Plant for the treatment of a multiphasic fluid and method for characterizing said fluid online

Abstract

A plant ( 1 ) for the treatment of a multiphasic fluid and method for line-characterization of the fluid wherein the plant ( 1 ) comprises a circuit ( 4 ) within which the fluid is intended to circulate and being characterized in that it comprises a characterization tool ( 3 ) comprising at least an analysis settler ( 6 ) adapted to separate the phases to obtain so-called separated phases and a means ( 9 ) for combining the separated phases. The plant ( 1 ) is designed so that a fraction of the fluid circulating within the circuit ( 4 ) circulates within the tool ( 3 ) to pass through the analysis settler ( 6 ) so that the phases of the fluid are separated then discharged into the circuit ( 4 ). The combining means ( 9 ) is designed so as to combine the separated phases.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method for characterizing a multiphasic fluid comprising at least two liquid phases of different respective densities, said multiphasic fluid circulating within a circuit ( 4 ) comprising a main settler ( 2 ) configured to separate said at least two liquid phases, said main settler ( 2 ) comprising at least one inlet ( 21 ) through which said multiphasic fluid is configured to enter into the main settler ( 2 ) and at least one outlet ( 22 A,  22 B,  22 C) through which said multiphasic fluid is intended to be discharged from the main settler ( 2 ), said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
 diverting a fraction of the multiphasic fluid towards an analysis settler ( 6 ), so that the main settler ( 2 ) and the analysis settler ( 6 ) are concomitantly fed with multiphasic fluid, said fraction forming an analysis flow passing through said analysis settler ( 6 ), so as to separate said at least two liquid phases, and flowing from the latter as separated phases;   combining said separated phases; and   injecting said separated phases into said circuit ( 4 ) upstream of the outlet ( 22 A,  22 B,  22 C) of the main settler ( 2 ).   
     
     
         16 . The method for characterizing a multiphasic fluid according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the method comprises a step of adjusting the flow rate of said analysis flow circulating through said analysis settler ( 6 ), by modifying the quantity of fluid forming said fraction. 
     
     
         17 . The method for characterizing a multiphasic fluid according to  claim 15 , characterized in that said method comprises a step of measuring, in at least one of said separated phases, a residual quantity of another phase of said multiphasic fluid. 
     
     
         18 . The method for characterizing a multiphasic fluid according to  claim 16 , characterized in that said method comprises the following successive steps:
 adjusting the analysis flow at a first measurement flow rate;   measuring in one of said separated phases the possibly present residual quantity of another phase of said fluid, allowing the determination of a measurement value corresponding to said first measurement flow rate;   storing said measurement value as a function of said measurement flow rate; and   wherein said flow adjustment, measurement and storage steps are repeated at different measurement flow rates so as to characterize the separation of said fluid as a function of the measurement flow rate.   
     
     
         19 . The method for characterizing a multiphasic fluid according to  claim 15 , characterized in that said method comprises a step of locating, within said analysis settler ( 6 ), phases of said multiphasic fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The method for characterizing a multiphasic fluid according to  claim 15 , characterized in that said method further comprises a step of measuring the flow rate of one of said separated phases.