Apparatus and method for measuring parameters of a mixture having solid particles suspended in a fluid flowing in a pipe

Abstract From the Canadian patent

An apparatus 10 and method is provided that includes a spatial array of unsteady pressure sensors 15 - 18 placed at predetermined axial locations xl - xN disposed axiallyalong a pipe 14 for measuring at least one parameter of a solid particle/fluid mixture 12 flowing in the pipe 14. The pressure sensors 15 - 18 provide acoustic pressure signals P1(t) - PN(t) to a signal processing unit 30 which determines the speed of sound amix(.omega.) of the particle/fluid mixture 12 in the pipe 14 using acoustic spatial array signal processing techniques. The primary parameters to be measured include fluid/particle concentration, fluid/particle mixture volumetric flow and , particle size. …