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TTP have developed a novel, low cost, low power system for multiphase level detection based upon MIR & TDR technology, that has potential application in a wide range of scenarios
About
TTP has developed a novel, low-cost, low-power system for multiphase level detection based upon MIR & TDR technology, that has potential application in a wide range of sensing scenarios – from profiling phase separation in chemical storage tanks to dielectric property analysis of liquids in the bio-sciences industry to monitoring various process conditions where multiphase stratification is important to measure in real-time. Micro-Impulse Radar (MIR) is based on the transmission of very short electromagnetic pulses (otherwise known as ultra-wideband) which are passed into the media of interest via a free space or guided wave antenna. Reflections of the EM signal are demodulated asynchronously to capture a representation of the time-domain response. The signal is subsequently processed to extract information about the sensed media for use in the application. TTP’s novel approach is to use the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) response to extract more information from the data to provide a dielectric profile that can be used to estimate the relative positions of the interfacial levels. A candidate application for guided wave impulse radar is in the oil and gas industry which faces the challenge of monitoring and controlling multiphase fluids for separation. Conventional sensing solutions are normally built from gamma radiation sources combined with scintillator detectors arranged into an array and fixed to the outside of the tank. This is a high-cost implementation and carries attendant radiation source exposure risks. Alternatively, a more cost-effective option that is employed includes manual sampling and subsequent analysis (once per day). The technology is at a proof-of-principle stage of development, and we are now seeking an industrialization partner. A prototype system has been developed, including PCB, guided-wave probe, firmware, and software to explore if a dielectric profile of a separating emulsion can be arrived at from a MIR TDR response. Experiments have been performed to calibrate the system and collect initial data for an oil/water emulsion separation. Preliminary COMSOL modeling and analysis of the collected data from these tests have demonstrated the multiphase profiling capability. For further reading see: https://www.ttp.com/work/cases/better-insights-into-process-condition
Key Benefits
Low-cost, Simple, Flexible, Data-rich - Powerful interrogator + Novel application of inversion algorithms = content-rich data - Highly efficient/compact low power system, easy to deploy using low cost electronics - The sensor probe has no electronics which means it can be cheap, durable, easy to clean, low cost, easy to manufacture, easy to maintain, etc
Applications
Wide industry application space; Multiple use cases - O&G, industrial, mining, bioprocessing, medical, food & beverage