GB2598860A

GB2598860A - Bi-directional volume proving system

Info

Publication number: GB2598860A
Application number: GB2117357.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Dinkelman Gregory
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-05-15
Filing date: 2020-05-15
Publication date: 2022-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 2040-05-15
Also published as: GB202117357D0; ZA202104740B; WO2020232478A1; WO2020232478A9; GB2598860B

Abstract

An ultra-compact bi-directional volume proving system (10) which is configured to, in use, prove an on board master meter for accuracy while the same on board master meter is used to prove the base volume of a larger bore prover (16), the system further including a bypass valve arrangement (36) for directing flow out of the prover loop pipe section (18) to allow the prover loop valve arrangement (34) to rotate for directing flow into a reverse direction through the prover loop pipe section (18) before the bypass valve arrangement (36) restore flow through the prover loop pipe section (18), and configured to repeat this for the time period fluid flows between a defined section of the larger bore prover (16).

Claims

1. A bi-directional volume proving system which includes: a pipe arrangement having an inlet opening, and an outlet opening, respectively, the inlet opening which, in use, is connectable to a pipeline for providing fluid flow; the outlet opening which, in use, is connectable to a larger bore pipeline prover located downstream thereof; the pipe arrangement further including; a flow meter located downstream the inlet opening for measuring fluid flow in the pipe arrangement; a prover loop pipe section of curved design for accommodating bi-directional fluid flow therethrough; and a bypass pipe section for accommodating flow of fluid away from the prover loop pipe section; the prover loop pipe section further including; a displacer which is configured to be displaced when fluid flows in the prover loop pipe section; a pair of displacer sensors arranged in a spaced apart relationship for sensing the displacer; a pair of chambers defined about end regions of the prover loop pipe section, for launching and receiving the displacer, respectively; and a fluid flow measuring subsystem for measuring fluid flow characteristics; a prover loop valve arrangement for controlling direction of fluid flow in the prover loop pipe section; a bypass valve arrangement for alternating flow of fluid between the bypass pipe section and the prover loop pipe section; and a processor for controlling the bypass valve arrangement and prover loop valve arrangement, for directing flow of fluid through the bypass pipe section and the prover loop pipe section, respectively.

2. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pipeline flow meter is in the form of an on board master meter of high resolution having a nominal k-factor that would be capable of generating more than the required 10,000 pulses/liter in one semi cycle direction and the calibrated volume between the displacer sensors.

3. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pipeline flow meter is in the form of an on board master meter of low resolution having a nominal k-factor that would be incapable of generating more than the required 10,000 pulses/liter in one semi cycle direction and the calibrated volume between the displacer sensors.

4. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the larger bore pipeline prover has an inner bore dimension significantly larger than the bore dimension of the prover loop pipe section and/or the bypass pipe section.

5. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the prover loop pipe section includes a plurality of interconnected U -shaped portions.

6. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the U - shaped portions are arranged orthogonally one another.

7. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the U - shaped portions are arranged co-planarly relative one another.

8. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the displacer fits in the prover loop pipe section in a slidably sealable manner.

9. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the displacer is of spherical form.

10. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the pair of displacer sensors include optical switches.

11. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the pair of displacer sensors is arranged in a spaced apart manner and co-planarly one another.

12. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in claim 1 1 wherein the pair of displacer sensors is located about co-planar regions of the prover loop pipe section.

13. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the bypass valve arrangement is activated for directing flow of fluid out of the prover loop pipe section towards the bypass pipe section, after the displacer is being displaced through the prover loop pipe section from one chamber towards the other chamber.

14. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the bypass valve arrangement will direct flow for a time period to allow the prover loop valve arrangement sufficient time to rotate so as to direct flow of fluid into reverse direction through the prover loop pipe section.

15. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the fluid flow measuring subsystem includes sensors for measuring and transmitting fluid characteristics, such as but not limited to, fluid pressure, and fluid temperature, to the processor.

16. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims which includes further sensors for measuring and transmitting to the processor fluid characteristics in the pipeline upstream, and/or downstream the bi-directional volume proving system.

17. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the prover loop valve arrangement includes a four-way valve for directing flow of fluid into opposing directions through the prover loop pipe section, when in use.

18. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the prover loop valve arrangement includes four normally closed Solenoid valves, capable of being energized open or closed, independent from one another, for directing the flow of fluid into opposing directions in the prover loop.

19. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the prover loop valve arrangement includes a four way diverter valve manifold comprising two L - port ball valves respectively, each of the L - port ball valves capable of being activated independent of each other for directing flow of fluid into opposing directions through the prover loop pipe section.

20. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the bypass valve arrangement includes a first valve biased towards an open condition to allow flow of fluid therethrough, and, a second valve biased towards a closed condition for inhibiting flow of fluid therethrough.

21. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the calibrated base volume of the bi-directional volume proving system is defined as the sum of travel of the displacer between the detectors in both directions.

22. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the processor is further configured to, when receiving a signal from the larger bore pipeline prover for the time period its own displacer travels between its own pair of spaced apart detector switches, to start collecting pulse counts from the - onboard master meter, and simultaneously, to initiate a proving sequence in the prover loop pipe section, and by processing the data, determine the accuracy of the onboard master - meter and measuring the base volume of the larger bore pipe prover between its detector switches.

23. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the processor utilizes double chronometry measuring principle where the onboard master meter is a low resolution master meter having a nominal K - factor generating less than 10,000 pulses/liter in one semi-cycle direction.

24. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the processor does not utilize the double chronometry measuring principle where the onboard master meter is one of high resolution and have a nominal K-factor capable of generating more than the required 10,000 pulses/liter in one semi cycle direction.

25. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims which is mounted on a wheeled platform to improve transportability.

26. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims comprising two interconnectable modules for ease of transport thereof.

27. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims having a height aspect ranging between 50 and 150 cm, preferably about 130 cm.

28. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims having a length aspect ranging between 100 and 280, preferably about 250 cm.

29. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims having a width aspect of about 120 cm.

30. A bi-directional volume proving system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims having a weight aspect ranging between 150 and 400 kilogram, preferably about 200 kilogram.