Patent Application
20220416755
In the resource recovery industry, it is commonly necessary to monitor flare gas. This is generally done with a piezoelectric crystal. Known to the art is that the acoustic impedance of flare gas and that of the crystal is significantly different and therefore an impedance matching material is generally placed between the flare gas and the crystal. Such materials are usually epoxy based. While such materials do help with measurement, they also suffer from signal losses that are still ideally unacceptable. The art would welcome improved acoustic impedance matching materials.
An embodiment of an acoustic matching material for gas measurement including a matrix material having an acoustic impedance and an acoustic impedance reduction material, having an acoustic impedance lower than the acoustic impedance of the matrix material, the acoustic impedance reduction material being dispersed in the matrix material to create an acoustic impedance graduation through a thickness of the matching material.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
Referring to
Matching material 16 comprises a matrix material that may be, for example, a thermoplastic. Specific examples of thermoplastic contemplated include but are not limited to nylon or polystyrene. To the matrix is added an acoustic impedance reduction material, having an acoustic impedance lower than the acoustic impedance of the matrix material, which is of course a function of density in accordance with the mathematical expression recited above. For example, one matrix material may have a density of 1.1 g/cc while the acoustic impedance reduction material may have a density of 0.01 g/cc. Acoustic impedance reduction material, in an embodiment, may comprise polystyrene microspheres or material having similar properties such as silica or glass based aerogels or microspheres. In embodiments, the acoustic impedance reduction material may comprise from about 10% to about 80% of the matching material by volume. Additionally, to be noted is that the particular materials recited provide for excellent thermal stability at temperatures normally experienced by flare gas measuring apparatus.
The acoustic reduction material is dispersed in the matrix material in a graduated condition such that the number of particles of the reduction material will gradually increase from one side 18 of the material to the other side 22 of the material. This will cause the acoustic impedance of the material 16 to change through its thickness as described above, a functionally graded material. Distribution of the reduction material is achieved by a spreader, nozzle, hopper, etc. while adjusting the flow rate to cause a change in the percentage of reduction material to matrix material with distance from one side 18 or the other 22.
With the matrix material and the reduction material disposed as appropriate (meaning with the desired graduation of reduction material and in a shape needed for the application), the graduated acoustic impedance matching material is subjected to heat from about 150 C to about 250 C and an SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) process, an additive manufacturing process, to fuse the matrix and reduction materials together permanently.
Referring to
Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:
Embodiment 1: An acoustic matching material for gas measurement including a matrix material having an acoustic impedance and an acoustic impedance reduction material, having an acoustic impedance lower than the acoustic impedance of the matrix material, the acoustic impedance reduction material being dispersed in the matrix material to create an acoustic impedance graduation through a thickness of the matching material.
Embodiment 2: The acoustic matching material as in any prior embodiment, wherein the matrix material is a thermoplastic material.
Embodiment 3: The acoustic matching material as in any prior embodiment, wherein the matrix material is nylon.
Embodiment 4: The acoustic matching material as in any prior embodiment, wherein the matrix material is polystyrene.
Embodiment 5: The acoustic matching material as in any prior embodiment, wherein the acoustic impedance reduction material is microspheric material.
Embodiment 6: The acoustic matching material as in any prior embodiment, wherein the microspheric material is polystyrene.
Embodiment 7: The acoustic matching material as in any prior embodiment, wherein the graduation is from one surface of the matching material to an opposite surface of the matching material.
Embodiment 8: The acoustic matching material as in any prior embodiment, wherein the graduation provides a different geometric mean acoustic impedance at every cross section of the matching material.
Embodiment 9: The acoustic matching material as in any prior embodiment, wherein the graduation is a continuum.
Embodiment 10: A method for measuring a gas including propagating a signal between a crystal and a flare gas through an acoustic matching material as in any prior embodiment.
Embodiment 11: The method as in any prior embodiment, wherein the gas is a flare gas.
Embodiment 12: A gas measurement device including a housing, a piezo-crystal disposed in the housing, and an acoustic matching material as in any prior embodiment disposed adjacent the piezo-crystal.
Embodiment 13: The device as in any prior embodiment, wherein the gas is a flare gas
Embodiment 14: A hydrocarbon processing system including a structure through which a gas is propagated. a gas measurement device as in any prior embodiment disposed in operable contact with the structure.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, it should be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The terms “about”, “substantially” and “generally” are intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application. For example, “about” and/or “substantially” and/or “generally” can include a range of ±8% or 5%, or 2% of a given value.
The teachings of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of well operations. These operations may involve using one or more treatment agents to treat a formation, the fluids resident in a formation, a wellbore, and/or equipment in the wellbore, such as production tubing. The treatment agents may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, semi-solids, and mixtures thereof. Illustrative treatment agents include, but are not limited to, fracturing fluids, acids, steam, water, brine, anti-corrosion agents, cement, permeability modifiers, drilling muds, emulsifiers, demulsifiers, tracers, flow improvers etc. Illustrative well operations include, but are not limited to, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited.
