Development of a solid/liquid/gas phase fraction meter: Final report. [High and low energy]
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 process stream. The gauge utilized nuclear interrogation 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 gauge along with control and analysis software. The components were integrated and the instrument calibrated and tested in the laboratory using simulants for the individual phases. (3) Installation, calibration, and 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:
- 6687640
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/PC/50031-T5; ON: DE87006449
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Quarterly report on Phase 1 of a phase fraction meter for the Solvent Refined Coal (SRC1) facility at Wilsonville, Alabama
Development of a three phase fraction meter. Quarterly report, June 1983-August 1983
Related Subjects
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
COAL LIQUEFACTION PLANTS
FLOWMETERS
CALIBRATION
DESIGN
FABRICATION
INSTALLATION
PERFORMANCE TESTING
GAMMA RADIATION
ENERGY ABSORPTION
MULTIPHASE FLOW
ACCURACY
ASHES
COAL
COAL LIQUIDS
DENSITOMETERS
DENSITY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GASES
LIQUIDS
RADIOMETRIC GAGES
REAL TIME SYSTEMS
SOLIDS
SRC PROCESS
ABSORPTION
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
DATA
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INFORMATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METERS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHOTOMETERS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
RESIDUES
TESTING
010405* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Hydrogenation & Liquefaction
440101 - Radiation Instrumentation- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments