RU2524416C2 - Determination of sludge sediment volume in tanks with crude oil and device to this end - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: oil-and-gas industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to determination of sludge volume in crude oil tanks. Proposed method comprises steps that follow. Radiating of pulse tone signal at initial angle of vertical scanning in crude oil and reflection of reflected tone echo-signals by horizontal acoustic antenna. Shaping of time sequence of tone echo-signals, detection of time sequence and memorising the detection results. Radiating of pulse tone signal at next angle of vertical scanning in crude oil and reflection of reflected tone echo-signals by horizontal acoustic antenna. Shaping of time sequence of tone echo-signals. Detection of time sequence and memorising the detection results. Radiating of pulse tone signal at initial angle of vertical scanning in crude oil and reflection of reflected tone echo-signals by horizontal acoustic antenna. Shaping of time sequence of tone echo-signals. Computation of time sequence correlation of complex echo-signals and complex acoustic signal and memorising of the result. Radiating of complex pulse tone signal at next angle of vertical scanning in crude oil. Receipt of reflected complex echo-signals by horizontal acoustic antenna. Shaping of time signals of complex echo-signals, computation of correlation of time sequence of complex echo-signals and complex acoustic signal, and memorising of correlation result. Determination of time of signals from correlation results of preset magnitude. Removal of signals from detection results which correspond to definite times of signals from correlation results of preset magnitude. Computation of coordinates to sludge sediments for remaining signals and volume of sludge sediments.

EFFECT: higher precision.

2 cl, 8 dwg

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to methods and devices for determining the volume of sludge and sub-slurry structures in tanks with crude oil.

State of the art

A known method and device for determining slurry deposits in a tank with crude oil (patent US5953287, priority date 09/14/1999). When implementing this method and using this device, the vertical and horizontal antennas are immersed in oil in the tank. Antennas emit acoustic waves into oil, and reflected acoustic signals are received by them. Next, the processing of the received acoustic signals occurs, as a result of which the speed of sound and the gradient of sound speed are determined. Repeating such measurements for different antenna locations allows us to estimate the size and volume of the sludge.

A disadvantage of the known technical solution is the low noise immunity of the devices caused by repeated re-reflections of sound signals from the internal structures of the tank, low accuracy of measurements.

A known acoustic system and method for measuring Arctic ice, which can be used to measure the volume of sludge in reservoirs with crude oil (patent US 5173882, priority date 22.12. 1992). When implementing this method and using this device in the ice cover, a hole is made through which an acoustic antenna is lowered into the space under the ice, containing acoustic and receiving or receiving-emitting acoustic transducers. The antenna is made with the possibility of directing radiation at different angles due to its rotation around its axis. Received acoustic signals are converted into electrical ones and processed together with an indicative signal.

A disadvantage of the known technical solution is the low noise immunity of the devices caused by repeated re-reflections of sound signals from the internal structures of the tank, low accuracy of measurements.

The closest is the bottom profiling method (RF patent No. 60204), which consists in placing the emitting and receiving antennas in the liquid volume, generating an acoustic pulse of a given spectral composition by a generating device, emitting the specified signal with a radiating antenna, reflecting this signal from the bottom surface, receiving a reflected receiving signal antenna, converting the received signal into electrical, time-frequency processing of the converted signal, highlighting the necessary signal against the background of interference, about distribution of the thickness of the bottom layer, image formation of the bottom profile.

The disadvantages of the known technical solutions are the low noise immunity of the devices caused by repeated re-reflections of sound signals from the internal structures of the tank, low accuracy of measurements.

The technical result of the invention is to improve the accuracy of the device.

This goal is achieved due to the fact that the method for determining the volume of sludge deposits in tanks with crude oil is that through a vertical acoustic antenna emit a pulsed tone signal at an initial angle of vertical scanning into crude oil, receive reflected tonal echoes of a horizontal acoustic antenna, form a temporary sequence of tonal echo signals received in separate horizontal directions for the initial angle of vertical scanning, d the time sequence is flowed and the detection result is stored, by means of a vertical acoustic antenna, a pulsed tone signal is emitted at a regular angle of vertical scanning into crude oil, reflected echo tones are received by a horizontal acoustic antenna, a temporary sequence of tone echo signals received in separate horizontal directions for the next vertical scan angle, detect the time sequence and remember the result detection, calculate the coordinates of the sludge deposits and the volume of sludge deposits, emit a complex pulse signal at the initial angle of vertical scanning into crude oil using a vertical acoustic antenna, receive the reflected complex echoes by a horizontal acoustic antenna, form a time sequence of complex echoes received on separate horizontal directions for the initial angle of vertical scanning, calculate the correlation of the time sequence of complex echo a complex pulse signal and store the result, by means of a vertical acoustic antenna, a complex pulse signal is emitted at a regular angle of vertical scanning into crude oil, the reflected complex echoes are received by a horizontal acoustic antenna, a time sequence of complex echoes received in separate horizontal directions is formed the next vertical scan angle, calculate the correlation of the time sequence of complex echo signals and complex acoustic signal and remember the correlation result, determine the signal times from the correlation results that are more than a given value, remove the signals from the detection results that correspond to certain signal times from the correlation results that are more than a given value, calculate the coordinates of the slurry deposits and the amount of slurry deposits according to the remaining signals from the detection results. A device for implementing this method comprises a vertical acoustic antenna, a horizontal acoustic antenna, a shaper of a scanning vertical directivity, a shaper of directivity of horizontal channels, a pulsed complex signal generator, a pulsed tone signal generator, a control unit, a display unit, an analog-to-digital converter, a detector, a block memory of detection results, time selector, correlator, correlation results memory block , a block for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of temporary gates, a block for calculating the height of the slurry, a block for constructing the surface of the slurry and structures below it, a block for calculating the volume of the slurry, while the pulse tone generator and the pulse complex signal generator are connected to the shaper input by their output scanning vertical directional characteristics, and the other output of the pulsed complex signal generator is connected to one of the inputs of the correlator, the scanning vertical shaper For the directivity of the directivity, the output is connected to a vertical acoustic antenna, the horizontal acoustic antenna is connected to the directivity of the horizontal channels, one of the outputs of the directivity of horizontal channels is connected to the input of the detector, the other output of the directivity of horizontal channels is connected to the other input of the correlator, the output of the detector is connected to the input of the memory block of the detection results, the correlator output is connected to the input of the correlation results memory block, the output of the correlation results memory block is connected to the input of the time determination block corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of time gates, the output of the detection results memory block is connected to one of the inputs of the time selector, the output of the time determination block corresponding to dominant signals, and the formation of temporary gates is connected to another input of the temporary selector, the output of the temporary selector is connected to the input of analog-to-digital a new converter, the output of the analog-to-digital converter is connected to the input of the sludge height calculation unit, one output of the sludge height calculation unit is connected to the input of the sludge surface building unit and structures below it, the other output of the sludge height calculation unit is connected to one of the inputs of the sludge volume calculation unit, one output of the block to build the surface of the sludge and structures below it is connected to another input of the unit for calculating the volume of the slurry, another output of the block to build the surface of the sludge and structures below it is connected to another input the display unit, the output of the slurry volume calculation unit is connected to one of the inputs of the display unit, the control unit is configured to transmit signals and information via the data bus between the units that make up the device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is illustrated by drawings (Fig.1-8), where Fig.1 shows the placement of the device in the tank, as well as the emitted and received signals, Fig.2 schematically shows the determination of the heights of the reflection points, Fig.3 shows a graph of the intensity of the tonal echo signals in all spatial channels at angles and ranges; Fig. 4 shows a graph of the distribution of the correlation responses of signals when a complex broadband signal is emitted; Fig. 5 shows the generated time gates; Fig. 6 shows the temporal selection of the interfering signal fishing, Fig. 7 on the left shows a volumetric image of the surface of the sludge defined by the prototype; Fig. 7 on the right shows a volumetric image of the surface of the sludge defined by the patented method; Fig. 8 shows a block diagram of a device for implementing this method.

Disclosure of invention

The figures indicated: side wall 1, tank 2, vertical acoustic antenna 3, horizontal acoustic antenna 4, scanning beam 5, receiving beam 6, floating roof 7, angular resolution element 8, bottom 9, echo signals from coherent reflectors 10, correlation responses from coherent reflectors 11, threshold level 12, strobe 13, signal extraction section 14, directivity characteristics of horizontal channels 15, detector 16, memory for detection results 17, time selector 18, analog-to-digital converter 19, a block for calculating the height of the slurry 20, a block for constructing a surface of the slurry and structures beneath it 21, a correlator 22, a memory block for the results of the correlation 23, a block for determining times corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of time gates 24, a block for calculating the volume of the slurry 25, a display unit 26, a driver of a scanning vertical directivity 27, a pulsed complex signal generator 28, a control unit 29, a pulse tone generator 30.

When determining the volume of sludge in tanks 2 with crude oil using the known systems of acoustic profiling of the bottom 9, applicable in oceanology, there are problems caused by the fact that the space of the tank 2 is not uniform from the point of view of the propagation of acoustic waves in it. These problems are associated with the implementation of the tank 2 in the form of a closed steel cylindrical tank with many different mechanical structures located in it. Such structures are the supports of the floating roof 7, heaters, side mixers and other metal structures. The supports of the floating roof 7 are steel pipes with a diameter of 100 mm and a length of up to 2500 mm, the number of which, depending on the diameter of the tank 2, can be several hundred. Heaters are a structure of metal pipes distributed throughout the volume of the tank 2. All these structures, together with the closed volume of the tank 2, create a strong reverberation in the form of numerous re-reflections of sound waves, which mask useful reflections from the surface of the sludge and the structures underneath. Moreover, the presence of strong echo signals from metal structures leads to an overestimated volume of sludge during measurements, which significantly increases the estimated time for cleaning the tank 2 and the estimated cost of such work.

The proposed method for determining the volume of sludge deposits in tanks 2 with crude oil is based on differences in the nature of the scattering of sound from the surface of the sludge and its structures from the nature of reflections from metal structures. Any metal structures (in a certain wavelength range) are, as a rule, concentrated coherent reflectors. Scattering from the surface of the sludge and its structures, as a rule, is incoherent, i.e. this is, as a rule, small-scale incoherent scattering, characterized by a wide scattering indicatrix. To isolate coherent and incoherent signals, one can use the radiation of two types of signals.

Suppose that a sufficiently broadband complex signal is emitted, for example, LFM (signal with linear frequency modulation) or LFM (signal with Gaussian frequency modulation). The cross-correlation of complex echo signals from metal reflectors with the emitted broadband complex signal will be large, which allows you to very accurately localize the points of coherent reflections. At the same time, the correlation of complex echo signals from the sludge and its structures with the same reference complex signal will be very small, almost at the noise level, since these signals will be incoherent.

To isolate such incoherent signals, it is necessary to use tonal pulse transmissions, i.e. narrowband signals, and of sufficient duration. The received tonal echoes will also contain strong tonal echoes from metal structures, however, their temporal position will not be determined very accurately, since the range resolution when emitting a tonal signal is defined as

, $$\Delta R_A=\frac{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="C\; T"\; filenames="00000008.png,00000014.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">C\; </figure-callout>}T}{2}$$

,

and when emitting a broadband signal (complex)

, $$\Delta R_B=\frac{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="C"\; filenames="00000008.png,00000014.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">C</figure-callout>}}{2\Delta F}$$

,

where C is the speed of sound, T is the duration of the signal, ΔF is the signal bandwidth.

For example, when a tone signal is emitted at a frequency of 100 kHz with a duration of T = 0.5 ms and a sound speed of C = 1500 m / s ΔR _A is 37.5 cm, and when a complex signal with a bandwidth of 20% is emitted, the range resolution is only ΔR _B = 3.75 cm, i.e. 10 times better.

Since, after the emission of complex signals, the temporal and spatial location of the correlation responses generated by strong reflectors (metal structures) will be known for sure, it is possible to exclude (subtract, filter) those signals that coincide with the arrival times of the correlation signals from the set of tonal echo signals responses and carry out further processing - the construction of the surface of the sludge and the localization of its structures. As a result of this processing, all strong reverb signals will be significantly suppressed.

The method for determining the volume of sludge in tanks 2 with crude oil includes the following steps:

- radiation at an initial angle of vertical scanning into the crude oil of a pulsed tone signal through a vertical acoustic antenna,

- receiving reflected tonal echoes of a horizontal acoustic antenna,

- the formation of a time sequence of tonal echo signals received in separate horizontal directions for the initial angle of vertical scanning,

- detecting a time sequence and storing the result of detection,

- radiation at the next angle of vertical scanning into crude oil of a pulsed tone signal, through a vertical acoustic antenna,

- receiving reflected tonal echoes of a horizontal acoustic antenna,

- the formation of a time sequence of tonal echo signals received in separate horizontal directions for the next vertical scan angle,

- detecting a time sequence and storing the result of detection,

- radiation at an initial angle of vertical scanning into crude oil of a complex pulsed signal through a vertical acoustic antenna,

- receiving reflected complex echoes of a horizontal acoustic antenna,

- the formation of a time sequence of complex echo signals received in separate horizontal directions for the initial angle of vertical scanning,

- calculating the correlation of the time sequence of complex echo signals and complex acoustic signal and storing the result,

- radiation at the next angle of vertical scanning into crude oil of a complex pulsed signal through a vertical acoustic antenna,

- receiving reflected complex echoes of a horizontal acoustic antenna,

- the formation of a time sequence of complex echo signals received in separate horizontal directions for the next vertical scan angle,

- calculating the correlation of the time sequence of complex echo signals and complex acoustic signal and storing the result of the correlation,

- determination of the time of signals from correlation results that are more than a given value,

- removal of signals from the detection results that correspond to certain times of the signals from the correlation results that are more than a given value,

- calculation of the coordinates of the sludge deposits for the remaining signals

- calculation of the volume of sludge deposits.

The receiving-emitting antenna is immersed in crude oil located in the tank 2. The vertical acoustic antenna 3 is emitting and forms one scanning beam 5 - narrow in the Y coordinate and wide in the X coordinate. A fan of receiving rays 6 - narrow in the X coordinate is formed on the horizontal acoustic antenna 4 and wide in the Y coordinate. After processing, as a result of the intersection of two rays, an element of angular resolution 8 is formed at two angular coordinates or Cartesian coordinates. The receiving-emitting system is tilted at a certain angle to the vertical.

At the command of the control unit 29, the pulsed tone generator 30 is started. The pulsed tone from the pulsed tone generator 30 is supplied to the imager of the scanning vertical directivity 27, which generates tones with predetermined delays for the initial vertical scanning angle β ₁ . These tonal signals are supplied to the emitting vertical acoustic antenna 3. By the vertical acoustic antenna 3, these tonal signals are emitted to the crude oil in the tank 2. Moreover, the signals emitted by the vertical acoustic antenna 3 correspond to the signals generated by the pulse tone generator 30.

The tonal signals pass through the volume of crude oil and are reflected from the surface of the sludge and structures located in the reservoir 2. The reflected tonal echoes are received by the receiving horizontal acoustic antenna 4 and then fed to the shaper of the directivity of the horizontal channels 27. At the output of the shaper of the directivity of the horizontal channels 27 a temporary sequence of tonal echo signals is generated, received in separate horizontal directions S _j (t, α, α _j , β ₁ ) for the initial angle la scan β ₁ .

Further, these received tone echoes are detected by the detector 16. The detection results are stored in the memory unit of the detection results 17.

, которая запоминается блоком памяти результатов детектирования 17, фиг.3.Then, by means of a vertical scanning directivity 27, the next vertical scanning angle β _{2 is set} and all operations are repeated. As a result, after scanning in the entire vertical sector of angles, a matrix of intensities of tonal echo signals is generated in all spatial channels along angles and ranges $$I^{\left(\mathrm{one}\right)}=\Vert I_A\left({\beta }_i,{\alpha }_j,r_k\right)\Vert$$

, which is stored by the memory unit of the detection results 17, Fig.3.

In Fig. 3, the amplitudes of the received tone echoes contain both weak signals and strong echoes from coherent reflectors, which are caused by reflections from some structures, but not from sludge. Echo signals from coherent reflectors must be excluded from further analysis, however, their temporal position, or position on the range axis when pulse signals are emitted, is not accurately determined.

To accurately determine the temporal position of structures that produce strong tonal echo signals, the radiation of a complex signal and its subsequent correlation processing are then used.

In the next cycle of operation of the control unit 29 starts the generator of pulsed complex signals 28. The complex signal from the generator of pulsed complex signals 28 is supplied to the imager of the scanning vertical directivity 27, which generates tones with specified delays for the initial angle of vertical scanning. A complex signal after the imaging unit of the scanning vertical directivity 27 is supplied to the emitting vertical acoustic antenna 3. The vertical acoustic antenna 3 emits this complex signal to the tank 2 with crude oil. In this case, the signals emitted by the vertical acoustic antenna 3 correspond to the signals generated by the pulse generator of complex signals 28.

A complex signal is reflected from the surface of the sludge and structures located in the tank 2. The reflected complex echoes are received by a horizontal acoustic antenna 4. The received complex echoes are sent to the directivity characteristics of the horizontal channels 15. At the output of the directivity characteristics of the horizontal channels 15, a time sequence is formed complex echoes received in separate horizontal directions. Next, the complex echo signals are fed to the correlator 22, where the cross-correlation function of the received complex echo signal with the emitted complex signal (signal of the pulsed complex signal generator 28) is calculated. The results of the correlation processing are stored in the memory unit of the correlation results 23.

, которая сохраняется в блоке памяти результатов корреляции 23, фиг.4.All further procedures are repeated similarly for all angles of vertical scanning, and as a result, a second matrix of intensities of complex echo signals is formed $$I^{\left(2\right)}=\Vert I_B\left({\beta }_i,{\alpha }_j,r_k\right)\Vert$$

, which is stored in the memory unit of the correlation results 23, Fig.4.

The results of the correlation processing from the memory block of the correlation results 23 are received in the block for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of time gates 24, in which a certain threshold level Δ 12 is set. The value of the threshold level Δ 12 can be determined as the block for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals , and the formation of temporary gates 24, and the operator working with this device, so that it is less than the height of the peaks of the echo signals from coherent trazhateley, but greater than the height of the peaks of noise echoes. This threshold level 12 cuts off all correlation signals whose levels are less than this threshold level 12. From the remaining signals, rectangular strobe signals are generated along the time axis, the duration of which is equal to the width of the correlation responses from coherent reflectors 11 at a selected threshold level 12, Fig. 5.

The temporary positions of these gates 13 and their duration determine the position of the maxima of the intensity and duration of the signals, which should be

. Для исключения мешающих сигналов, тональные эхо-сигналы $$I^{\left(1\right)}=\Vert I_A\left({\beta }_i,{\alpha }_j,r_k\right)\Vert$$

из блока памяти результатов детектирования 17 поступают во временной селектор 18, который устраняет тональные эхо-сигналы в тех местах, в которых расположены стробы 13, фиг.6. Таким образом, на графике тональных эхо-сигналов образуются участки изъятия сигнала 14.excluded from the matrix of intensities of tonal echo signals $$I^{\left(\mathrm{one}\right)}=\Vert I_A\left({\beta }_i,{\alpha }_j,r_k\right)\Vert$$

. To eliminate interfering signals, tone echoes $$I^{\left(\mathrm{one}\right)}=\Vert I_A\left({\beta }_i,{\alpha }_j,r_k\right)\Vert$$

from the memory block of the detection results 17 are received in the temporary selector 18, which eliminates the tonal echo signals in those places where the gates 13 are located, Fig.6. Thus, on the graph of the tonal echo signals are formed sections of the signal 14.

Next, the cleaned tone echoes are digitized by means of an analog-to-digital converter 19 and fed to the block for calculating the height of the slurry 20. In the block for calculating the height of the slurry 20, the height of the points from which

This tone echo is reflected. According to the data of the block for calculating the height of the slurry 20, the block for constructing the surface of the slurry and structures below it 21 builds an image of the surface of the slurry, which is displayed by the display unit 26. Next, by means of the block for calculating the volume of the slurry 25 based on the data of the block for calculating the height of the slurry 20 and the block for constructing the surface of the slurry and structures 21 under it, the volume of sludge is calculated.

Figure 7 shows the image of the surface of the sludge, on the left - without suppressing interfering reverb signals, the volume of sludge, 3546 m ³ , on the right - the true surface of the sludge, with the suppression of reverberation, the volume of sludge 2764 m ³ . It can be seen that, if coherent reflections are not excluded, the heights of the constructed surface of the sludge can reach 6 meters, which practically does not happen. These false heights lead to an overestimated volume of sludge. Suppression of reverberation responses leads to a correct assessment of both the surface shape and the size of the slurry volume (cf. 3546 m ³ and 2764 m ³ ).

To implement this method, the proposed device can be applied.

The main elements of the device are a vertical acoustic antenna (emitting) 3, a horizontal acoustic antenna (receiving) 4, a shaper of directivity of the horizontal channels 15, a detector 16, a memory unit for the detection results 17, a time selector 18, an analog-to-digital converter 19, a block for calculating the height of the sludge 20, a block for constructing a surface of the sludge and structures under it 21, a correlator 22, a memory block for the results of the correlation 23, a block for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals, and forming time gates 24, a slurry volume calculation unit 25, a display unit 26, a vertical scanning beamforming unit 27, a pulse tone generator 28, a control unit 29, a complex pulse generator 30.

The tank 2 is a closed cylindrical structure with a bottom 9 and a side wall 1, the diameter of which can reach up to 120 meters and a height of up to 20 meters, oil tanks can serve as examples of tanks 2. Tank 2 is intended for storage and processing of crude oil. Crude oil in the tank 2 may come from various suppliers and vary dramatically in their parameters, the main of which are density and viscosity. Since, as the tank 2 is filled, crude oil is constantly pumped out of it for further processing, it must be premixed, since oil with a high density and viscosity cannot be pumped at normal speed. For the purpose of mixing the oil in the tank 2, side mixers are installed. In addition to oil, sludge may be present at the bottom of reservoir 9 — heavy deposits of crude oil, some of which will also be mixed with the oil. In large tanks with a diameter of up to 100-120 meters, the volume of sludge can reach 12-13000 tons. On the one hand, sludge is a valuable product, since it can contain up to 80-85% of oil, but, on the other hand, it is an extremely aggressive medium that accelerates the corrosion of the bottom of the tank 2. For tanks 2 with a floating roof 7 there one more danger: when lowering the floating roof 7 of tank 2, it must rest on all its supports - “legs”. This means that the surface of the sludge should not contain heights greater than the length of the "support" of the floating roof 7. Otherwise, the floating roof 7 may be damaged.

The receiving-radiating antenna is made in the form of a cross-shaped or T-shaped antenna, consisting of a vertical acoustic antenna 3, which acts as a radiating one, and a horizontal acoustic antenna 4, which plays the role of a receive antenna. In this case, the vertical acoustic antenna 3 and the horizontal acoustic antenna 4 are phased acoustic antenna arrays consisting of many separate elements, each of which emits or receives acoustic signals coherently with respect to the rest. The vertical acoustic antenna 3 is configured to emit acoustic signals. The horizontal acoustic antenna 4 is configured to receive acoustic waves. The horizontal acoustic antenna 4 and the vertical acoustic antenna 3 are installed in the tank 2 with the possibility of radiation of the scanning beam 5 (acoustic signals) into the crude oil located in the tank 2, and receiving a receiving beam 6 (acoustic signals) reflected from surfaces of various structures and sludge located in the volume of crude oil.

Shaper directivity characteristics of the horizontal channels 15 is a device made with the possibility of forming a temporal sequence of tonal echo signals received in separate horizontal directions. The shaper of the directivity characteristics of the horizontal channels 15 is connected by its input to the horizontal acoustic antenna 4 to enable it to receive acoustic signals received from it. Shaper directivity characteristics of the horizontal channels 15 with one of its outputs connected to the detector 16, and the other output with the correlator 22.

The detector 16 is a device configured to detect a received tone echo. In a particular case, a quadratic detector 16 was used in the device (the definition of the term detection is given, for example, in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia at http://slovari.yandex.ru/~%D0%BA%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B3 % D0% B8 /% D0% 91% D0% Al% D0% AD /% D0% 94% D0% B5% D1% 82% D0% B5% D0% BA% D1% 82% D0% B8% D 1% 80% D0% BE% D0% B2% D0% B0% D0% BD% D0% B8% D0% B5 / (accessed July 17, 2012). The detector 16 is connected to the output memory unit of the detection results 17 by its output.

The memory block of the detection results 17 is, for example, a memory card configured to store the detection results. In the particular case, the memory block of the detection results 17 is made with the possibility of storing and outputting the detection results in a certain sequence, for example, in the form of a mathematical matrix. The memory block of the detection results 17 is connected by its output to one of the inputs of the temporary selector 18.

The time selector 18 is a device configured to eliminate tonal echoes along the time axis in those places where the strobes 13 are located on the time axis, with the formation of signal extraction sections 14. The time selector 18 is connected to the result memory unit by one of the inputs detection 17, and the other input is connected to the unit for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of temporary gates 24. The output of the temporary selector 18 is connected to the input of the analog-to-digital converter Marker 19.

The analog-to-digital Converter 19 is a device configured to convert signals in analog form to signals in digital form. The analog-to-digital Converter 19 is connected to the output unit for calculating the height of the sludge 20.

The block for calculating the height of the sludge 20 is a device or device with software, made it possible to determine (calculate) the height (smallest distance from the bottom) of the surface point of the sludge from which this signal was reflected, as well as the coordinates of the location of this point in the plane of the bottom of the tank 2. The determination of the height of a given reflecting or scattering point of the surface H can be made on the basis of information about the inclined range and angles of the vertical and horizontal scans Bani, 2. The block for calculating the height of the slurry 20 is connected by its outputs to the block for constructing the surface of the slurry and structures under it 21 and the block for calculating the volume of slurry 25.

The block for constructing the surface of the sludge and structures below it 21 is a device or device with software, made with the possibility of constructing an image of the surface of the sludge and structures under it based on data on the height of the sludge and the coordinates of this point. At the same time, the block for constructing the surface of the slurry and structures under it 21 is made with the possibility of building the surface of the slurry in either a vertical plane or a three-dimensional image of the surface of the slurry (Fig. 7).

Correlator 22 is a specialized device for automatically calculating mutual correlation functions (the correlator is defined, for example, on Wikipedia on the website hnp: //m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D1%80%D1% 80% D0% B5% D0% BB% D1% 8F% D1% 82% D0% BE% D1% 80 (accessed July 17, 2012). The correlator 22 calculates the cross-correlation of each of the received complex echo signals with the corresponding emitted complex signal. The correlator 22 is connected with its inputs to the shaper of the directivity of the horizontal channels 15 and the pulse generator of the complex signal 28. The output of the correlator 22 is connected to the memory unit of the correlation results 23.

The memory block of the correlation results 23 is a memory card made with the possibility of storing the correlation results obtained by the correlator 22. In a particular case, the memory block of the correlation results 23 is made with the possibility of storing and outputting the correlation results in a certain sequence, for example, in the form of a mathematical matrix. The output of the memory block of the results of the correlation 23 is connected to the block determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of time gates 24.

The unit for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of time gates 24 is a device or software configured to establish a certain threshold level Δ12, cutting off all correlation signals whose levels are less than this threshold level 12. Block for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals , and the formation of temporary gates 24 is made with the formation of the remaining signals of the rectangular signals of the gates temporarily axis, the length of which is equal the width of the coherent correlation responses of the reflectors 11 at the selected threshold level 12, 5. The unit for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of temporary gates 24 with its output is connected to a temporary selector 18.

The block for calculating the volume of slurry 25 is a device or device with software made with the possibility of calculating the volume of slurry according to the data received from the block for calculating the height of the slurry 20 and the block for constructing the surface of the slurry and structures under it 21.

The display unit 26 is an output electronic device for displaying information, such as a monitor. The display unit 26 is connected with its input to the output of the block for constructing the surface of the sludge and structures below it 21 and the output of the block for calculating the volume of sludge 25.

The generator of the scanning vertical directivity 27 is a device made with the possibility of generating signals with predetermined delays for a given angle of vertical scanning in radiation mode. The generator of the scanning vertical directional characteristic 27 with one of its inputs is connected to the generator of the pulsed complex signal 28, and the other input is with the generator of the pulse tone signal 30. The output of the generator of the scanning vertical directional characteristic 27 is connected to the vertical acoustic antenna 3.

The pulse tone generator 30 is a device that generates acoustic signals in a narrow frequency band. The pulsed tone generator 30 is connected to the control unit 29 by its input. The pulsed tone generator 30 is connected to a shaper of the vertical scanning directivity 27 by its output.

The control unit 29 is a device or device with software that is configured to start the pulse tone generator 30 or the pulse complex signal generator 28 at the required times, as well as synchronize the operation of the pulse tone generator 30 and the pulse complex signal generator 28 with the specified intervals between their starts. The control unit 29 is configured to transmit information via the data bus between the units included in this device.

The pulse complex signal generator 28 is a device that generates acoustic signals in a wide frequency band, i.e. complex signals such as chirp or chirp. The pulsed complex signal generator 28 is connected to the control unit 29 by its input. The pulsed complex signal generator 28 is connected by its outputs to the generator of the scanning vertical directivity 27 and the correlator 22.

A device for implementing the method for determining the volume of sludge deposits in tanks 2 with crude oil is implemented as follows. A vertical acoustic antenna (emitting) 3, a horizontal acoustic antenna (receiving) 4, a directivity pattern generator of the horizontal channels 15, a detector 16, a memory unit for detection results 17, a time selector 18, an analog-to-digital converter 19, a slurry height calculation unit 20, are made constructing the surface of the sludge and structures beneath it 21, the correlator 22, the memory block of the results of the correlation 23, the block for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of time gates 24, the block you calculating the volume of sludge 25, a display unit 26, a vertical scanning characteristic shaper 27, a pulse tone generator 30, a control unit 29, a complex pulse signal generator 28. The vertical acoustic antenna 3 and the horizontal acoustic antenna 4 are connected in the form of a T-shaped transceiving antenna. The control unit 29 of the outputs is connected to the inputs of the pulse tone generator 30 and the pulse complex signal generator 28, the outputs of which are connected to the input of the shaper of the vertical scanning directivity 27. In this case, the other output of the pulse complex signal generator 28 is connected to one of the inputs of the correlator 22. The shaper output scanning vertical directivity 27 is connected to a vertical acoustic antenna 3. To the horizontal acoustic antenna 4 subconnects the input of the shaper of the directivity characteristics of the horizontal channels 27, the outputs of which are connected to the input of the detector 16 and the other input of the correlator 22. The output of the detector 16 is connected to the input of the memory of the detection results 17, the output of which is connected to one of the inputs of the temporary selector 18. The output of the correlator 22 is connected to the input of the block of memory of the results of the correlation 23, the output of which is connected to the input of the block for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of time gates 24. The output block and determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals and forming the time gates 24 are connected to another input of the time selector 18. The output of the time selector 18 is connected to the input of the analog-to-digital converter 19, the output of which is connected to the input of the slurry height calculation unit 20. The outputs of the slurry height calculation unit 20 is connected to the inputs of the block for constructing the surface of the sludge and structures below it 21 and the unit for calculating the volume of slurry 25. The outputs of the block for constructing the surface of the sludge and structures under it 21 are connected to the input the slurry volume calculation unit 25 and the display unit 26. The output of the slurry volume calculation unit 25 is connected to another input of the display unit 26. In this case, the connection of the blocks with each other means the connection necessary for data and signals to be transferred between these blocks, for example, through a system bus and / or conductors and / or dedicated radio link and / or any other known method applicable to this field.

The receiving-emitting antenna is placed in the tank 2 with the possibility of emitting acoustic signals into the crude oil located in the tank 2. By means of the control unit 29, the pulse tone generator 30 is started. The signal generated by the pulse tone generator 30 is fed to the vertical scanning imaging unit 27, where there is the formation of signals with specified delays for the initial vertical scan angle β ₁ in the radiation mode. These signals are fed to a vertical acoustic antenna 3, which emits them into crude oil. The horizontal acoustic antenna 4 receives tonal echoes reflected from the surface to the sludge and structures located in the tank 2. The received tonal echo signals are received from the horizontal acoustic antenna 4 to the directivity pattern of horizontal channels 15, where a temporary sequence of tonal echo signals is generated. Tonal echoes from the shaper of the directivity characteristics of the horizontal channels 15 enter the detector 16, where they are detected. Tone echoes from the detector 16 are received in the memory unit of the detection results 17, where they are stored in a certain sequence. By means of the imaging unit of the scanning vertical directivity 27, the next vertical scanning angle β _{2 is set} and all the above operations are repeated.

By means of the control unit 29, the pulsed complex signal generator 28 is started. The signal generated by the pulsed complex signal generator 28 is fed to the shaper of the vertical scanning directional characteristic 27, where signals are generated with predetermined delays for the initial vertical scanning angle β ₁ in the radiation mode and in the correlator 22 These signals are fed to a vertical acoustic antenna 3, which emits them into crude oil. The horizontal acoustic antenna 4 receives tonal echo signals reflected from the surface to the sludge and structures located in the reservoir 2. The received complex echo signals are received from the horizontal acoustic antenna 4 to the directivity characteristics of the horizontal channels 15, where a temporary sequence of tonal echo signals is generated. Complicated echoes from the directivity pattern generator of the horizontal channels 15 enter the correlator 22, where the correlation function of these signals is calculated with the corresponding complex signals received from the complex pulsed signal generator 28. The results of the correlation processing from the correlator 22 are sent to the correlation results memory 23, where are remembered in a certain sequence. By means of the imaging unit of the scanning vertical directivity 27, the next vertical scanning angle p2 is set and all the above operations are repeated. From the memory block of the correlation results 23, the results of the correlation processing are sent to the block for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of time gates 24, in which a certain threshold level Δ12 is set. In the block for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals and the formation of temporary gates, the correlation signals are cut off, the levels of which are less than the established threshold level 12. According to the correlation signals, the levels of which are more than the established threshold level 12, the gates 13 are formed in the form of rectangular signals whose duration is equal to the width of the correlation responses from coherent reflectors 11.

The time selector 18 receives data from the memory block of the results of detection 17 and the block for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals and the formation of temporary gates 24. The temporary selector 18 takes out the tonal echo signals coinciding in time and duration with the arrival time and duration of the strobe pulses, t .e. with the location and width of the gates 13 along the time axis.

Next, the cleaned tone echoes are digitized by an analog-to-digital converter 19 and supplied to the block for calculating the height of the sludge 20. In the block for calculating the height of the sludge 20, the height of the points from which the given tone echo was reflected is determined. According to the data of the block for calculating the height of the slurry 20, the block for constructing the surface of the slurry and structures below it 21 builds an image of the surface of the slurry, which is displayed by the display unit 26. Next, by means of the block for calculating the volume of the slurry 25 based on the data of the block for calculating the height of the slurry 20 and the block for constructing the surface of the slurry and structures under it 21 is calculated the volume of sludge. The calculation results are also displayed by the display unit 26.

Thus, determining the volume of slurry deposits in crude oil tanks using the method described above provides improved accuracy due to the emission of a complex pulse signal, reception of reflected complex echo signals, their subsequent correlation processing with the emitted complex pulse signal, and the formation of gates corresponding to the temporal position of coherent reflectors and exclusions from the set of tonal echo signals of signals whose temporal position and length coincide with the temporal position and prot field intensity strobes.

Claims (2)

1. The method for determining the volume of sludge deposits in crude oil tanks, which consists in the fact that a vertical acoustic antenna emits a pulsed tone signal at an initial angle of vertical scanning into crude oil, receives reflected tone echoes of a horizontal acoustic antenna, and forms a time sequence of tone echoes -signals received in separate horizontal directions for the initial angle of vertical scanning, detect the time sequence and recall the detection result, by means of a vertical acoustic antenna, a pulsed tone signal is emitted at a regular angle of vertical scanning into crude oil, reflected echo tones are received by a horizontal acoustic antenna, a temporary sequence of tonal echo signals received in separate horizontal directions for the next vertical scan angle is received, detect the time sequence and remember the result of detection, calculate the coordinates of the sludge deposits and the volume of sludge deposits, characterized in that a vertical pulse antenna emits a complex pulse signal at an initial angle of vertical scanning into crude oil, reflected complex echo signals are received by a horizontal acoustic antenna, and a temporary sequence of complex echo signals received on separate horizontal directions for the initial angle of vertical scanning, calculate the correlation of the time sequence of complex echoes and complex impu a clear signal and store the result, by means of a vertical acoustic antenna a complex pulse signal is emitted at a regular angle of vertical scanning into crude oil, reflected complex echo signals are received by a horizontal acoustic antenna, a temporary sequence of complex echo signals received in separate horizontal directions for the next vertical angle is formed scanning, calculate the correlation of the time sequence of complex echoes and complex acoustic signal and they find the correlation result, determine the signal times from the correlation results that are more than a predetermined value, remove the signals from the detection results that correspond to certain signal times from the correlation results that are more than a predetermined value, calculate the coordinates of the slurry deposits and the amount of slurry deposits from the remaining signals from the results detection. 2. The device for implementing the method according to claim 1, comprising a vertical acoustic antenna, a horizontal acoustic antenna, a shaper of a scanning vertical directivity, a shaper of directivity of horizontal channels, a pulsed complex signal generator, a pulsed tone signal generator, a control unit, a display unit, an analog digital converter, detector, detection results memory block, time selector, correlator, correlation results memory block ii, a block for determining the times corresponding to the dominant signals and the formation of temporary gates, a block for calculating the height of the slurry, a block for constructing the surface of the slurry and structures below it, a block for calculating the volume of the slurry, while the pulse tone generator and the pulse complex signal generator are connected to the input by their output a shaper of the vertical scanning directivity, and the other output of the pulsed complex signal generator connected to one of the inputs of the correlator, the shaper of the scanning vert the channel directivity characteristics with its output is connected to a vertical acoustic antenna, the horizontal acoustic antenna is connected with a directivity pattern of horizontal channels, one of the outputs of the directivity pattern of horizontal channels is connected to the input of the detector, the other output of the directivity pattern of horizontal channels is connected to another input of the correlator, the detector output is connected to the input of the detection result memory unit i, the correlator output is connected to the input of the correlation results memory block, the output of the correlation results memory block is connected to the input of the time determination block corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of time gates, the output of the detection results memory block is connected to one of the inputs of the time selector, the output of the time determination block corresponding to the dominant signals, and the formation of temporary gates is connected to another input of the temporary selector, the output of the temporary selector is connected to the input of the analog level converter, the output of the analog-to-digital converter is connected to the input of the sludge height calculation unit, one output of the sludge height calculation unit is connected to the input of the sludge surface building unit and structures below it, the other output of the sludge height calculation unit is connected to one of the inputs of the sludge volume calculation unit, one output of the block to build the surface of the sludge and structures below it is connected to another input of the unit for calculating the volume of the sludge, another output of the block to build the surface of the sludge and structures below it is connected to another input the display unit, the output of the slurry volume calculation unit is connected to one of the inputs of the display unit, the control unit is configured to transmit signals and information via the data bus between the units that make up the device.

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