A capacitance-based tomography system for interface measurement in separation vessels

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Abstract
Optimal quality of the product that leaves a water/oil/gas separator is determined by optimal separator design and control. Current control strategies for separators are extremely simple due to the lack of a reliable interface level measurement system. In this project a capacitance-based tomography system for interface imaging inside a separator has been developed and tested in the separator laboratory at Christian Michelsen Research (CMR). The tomography system consists of a capacitance sensor system, a data acquisition system and a model-based reconstruction algorithm implemented on a personal computer. The system can potentially measure the water, oil/water emulsion, oil and foam heights inside a separator on a process plant. In this project the tomograph has been tested, in a separator laboratory at CMR, for on-line imaging of water, oil and air interface levels (during water/oil/air tests) and for oil, foam and air interface imaging (during oil/air tests). The obtained accuracy is within 1.0 cm for all phases. The tomograph also detected the presence of foam, but due to problems with electrostatic charge generation, poor stability in the measurements results. In a steel separator, however, it is expected that the electrostatic charge problem will probably not exist.

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