent inserts 3 and 4, respectively.

In the second calculator 40, using the calculated values of the velocity W ₂ and taking into account the previously obtained values of V ₁ (t), V ₂ (t) and V ₃ (t) volume fractions of each of the components of the controlled medium corresponding to the expression (9), instant values are calculated component-wise volumetric flows Q ₁ (t), Q ₂ (t) and Q ₃ (t) of each of the three components of the gas-liquid flow: oil, water and gas, respectively. In addition, in the second calculator 40, using the previously found values of M ₁ (t), M ₂ (t) and M ₃ (t) mass fractions of each of the components of the controlled medium corresponding to expression (10), instantaneous values of component-wise mass flows Q are calculated _M1 (t), Q _M2 (t) and Q _M3 (t) of each of the three components of the gas-liquid flow: oil, water and gas, respectively.

It should be noted that during the operation of the proposed analyzer, unforeseen changes in the initial position of the radiation axes of the X-ray tubes 21 and 22 are very likely, for example, due to asymmetric wear of their anodes or deviation of the mentioned tubes from the initial position, which causes a significant measurement error. To eliminate this error, it is necessary to control the immutability of the initial position of the radiation axis of each of the x-ray tubes 21, 22 during operation of the proposed analyzer. The immutability control is performed using the first and second control detectors 26 and 32, respectively. One of the extreme X-ray beams incident on one of the extreme collimating holes of the first and second primary collimators 23 and 29, respectively, installed in the plane of the first and second X-ray transparent inserts 3 and 4, respectively, falls onto each of the control detectors 26 and 32, respectively. After the additional formation of each such beam in one of the extreme openings of the first and second secondary collimators 29 and 30, respectively, and the conversion of x-ray photons of this beam by the corresponding control detectors 26 and 32 into optical signals, these signals are transmitted through the corresponding channel of the first and second optical fibers 34 and 36, respectively, to the corresponding photoelectronic multipliers 35, 37 and, after converting them into electrical form, are transmitted through the corresponding processing modules 38, 39 to the second numerator 40.

Since each of the extreme x-ray beams does not cross the housing 1 and passes through the air practically without absorption, the photon flux densities at the input of each of the control detectors 26, 32 are independent of the composition of the transmission medium and are determined solely by the radiation characteristics of the x-ray tubes 21, 22, as well as their spatial location relative to the control detectors 26, 32.

When the orientation of the radiation axes of the x-ray tubes 26, 32 changes during operation, the photon flux density at the input of each of the control detectors 26, 32 also changes, which makes it possible to control any deviation of the radiation axis of each x-ray tube 21, 22 from the initial position by changing the nominal value of the ratio mentioned densities.

To this end, in the process of adjusting the initial position of each x-ray tube 21, 22, the nominal value of the mentioned ratio of the photon flux densities at the inputs of the control detectors 26 and 32 is measured and recorded in the memory of the second calculator 40.

When the proposed analyzer is operating, the current value of the ratio of the photon flux densities is periodically compared in the second calculator 40 with the nominal value of this ratio stored in the memory of the said calculator. With a significant discrepancy between the current and nominal values in the second calculator 40, a signal is generated and transmitted via multichannel information communication to external systems 48 about a significant discrepancy between the radiation parameters and the position of the x-ray tubes 21, 22, requiring alignment or replacement of these tubes.

The X-ray fluorescence method for analyzing the parameters of a gas-liquid flow makes it possible to determine with high accuracy the volume and mass flow rates of each of the components of the flow under different flow regimes with the exception of non-axisymmetric flows.

In the non-axisymmetric flow regime, azimuthal velocity components arise in the flow of the controlled medium, under the influence of which the local inhomogeneities of the flow can deviate from straight-line trajectories and move along helical, spiral, etc. lines.

In such cases, a local inhomogeneity crossing in the plane AA of the location of the first X-ray transparent insert 3 (see FIG. 2) one of the x-ray beams of the tube 21, for example, the central beam, partially moves in the azimuthal direction with further movement. Therefore, when reaching the plane BB, the location of the second X-ray transparent insert 4, this heterogeneity cannot cross the central x-ray beam of the tube 22, but passes through one of the adjacent x-ray beams of this tube.

It follows from the foregoing that, in the non-axisymmetric flow of the controlled medium, the second calculator 40 cannot reliably fix the time Δτ _{2 of} running the indicated inhomogeneity of the second base length L ₂ between the two central x-rays of the tubes 21 and 22 and calculate the speed W _{2 of the} controlled flow. The same applies not only to the central, but also to the other rays of the x-ray tubes 21 and 22.

In this regard, in cases when the mode controller 41 is set to the axisymmetric flow mode, the speed of the controlled flow cannot be determined by the X-ray fluorescence method. In such cases, the flow rate is determined in the proposed analyzer by the radio wave method based on the signals generated by the second and third high-frequency resonators 7 and 8, respectively.

In addition, the radio wave method is used in the proposed analyzer to ensure continuous long-term operation, since the continuous long-term operation of the generating elements of the X-ray fluorescence method - tubes 21, 22 is very difficult due to the low service life of the latter (about 500-1000 hours). Since the service life of the generating elements of the radio wave method - resonators 6, 7, 8 is practically unlimited, to ensure continuous long-term operation of the proposed analyzer, a short-repetitive mode of operation of x-ray tubes 21, 22 and a mode of continuous long-term operation of the resonators 6, 7, 8. are used. the switching time of the x-ray tubes 21, 22 is set by the second calculator 40 depending on the flow regime determined by the mode controller 41.

In the process of radio wave analysis of gas-liquid flow parameters in the proposed analyzer, the property of the controlled medium is used to absorb the energy of the high-frequency electromagnetic field interacting with it.

When resonators 6, 7 and 8 are excited in a controlled medium filling dielectric tubes 2 and 5 of a high-frequency electromagnetic field, it is partially absorbed by this medium. The absorption parameters depend on the electrical properties of each component of the controlled medium, namely, the complex dielectric constant ε _j ^* and the complex electrical conductivity σ _j ^* , where j = 1, 2, 3 is the number of the medium component.

The frequency of the high-frequency electromagnetic field excited by the resonators 6, 7 and 8 periodically varies from the minimum frequency F _min to the maximum F _max ; at the same time, in each of the aforementioned resonators there occurs a resonant absorption of the excited field energy by a medium at several resonant absorption frequencies F _pez , where

F _min ≤F _rez ≤F _max ,

for example, at the first, second and third resonant frequencies F _pez1 , F _pez2 , F _pez3 , respectively.

Because the informative parameters of signals characterizing resonant absorption, such as

- the amplitudes of the signals at the first, second and third resonant frequencies I _res1 , I _res2 , I _res3, respectively,

- the transmission coefficients of the signals at the first, second and third resonant frequencies D _rez , D _rez2 , D _rez3 , respectively,

- resonant frequencies F _pez , F _pez2 , F _pez3 ,

significantly depend on the complex characteristics of the controlled medium ε ₁ ^* , ε ₂ ^* , ε ₃ ^* and σ ₁ ^* , σ ₂ ^* , σ ₃ ^* , the output signal of the first, second and third resonators 6, 7 and 8, respectively, contains information on the component composition of the gas-liquid flow.

Each of these output signals is supplied to the corresponding input of the first calculator 16 as follows: the signal from the input-output 11 of the first resonator 6 enters the first amplifier 16 through the first transceiver path 13, the signal from the input-output 11 of the second resonator 7 enters through the second the transmission path 14 and the signal from the input-output 11 of the third resonator 8 enters through the third transmit-receive path 15.

In addition, information on the gas-liquid flow mode generated and transmitted to the second computer 40 by the mode controller 41 is received from the second computer 40 from the second computer 40 through the two-way information communication to the first computer 16.

In accordance with the information on the gas-liquid flow regime in the first calculator 16, an algorithm for processing the informative signal received from the input-output 11 of the first resonator 6 through the first transceiver path 13 is selected, and the instantaneous values V ₁ (t), V ₂ (t) are calculated and V ₃ (t) volume fractions of each of the three components of the controlled flow.

Two other informative signals generated by the second and third resonators 7 and 8, respectively, are used in the first calculator 16 to determine the flow rate by the autocorrelation method.

To this end, these informative signals are continuously recorded in the memory of the first calculator 16 in the form of temporary implementations of each of these signals.

As the time realizations of the informative signals of the resonators 7 and 8, the proposed analyzer used the time dependences of the amplitudes of these signals: I _res1 (t), I _res2 (t), I _res3 (t) near the previously mentioned first, second, and third resonant frequencies F _rez1 , F _rez2 , F _rez3 , respectively.

Taking into account the flow mode determined by the mode controller 41, in the first calculator 16 from the group of algorithms "Speed calculation" the algorithm corresponding to the established mode is selected, and in accordance with this algorithm, the above-mentioned temporary realizations of informative signals generated by each of the resonators 7 and 8 are processed .

After processing the temporary realizations, their mutual correlation function is determined and one of the realizations is shifted relative to the other in time t until the maximum of the mentioned function is obtained.

When a maximum is obtained in the first calculator 16, the bias time is determined, and since this time is equal to the period of travel Δτ _{1 by the} stable heterogeneity of the flow of the base length L ₁ between the second and third resonators 7 and 8, respectively (see Figure 2), the speed W ₁ controlled flow in accordance with the expression

W ₁ = L ₁ / Δτ ₁

where W ₁ is the flow velocity along the longitudinal axis of the housing 1, measured by the radio wave method;

L ₁ is the first base length equal to the distance between the centers of the second and third resonators 7 and 8, respectively;

Δτ ₁ is the travel time of the first base length L ₁ stable flow heterogeneity.

The obtained speed value, taking into account the previously assigned current values of V ₁ (t), V ₂ (t) and V ₃ (t) volume fractions of each of the components of the controlled environment, is used in the first calculator 16 to calculate the current values of component-wise volume flows Q (t), Q ₂ (t) and Q ₃ (t) of each of the three components of the gas-liquid stream.

If it is necessary to determine the current values of the component-wise mass flow _rates Q _m1 (t), Q _m2 (t) and Q _m3 (t) of the controlled medium in the first calculator 16, in addition to the described procedure, data on the nominal densities ρ stored in the memory of the first calculator 16 are taken into account ₁ , ρ ₂ , ρ _{3 of} each of the three components of the controlled environment.

Information about the component-wise volumetric flow rate and, if necessary, about the component-wise mass flow rate of the gas-liquid stream is transmitted from the first computer 16 to the second computer 40 via bi-directional multichannel information communication.

In the second calculator 40, the received information, if necessary, is adjusted and transmitted via bi-directional information communication to external systems 48.

The need to adjust the received information arises when there is a significant discrepancy in the data on the component composition and speed of the controlled flow obtained in the second computer 40 based on the X-ray fluorescence method and in the first computer 16 based on the radio wave method.

Since the X-ray fluorescence method for determining the component flow rate is more accurate than the radio wave method for most flow regimes, it is accepted as the reference method in the proposed analyzer. Therefore, during operation of the x-ray tubes 21, 22, information on the component-wise flow rate obtained on the basis of the reference x-ray fluorescence method is transmitted to external systems 48. In the pauses between the periods of operation of the x-ray tubes 21, 22, to ensure the continuity of the information output to the external systems 48, component-wise information obtained based on the radio wave method is transmitted.

To ensure the accuracy of the "radio wave" information at the level of "X-ray fluorescence" in the second calculator 40 at the end of each period of operation of the X-ray tubes 21, 22, the two mentioned information is compared and, with a significant discrepancy between the values of the speeds W ₁ and W ₂ , as well as with a discrepancy values of the parameters characterizing the component composition of the controlled medium, calculated using the radio wave and X-ray fluorescence methods, the less accurate information received by the radio wave m is corrected Tod on more accurate information obtained by X-ray fluorescence, in order to ensure the convergence of these informations. During the pause between the periods of operation of the x-ray tubes 21, 22, data on the component flow rate obtained on the basis of the radio wave method taking into account the mentioned correction are received from the second computer 40 to the external systems 48.

The experimentally established minimum period of operation of the x-ray tubes 21, 22 of the proposed analyzer, necessary for reliable determination of the component-wise flow rate of a gas-liquid stream, is, depending on the flow regime, from 30 to 90 s, and the pause between two consecutive periods is from 400 to 1000 s. This makes it possible to increase the period of continuous operation of the proposed analyzer by at least 10 times in comparison with the nominal period of continuous operation of x-ray tubes 21, 22.

Thus, the proposed analyzer makes it possible to provide direct accurate measurements of the mass and volume component-wise flow rates of a gas-liquid medium both under laminar and turbulent flow regimes during continuous long-term operation.

Claims (1)

A multisensor analyzer of the flow rate and composition of components of a gas-liquid flow of oil wells, comprising a tubular metal housing and a tubular dielectric housing coaxially mounted inside it, coaxially arranged first, second and third high-frequency resonators, each of which is a zigzag short-circuit conductor equipped with input-output, as well as restrictive short-circuited turns and a restrictive-dividing short-circuited coil located between the second and third resonators, and all of the aforementioned resonators and coils are mounted inside the metal housing coaxially with it on the outer surface of the dielectric housing, the analyzer also contains a first computer, first, second and third transceiver paths, each of which connects the input-output of the corresponding resonator with the corresponding input of the first computer, a high-frequency generator and a control unit, the multi-channel input of which is connected to the multi-channel output of the first computer, and the output to the high-frequency generator torus, the first and second amplifiers, the input of each of which is connected to one of the outputs of the high-frequency generator, and the output of the first amplifier is connected to the input of the first transceiver path, and the output of the second to the inputs of the second and third transceiver paths, and also a mode controller, characterized in that the dielectric casing consists of two dielectric pipes: the first (downstream) dielectric pipe and the second (downstream) dielectric pipe, and the first resonator and installed at each of its ends are restrictive the short-circuited coil are located on the first dielectric tube, and the second and third resonators are located on the second dielectric tube, at both ends of each of which there is a restrictive short-circuited coil, between which a limit-separation short-circuited coil is installed, the first and second x-ray are additionally introduced into the analyzer tubes, each of which corresponds to the first and second radiolucent inserts installed in the wall of the metal casing between the first and second with dielectric tubes, said inserts being separated from one another and from the first and second dielectric tubes by x-ray tubes located coaxially inside the metal case, in addition, the analyzer includes a first primary collimator, a first secondary collimator and an orthogonal collimator corresponding to the first x-ray tube with several collimating holes in each of them, as well as the first detectors, orthogonal detectors and the first control detectors, in addition to this oh, the analyzer includes a second primary collimator and a second secondary collimator corresponding to the second x-ray tube with several collimating holes in each of them, as well as second detectors, second control detectors and secondary emitters, with each control detector located so that a straight line passing through its center and the center of radiation of the corresponding x-ray tube did not cross the metal case, a second computer was also introduced into the analyzer, measure the first converter, the first and second processing modules, the control module, the output of which is connected to the power source, and the input to the corresponding output of the second calculator, a rectifier installed at the entrance to the metal case, the first and second multichannel photoelectronic multipliers, the first and second multichannel optical fibers, moreover, the first multichannel fiber connects each of the first detectors, each of the first control detectors and each of the orthogonal detectors with the first multichannel photoelectronic a multiplier, and a second multi-channel light guide connects each of the second detectors and each of the second control detectors to the second multi-channel photoelectronic multiplier, while the first multi-channel photoelectronic multiplier is connected via a multi-channel information connection to the first processing module, which is connected by one of its outputs to the corresponding input of the second the computer and another output - to the input of the mode controller, and the second multi-channel photoelectronic multiplier using multi-channel Formation communication is connected to the second processing module, the output of which is connected to the corresponding input of the second computer, the multi-channel output of the mode controller is connected to the multi-channel input of the second computer, connected to the first computer using bi-directional multi-channel information communication and equipped with a multi-channel input-output for connecting to external systems, each of the secondary emitters is made in the form of a heavy metal, for example gadolinium, a tube installed in one of the holes of the second secondary collimator, the depth of each of the collimating holes of the orthogonal collimator is substantially larger than its diameter, and the axis of the collimating holes are parallel to each other and orthogonal to the radiation axis of the first x-ray tube.

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