Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system in a specific environment – Mechanical measurement system
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-27
2004-09-21
Barlow, John (Department: 2863)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system in a specific environment
Mechanical measurement system
C702S046000, C702S047000, C702S050000, C702S051000, C700S281000, C073S061560
Reexamination Certificate
active
06795780
ABSTRACT:
REFERENCE TO FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
Not applicable
REFERENCE TO A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX
U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,201
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention teaches apparatus and methods to generate temperature-controlled and acoustically monitored, transient, ramp, and constant and periodic-steady-state pressure and fluid flow rate conditions from short duration fluid energy pulses to acquire fluid pressure and fluid flow rate test data for fluid control devices in order to create operating points and dynamic fluid flow rate performance curves for a tested fluid control device, such as those that describe the performance of gas-lift valves used in the production of hydrocarbons.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Apparatus and methods to generate high-pressure, high-fluid-flow-rate [HPHFFR] energy pulses to test and evaluate the dynamic operation of fluid control devices and systems are presented in U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,201: Fluid Energy Pulse Test System [FEPTS] by Hyde. U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,201, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, teaches how to generate short-duration fluid energy pulses and how to use these pulses to identify, record, and evaluate some modes of operation of a fluid control device under test. However, this Patent does not teach how to generate precise transient, ramp, and constant-steady-state fluid pressure and fluid flow rate conditions by short-duration energy pulses so that test data can be used to define the performance of a fluid control device under test. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,201 does not include transient, ramp, or steady-state performance curves and does not teach how to obtain these curves for tested gas-lift valves. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,201 does not teach how to control temperature in a test of a temperature-sensitive fluid control device or how to generate periodic-steady-state fluid pressure and fluid flow rate test data. As a result, U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,201 requires improvement by extension and augmentation to demonstrate how to create precise transient, ramp, constant-steady-state, and periodic-steady-state conditions with short-duration energy pulses and how to create transient, ramp and constant steady-state graphs from test data generated by short-duration energy pulses that last seconds or less. Improvements of U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,201 permit transient and ramp fluid pressure and fluid flow rate data acquired by new energy pulse tests to be correlated with, and related to, constant-steady-state data.
The present invention of Fluid Energy Pulse Test System—Transient, Ramp, Steady State Tests [FEPTS-TRST] advances the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,201 in a number of ways, including apparatus and methods to generate, process, and evaluate transient, ramp, constant-steady-state, and periodic-steady-state test data to establish operating points for fluid control devices, such as gas-lift valves. Operating points are defined by an upstream pressure, a downstream pressure, and a flow rate. The FEPTS-TRST includes: (1) apparatus and methods to regulate and control fluid pressure and fluid flow rate and to create performance curves by defining and subsequently identifying fluid conductance characteristics for a fluid control device under test; (2) apparatus and methods to regulate fluid pressure and fluid flow rate explosively, with pressures ranging from 1480 kPa (200 psig) to 16649 kPa (2400 psig), and fluid flow rates ranging from 2832 SCM/D (100 MSCF/D) to 56,634 SCM/D (2,000 MSCF/D); and with pressure rates varying from 13.890 MegaPa/second to 275.891 MegaPa/second (2,000 to 40,000 psig/second); (3) apparatus and methods to control the temperature of a fluid control device with temperature ranging from 10.0 to 65.55 degrees Celsius (50 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit), or more; and (4) apparatus and methods to acquire sound test data for fluid that is flowing through a fluid control device under test.
The art of regulating fluid pressure and fluid flow rate is documented by patents describing equipment and methods to control fluid pressure and fluid flow rate, including U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,804 to Ruby, J. H. (1978); U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,383 to Waller et. al. (1988); U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,512 to Schmidt et. al. (1989); U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,564 to Thoman et. al. (1991); U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,483 to Basham et. al. (1992); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,996 to Ioannides et. al. (1994). While these patents, and others, teach many aspects of regulation, none address equipment and methods to generate and to control fluid pressure and fluid flow rate by explosive HPHFFR energy pulses. Further, references that address the acquisition of sound test data for HPHFFR fluid control devices, such as gas-lift valves, are not widely known. As a result, sound test data and sound-frequency analyses are not available to assist in the evaluation of the dynamic operation of fluid control devices. There appear to be no audio-visual apparatuses and methods in prior art to support the design, testing, maintenance, operation, and evaluation of HPHFFR fluid control devices.
To establish a reference point for the FEPTS-TRST invention, the FEPTS apparatus and methods of U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,201 are discussed below and explained further in FIG.
1
and FIG.
2
.
The FEPTS apparatus is fabricated as three connected systems: a compressor system, a valve control system, and a data acquisition system. A compressor system includes compressors operated by remote control to produce high-pressure, high-fluid-flow-rate for driving functions that are generated by the valve control system. Impulse, step, ramp, and frequency driving functions, and combinations thereof, are used to test the dynamic operation of fluid control devices, such as gas-lift valves.
The valve control system activates and deactivates bang-bang and variable-fluid-flow-rate control valves to initiate, control, and end a test. The valve control system includes a large main fluid reservoir; smaller upstream and downstream fluid reservoirs, a test chamber assembly; pipes; electromagnetic and electro-pneumatic bang-bang control valves and variable-fluid-flow-rate control valves; a high current, electric power source for control of the electromagnetic and electro-pneumatic control valves; a low-pressure, fluid power source for control of electro-pneumatic control valves, a valve control computer to generate digital-to-analog signals; and, software to activate the data graph computer, to control test duration, to acquire time-line information about the on/off condition of control valves, and to generate energy pulses. The energy pulses are defined by pulse initiation, delay, duration, amplitude, periodicity, and duty cycle, properties that are associated with impulse, step, ramp, or frequency driving functions.
When initiating a test of a fluid control device, the FEPTS valve control computer activates a data acquisition system. The data acquisition system includes a data graph computer; fluid pressure, fluid temperature, and flow rate transducers; signal conditioners; analog-to-digital converters; and software to acquire temperature, pressure, and flow rate data and to prepare graphs of these data. Analog pressure gauges provide safety-validation of digital data displays. A means to shift control between the data graph computer and the valve control computer before, during, and after a test is also provided
The FEPTS methods acquire test data on a fluid control device installed in a closed-to-the-atmosphere, partly-open-to-the-atmosphere, or open-to-the atmosphere test environment. Each test environment depends upon how fluid conduits in the FEPTS are connected, the type of energy pulse protocol chosen, and how supply fluid and exhaust fluid are stored and controlled.
FEPTS methods include the following procedures: select pipe configurations for a test environment; install a fluid control device; set upstream and downstream initial fluid pressure and fluid flow rate conditions; select test duration, sampling rate, and automatic or manual control; choose an energy pulse te
Barlow John
Cherry Stephen J.
LandOfFree
Fluid energy pulse test system—transient, ramp, steady... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Fluid energy pulse test system—transient, ramp, steady..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Fluid energy pulse test system—transient, ramp, steady... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3218214