A Real-Time Monitoring of Fluids Properties in Tubular Architectures

Abstract

Real-time monitoring of fluid properties in tubular systems, such as viscosity, flow rate, and pressure, is essential for industries utilizing the liquid medium. Today such fluid characteristics are studied off-line using laboratory facilities that can provide accurate results. Nonetheless, it is inadequate to match the pace demanded by the industries. Therefore, off-line measurements are slow and ineffective. On the other hand, commercially available real-time monitoring sensors for fluid properties are generally large and bulky, generating considerable pressure reduction and energy loss in tubular systems. Furthermore, they produce significant and persistent damage to the tubular systems during the installation process because of their bulkiness. To address these challenges, industries have realigned their attention on non-destructive testing and noninvasive methodologies installed on the outer tubular surface to avoid flow disturbance and shutting systems for installations. Although, such monitoring sensors showed greater performance in monitoring and inspecting pipe health conditions, they are not effective for monitoring the properties of the fluids. It is limited to flowmeter applications and does not include fluid characteristics such as viscometers. Therefore, developing a convenient real-time integrated sensory system for monitoring different fluid properties in a tubular system is critical. In this dissertation, a fully compliant compact sensory system is designed, developed, examined and optimized for monitoring fluid properties in tubular architectures. The proposed sensor system consists of a physically flexible platform connected to the inner surface of tubes to adopt the different diameters and curvature shapes with unnoticeable flow disruption. Also, it utilizes the microchannel bridge to serve in the macro application inside pipe systems. It has an array of pressure sensors located bellow the microchannel as the primary measurement unit for the device. The dissertation is supported by simulation and modeling for a deeper understanding of the system behavior. In the last stage, the sensory module is integrated with electronics for a fully compliant stand-alone system.