Patent US6719768B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3842270A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pressurized oil-in-water monitor
Assignee: ConocoPhillips Co
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Filing: 1973-10-29
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Granted: 1974-10-15
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Expires: 1993-10-29
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for monitoring the presence in an aqueous medium of an oil which fluoresces when irradiated by ultraviolet light wherein the fluid stream being monitored does not come in direct contact with the light source or detection means.
Inventors
- 👤 M Gregory
- 👤 J Stolhand
- 👤 M Yost
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:20
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/84; G01N21/85; G01N21/62; G01N21/63; G01N21/64; G01N33/00; G01N33/18; G01N33/1826; G01N33/1833; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
An apparatus for monitoring in an aqueous base fluid an oleaginous material which fluoresces when irradiated by ultraviolet light comprising: a. a vertically positioned tubular housing means for receiving a stream of fluid to be monitored, said tubular housing means having an upper portion having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of the stream of fluid to provide an air annulus therebetween, a bottom section of reduced diameter in which the stream of fluid collects before passing out of the housing and a first and second sealed transparent windows at the same horizontal level in the upper portion of the lateral sidewall of the housing, b. means for introducing a stream of fluid into the upper portion of said tubular housing means so that such fluid falls through said upper portion without touching the lateral sidewall thereof, c. means for introducing a beam of ultraviolet light through one of the same sealed windows and into the falling stream of fluid, d. means for detecting fluorescence radiation mounted outside said tubular housing means opposite the other of the said sealed windows, e. a supply of gas at a pressure above the pressure in the tubular housing connected to the upper portion of the tubular housing.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
205 words
An apparatus for monitoring in an aqueous base fluid an oleaginous material which fluoresces when irradiated by ultraviolet light comprising: a. a vertically positioned tubular housing means for receiving a stream of fluid to be monitored, said tubular housing means having an upper portion having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of the stream of fluid to provide an air annulus therebetween, a bottom section of reduced diameter in which the stream of fluid collects before passing out of the housing and a first and second sealed transparent windows at the same horizontal level in the upper portion of the lateral sidewall of the housing, b. means for introducing a stream of fluid into the upper portion of said tubular housing means so that such fluid falls through said upper portion without touching the lateral sidewall thereof, c. means for introducing a beam of ultraviolet light through one of the same sealed windows and into the falling stream of fluid, d. means for detecting fluorescence radiation mounted outside said tubular housing means opposite the other of the said sealed windows, e. a supply of gas at a pressure above the pressure in the tubular housing connected to the upper portion of the tubular housing.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
238 words
An apparatus for monitoring in an aqueous base fluid an oleaginous material which fluoresces when irradiated by ultraviolet light comprising: a. a vertically positioned tubular housing means for receiving a stream of fluid to be monitored, said tubular housing means having an upper portion having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of the stream of fluidid to provide an air annulus therebetween, a bottom section of reduced diameter in which the stream of fluid collects before passing out of the housing and a first and second sealed transparent windows at the same horizontal level in the upper portion of the lateral sidewall of the housing, b. means for introducing a stream of fluid into the upper portion of said tubular housing means so that such fluid falls through said upper portion without touching the lateral sidewall thereof, c. means for introducing a beam of ultraviolet light through one of the said sealed windows and into the falling stream of fluid, d. means for detecting fluorescence radiation mounted outside said tubular housing means opposite the other of the said sealed windows, e. means for detecting the height of the column of fluid which collects in the bottom section of said tubular housing, and f. means for injecting a gas into the air annulus in said tubular housing when said height detecting means indicates that the height of said column of fluid is approaching the level of said windows.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
238 words
An apparatus for monitoring in an aqueous base fluid an oleaginous material which fluoresces when irradiated by ultraviolet light comprising: a. a vertically positioned tubular housing means for receiving a stream of fluid to be monitored, said tubular housing means having an upper portion having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of the stream of fluidid to provide an air annulus therebetween, a bottom section of reduced diameter in which the stream of fluid collects before passing out of the housing and a first and second sealed transparent windows at the same horizontal level in the upper portion of the lateral sidewall of the housing, b. means for introducing a stream of fluid into the upper portion of said tubular housing means so that such fluid falls through said upper portion without touching the lateral sidewall thereof, c. means for introducing a beam of ultraviolet light through one of the said sealed windows and into the falling stream of fluid, d. means for detecting fluorescence radiation mounted outside said tubular housing means opposite the other of the said sealed windows, e. means for detecting the height of the column of fluid which collects in the bottom section of said tubular housing, and f. means for injecting a gas into the air annulus in said tubular housing when said height detecting means indicates that the height of said column of fluid is approaching the level of said windows.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for detecting the height of the column of fluid which collects in the bottom section of said tubular housing comprises two conductance probes mounted through the lateral sidewall of said tubular housing vertically spaced apart between the bottom section of said tubular housing and the said windows.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for detecting the height of the column of fluid which collects in the bottom section of said tubular housing comprises a sight gauge mounted in the lateral sidewall of said tubular housing between the bottom section of said tubular housing and the said windows.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for detecting the height of the column of fluid which collects in the bottom section of said tubular goods controls a solenoid valve which admits gas into the air annulus in said tubular housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for introducing a stream of fluid into the upper portion of said tubular housing means includes a flow controller to regulate the rate at which the stream of fluid falls through the tubular housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first and second sealed windows are mounted at a right angle to each other in the tubular housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for detecting fluorescence radiation of (d) comprises a photocell positioned behind a filter which filters out incident ultraviolet light.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the tubular housing is provided with splash guards positioned between the lateral sidewall of the tubular housing and the falling stream of fluid which splash guards decrease splashing of the fluid onto the sealed transparent windows.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fluorescence radiation detecting means of (d) is supplied with a constant temperature jacket maintained at the same temperature as the fluid stream.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
187 words
A method for monitoring in an aqueous base fluid an oleaginous material which fluoresces when irradiated by ultraviolet light comprising: a. injecting a fluid to be monitored into the upper portion of a vertically positioned tubular housing so that a stream of said fluid falls through the tubular housing without touching the lateral sidewall of said upper portion of the tubular housing, b. collecting said fluid in the bottom portion of said tubular housing which bottom portion has a diameter Which is smaller than the diameter of the upper section thereof, c. discharging said fluid from said tubular housing, d. irradiating said falling stream of fluid with ultraviolet light transmitted through a first transparent sealed window in the upper portion of said tubular housing, e. detecting fluorescence radiation from said irradiated falling stream of fluid through a second transparent sealed window in the upper portion of the housing, and f. injecting a gas into the upper portion of said tubular housing to suppress the height of the column of fluid collected in the bottom portion of the tubular housing below the level of the transparent sealed windows.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
187 words
A method for monitoring in an aqueous base fluid an oleaginous material which fluoresces when irradiated by ultraviolet light comprising: a. injecting a fluid to be monitored into the upper portion of a vertically positioned tubular housing so that a stream of said fluid falls through the tubular housing without touching the lateral sidewall of said upper portion of the tubular housing, b. collecting said fluid in the bottom portion of said tubular housing which bottom portion has a diameter Which is smaller than the diameter of the upper section thereof, c. discharging said fluid from said tubular housing, d. irradiating said falling stream of fluid with ultraviolet light transmitted through a first transparent sealed window in the upper portion of said tubular housing, e. detecting fluorescence radiation from said irradiated falling stream of fluid through a second transparent sealed window in the upper portion of the housing, and f. injecting a gas into the upper portion of said tubular housing to suppress the height of the column of fluid collected in the bottom portion of the tubular housing below the level of the transparent sealed windows.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
202 words
A method for monitoring in an aqueous base fluid an oleaginous material which fluoresces when irradiated by ultraviolet light comprising: a. injecting a fluid to be monitored into the upper portion of a vertically positioned tubular housing so that a stream of said fluid falls through the tubular housing without touching the lateral sidewall of said upper portion of the tubular housing, b. collecting said fluid in the bottom portion of said tubular housing which bottom portion has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the upper section thereof, c. discharging said fluid from said tubular housing, d. irradiating said falling stream of fluid with ultraviolet light transmitted through a first transparent sealed window in the upper portion of said tubular housing, e. detecting fluorescence radiation from said irradiated falling stream of fluid through a second transparent sealed window in the upper portion of the housing, and f. detecting the height of the column of fluid collected in the bottom of the tubular housing, and g. injecting a gas into the upper portion of said tubular housing when the height detection of (f) indicates that the height of said fluid column is approaching the level of the sealed transparent windows.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
202 words
A method for monitoring in an aqueous base fluid an oleaginous material which fluoresces when irradiated by ultraviolet light comprising: a. injecting a fluid to be monitored into the upper portion of a vertically positioned tubular housing so that a stream of said fluid falls through the tubular housing without touching the lateral sidewall of said upper portion of the tubular housing, b. collecting said fluid in the bottom portion of said tubular housing which bottom portion has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the upper section thereof, c. discharging said fluid from said tubular housing, d. irradiating said falling stream of fluid with ultraviolet light transmitted through a first transparent sealed window in the upper portion of said tubular housing, e. detecting fluorescence radiation from said irradiated falling stream of fluid through a second transparent sealed window in the upper portion of the housing, and f. detecting the height of the column of fluid collected in the bottom of the tubular housing, and g. injecting a gas into the upper portion of said tubular housing when the height detection of (f) indicates that the height of said fluid column is approaching the level of the sealed transparent windows.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the gas injection of (g) is maintained at a rate so that the pressure in the tubular housing is at least 10 pounds per square inch greater than the pressure of the discharged fluid of (e).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-14 | 1978-04-15 | 1978-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-14 | 1982-04-15 | 1982-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-14 | 1986-04-15 | 1986-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |