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Title: Development of a solid/liquid/gas phase fraction meter: Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6536314

A non-intrusive phase fraction meter was developed for use at the preheater exit of the Solvent Refined Coal facility in Wilsonville, Alabama. The objective was to develop instrumentation that could continuously monitor in real-time the ratio of solids to gas to liquid in the techniques to perform the measurement. The project was performed in three phases; the goals for each phase are (1) Perform sensitivity studies to establish the ultimate accuracy of various measurement techniques and determine the effects of unknown variations in the process stream on the instrument response. (2) Based on the results of Phase I, design and fabricate a prototype gage along with control and analysis software. The components were integrated and the instrument calibrated and tested in the laboratory using simulants for the operation of the instrument on site at the Wilsonville SRC-1 plant in Alabama. The techniques used for the measurement are a combination of high- and low energy gamma densitometry. Simulation studies performed in Phase I showed that, with the present knowledge of the process stream, no instrument could distinguish well between unreacted coal and liquid present in the mixture at the point of measurement. Thus solid fraction was taken to be the ash only. The instrument was installed and tested at Wilsonville in normal plant operating conditions and over a series of special test conditions. The applicability of this technique to the severe environmental and process conditions of coal derived synfuels was demonstrated. The gauge is operational with a preliminary calibration. Further work is required to refine the calibration and to gain operating experience over a wider range of plant conditions.

Research Organization:
Science Applications International Corp., Sunnyvale, CA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-82PC50031
OSTI ID:
6536314
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/50031-T5; ON: DE87006449
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English