MIT for Multiphase Process Monitoring: A feasibility study

During recent years, the development of multiphase flow metering technologies has been a primary focus within the Oil and Gas Industry. A range of commercial solutions exist in the market, but none of these address all the future requirements such as high-accuracy, low-cost and non-nuclear systems. The present study focusses in Industrial Computed Tomography (ICT), a set of technologies that are non-invasive, potentially low-cost and which provide detailed flow structure information. The study focuses on developments in the area of Magnetic Induction Tomography (MIT) for process monitoring. An experimental MIT system has been developed for experimental demonstration of the potential of the technology on a gravitational separation column. The prototype consists of a set of excitation coils, through which an electrical current is induced. The receiving coils measure alterations in the strength of the primary magnetic field attributed to the physical properties of the mixture being imaged. The experimental results showed evidence of shifts in the electrical readings when the medium characteristics vary, demonstrating that MIT has a legitimate capability in recognizing conductivity changes. By monitoring a separation process with an MIT system, actual physical property measurements are derived. The study provides insight on the opportunities that ICT brings to the Oil and Gas Industry including flow rate measurement, flow pattern identification, measurement of phase profiles and instantaneous velocity. Authors are confident in that the flow-regime independent nature of the MIT system makes the development of these technologies highly attractive for industrial applications within the Oil and Gas Industry.