Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100251829 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEASURING A FLUID FLOW PARAMETER WITHIN AN INTERNAL PASSAGE OF AN ELONGATED BODY - A method and apparatus for measuring at least one parameter of a fluid flowing through an internal passage of an elongated body is provided. The internal passage is disposed between a first wall and a second wall, and the first wall and the second wall each include an interior surface and an exterior surface. The method includes the steps of providing an array of at least two ultrasonic sensor units, operating the sensor units to transmit ultrasonic signals at one or more frequencies substantially coincident with at least one frequency at which the transmitted ultrasonic signals resonate within the first wall, receiving the ultrasonic signals with the sensor units, and processing the received ultrasonic signals to measure the at least one parameter of fluid flow within the internal passage. | 10-07-2010 |
20110056298 | FLOW AND PIPE MANAGEMENT USING VELOCITY PROFILE MEASUREMENT AND/OR PIPE WALL THICKNESS AND WEAR MONITORING - The present invention provides new techniques for non-invasive and real-time measurement of the velocity profile of slurry flow in horizontal pipes, as well as the measurement and trending of pipe wear on slurry lines. In the first case, this information can be used to determine the approach and onset of solid deposition on the bottom of the pipe. Having this information in real time can enable operation at lower velocities or higher solids concentration or both while avoiding solids deposition or plugging and their associated operational costs. In the second case, the present invention uses a permanently or semi-permanently installed ring of conformable ultrasonic transducers clamped onto the outside of the pipe. These transducers are used to measure the thickness of the pipe under their respective locations. | 03-10-2011 |
20110203387 | Method and Apparatus for Measuring Parameters of a Fluid Flowing within a Pipe Using a Configurable Array of Sensors - An apparatus for measuring at least one parameter associated with a fluid flowing within a pipe includes a single sheet of piezoelectric film material wrapped around at least a portion of the pipe and an array of sensors disposed at different locations on the film material. Each of the sensors provides a signal indicative of pressure within the pipe at a corresponding axial and/or circumferential location of the pipe. The sensors are selectively configurable to provide the pressure signals. The signals are processed to determine the parameter. The array of sensors is configurable in response to different criteria. The criteria includes at least one of the parameter of the fluid to be output, an input signal specifying sensors to be selected, a predetermined configuration based on the parameter to be determined, and in response to a previously determined parameter of the fluid. | 08-25-2011 |
20110208447 | Method and Apparatus for Measuring Parameters of a Fluid Flowing within a Pipe Using a Configurable Array of Sensors - An apparatus for measuring at least one parameter associated with a fluid flowing within a pipe includes a single sheet of piezoelectric film material wrapped around at least a portion of the pipe and an array of sensors disposed at different locations on the film material. Each of the sensors provides a signal indicative of pressure within the pipe at a corresponding axial and/or circumferential location of the pipe. The sensors are selectively configurable to provide the pressure signals. The signals are processed to determine the parameter. The array of sensors is configurable in response to different criteria. The criteria includes at least one of the parameter of the fluid to be output, an input signal specifying sensors to be selected, a predetermined configuration based on the parameter to be determined, and in response to a previously determined parameter of the fluid. | 08-25-2011 |
20130145842 | Dispersion Compensation Technique for Differential Sonar Measurement - Density Meter. - The present invention provides a novel technique for canceling substantially the effects of dispersion when two speed of sound (SOS) measurements are required on the materials within a pipe to perform a calculation or derive certain characteristics about the materials flowing in the pipe. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the apparatus may comprise a signal processor configured to receive signals containing information about two speed of sound measurements having two sets of data related to materials within a pipe; and process the two sets of data simultaneously and determine a ridge point by point difference in order to cancel substantially effects of dispersion. | 06-13-2013 |
20130192351 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING GVF (GAS VOLUME FRACTION) FOR AERATED FLUIDS AND LIQUIDS IN FLOTATION TANKS, COLUMNS, DRUMS, TUBES, VATS - The invention provides a signal processor that receives a signal containing information about an acoustic signal that is generated by at least one acoustic transmitter, that travels through an aerated fluid in a container, and that is received by at least one acoustic receiver arranged in relation to the container, including inside the container; and determines the gas volume fraction of the aerated fluid based at least partly on the speed of sound measurement of the acoustic signal that travels through the aerated fluid in the container. The signal processor also sends an output signal containing information about the gas volume fraction of the aerated fluid. The signal processor may be configured together with at least one acoustic transmitter, the at least one acoustic receiver, or both. | 08-01-2013 |
20130247673 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING CEPSTRUM AND WAVELET BASED ALGORITHMS FOR WALL THICKNESS MEASUREMENT - New techniques are provided for measuring the thickness of a pipe wall using ultrasonic reflections. The apparatus includes a signal processor that receives a signal containing information about ultrasonic pulses injected into a pipe wall; and determines a pipe wall thickness measurement based at least partly on decomposing the signal received in order to identify either peaks using a cepstrum analysis or repeated spacing using a wavelet analysis. The wavelet analysis includes dividing data in the signal received into a specific frequency component and a defined temporal component in order to detect correct pulses where multiple reflections are caused by irregularities in the pipe wall surface being measured. The cepstrum analysis includes processing repeating pulses in the signal in order to detect correct pulses where multiple reflections are caused by irregularities in the pipe wall surface being measured. | 09-26-2013 |
20140026666 | WEAR MONITORING WITH ROTATIONAL SENSOR AND SENSOR THICKNESS - Apparatus for determining a thickness of a wall of a pipe, featuring a signal processing module configured to respond to signaling containing information about traveling stress waves transmitted to and reflected back from a wall of a pipe by a sensor band that includes a series, ring or array having multiple transducers circumferentially arranged and mounted around, and attached to or clamped onto, an outside wall of the pipe; and determine a profile of a thickness of the wall of the pipe corresponding to circumferential locations of the multiple transducers based on the signaling received from the sensor band; and one or more orientation or rotation sensors, each responding to its orientation in relation to its displacement on the pipe and to provide an orientation signal containing information about the same. | 01-30-2014 |
20140026667 | GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE RE WEAR MONITORING - Apparatus for determining a thickness of a wall of a pipe, featuring a signal processing module configured to respond to signaling containing information about traveling stress waves transmitted to and reflected back from a wall of a pipe by a sensor band that includes a series, ring or array having multiple transducers circumferentially arranged and mounted around, and attached to or clamped onto, an outside wall of the pipe; determine a profile of a thickness of the wall of the pipe corresponding to circumferential locations of the multiple transducers based on the signaling received from the sensor band, and the provides corresponding signaling containing information about the profile of the thickness of the wall of the pipe; and another module configured to receive the corresponding signaling and provide a visual indication of either data or a graph of the thickness of the wall of the pipe. | 01-30-2014 |
20140297204 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING REAL TIME AIR MEASUREMENT APPLICATIONS IN WET CONCRETE - Apparatus is provided having an acoustic-based air probe with an acoustic source configured to provide an acoustic signal into a mixture of concrete; and an acoustic receiver configured to be substantially co-planar with the acoustic source, to respond to the acoustic signal, and to provide signaling containing information about the acoustic signal injected into the mixture of concrete. | 10-02-2014 |
20140326885 | LASER BASED SYSTEM FOR BITUMEN CONTENT DETERMINATION, E.G., USING DISCRETE WAVELENGTH SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS - The present invention provides a technique that uses discrete wavelengths of illumination of an ore sample, and through the use of optical filters and laser illumination the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement can be greatly improved, and may take the form of apparatus featuring a signal processor configured to: receive signaling containing information about a spectral reflectance caused by discrete wavelengths illuminating an ore sample; and determine information about a bitumen content of the ore sample based at least partly on the signaling. The signal processor may provide corresponding signaling containing information about the bitumen content of the ore sample, including for further processing, printing or displaying. | 11-06-2014 |
20140347472 | SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF OIL SANDS ORE FACE FOR REAL TIME ORE BLEND MANAGEMENT - Apparatus is provided featuring a signal processor or signal processing module configured to receive signaling containing information about images of an ore sample; and determine information about a Bitumen Content of the ore sample based at least partly on the signaling, including for use in real time ore blend management in a bitumen recovery process related to mined oil sands. The ore sample may be an ore face, and the signaling may contain information about the images of the ore face. The signal processor or signal processing module may be configured to determine a real time ore face ore grade visualization based at least partly on the signaling, and provide corresponding signaling containing information about the real time ore face ore grade visualization, including a composite overlay image. | 11-27-2014 |
20140373631 | ACOUSTIC PROBING TECHNIQUE FOR THE DETERMINATION OF INTERIOR PIPE COATING WEAR OR SCALE BUILD-UP AND LINER WEAR - Apparatus is provided comprising a signal processor that receives signaling containing information about an acoustic signal swept and sensed over a frequency range in relation to a pipe; and determines information about the structure of the pipe based at least partly on two or more sub-frequency ranges that form part of the frequency range in the signaling received. The signal processor also receives the acoustic signal being transmitted to the pipe and corresponding signaling in the two or more sub-frequency ranges containing information about reflections of the acoustic signal back from the pipe; and determines information about the structure of the pipe based at least partly on a coherent mixing of the acoustic signal and the corresponding signaling in the two or more sub-frequency ranges using a coherent acoustic tomography technique. Alternatively, the signal processor also receives associated signaling in the two or more sub-frequency ranges containing information about associated resonance in a liner of a wall of the pipe and determines information about the liner of the wall of the pipe, based at least partly on the two or more sub-frequency ranges. | 12-25-2014 |
20150019133 | ACOUSTIC MONITORING OF BLOCK CAVING - Apparatus is provided featuring a signal processing module configured to receive signaling containing information about detected acoustic emissions related to ore being mined from a block cave in a block caving process, including falling ore that creates unique acoustic signatures; and determine information about the ore being mined from the block cave in the block caving process, based at least partly on the signaling received. The signal processing module may receive the signaling from an array of acoustic sensors placed around the block cave, including where the array of acoustic sensors surrounds the block cave in both vertical and horizontal directions. The signal processing module may provide corresponding signaling containing corresponding information about the ore being mined from the block cave in the block caving process, including where the corresponding information includes information about a distribution and size of the ore being mined from the block cave in the block caving process. | 01-15-2015 |
20150083646 | DIMENSIONALLY CONTROLLED 'ENGINEERED POLYMER BUBBLE' FOR FLOTATION SEPARATION - Apparatus is provided featuring a first and second cells. The first cell receives an ore slurry having mineral particles of interest, receives unexpanded polymer microspheres comprising a surface having mineral collector chemistry attached thereto with molecules for attaching the mineral particles of interest, causes the unexpanded polymer microspheres to expand substantially in volume into expanded polymer microspheres having a substantially increased sphere surface area, and provides an expanded polymer microsphere foam layer comprising the expanded polymer microspheres with attached mineral particles of interest. The second cell receives the expanded polymer microsphere foam layer, and causes the expanded polymer microspheres to collapse substantially in volume into collapsed polymer microspheres having a substantially reduced sphere surface area that results in a mechanical shearing off of the attached mineral particles of interest. The second cell may also provide a mineral concentrate output having the mineral particles of interest. | 03-26-2015 |