METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING OBSTRUCTIONS IN PIPELINE NETWORKS FOR TRANSPORTING FLUIDS

摘要

It is described a method for detecting and identifying obstructions in a pipeline network for transporting fluids, wherein the network is composed of a plurality of pipeline sections (P) and a plurality of junctions (N). The method comprising the following phases: acquiring the geometrical data of a predefined number of pipeline sections (P) for which the presence of obstructions has to be evaluated; measuring the actual flow-rate values (Q1) of the fluid in one or more pipeline sections (P) and of the actual pressure values (h1) of the fluid at one or more junctions (N) of the network; comparison between the values of the nominal diameters (D1) of said pipeline sections (P) and the corresponding equivalent diameters (Dieq) of said pipeline sections (P); calculating, by means of a specific numerical model, the theoretic flow-rate values (QiT) and pressure values (hiT) of the fluid for said equivalent diameters (Dieq). With =(Dieq)α×Di method provides a calculation phase of the value of the variables vector αi which minimize a function based on the discrepancy between the actual flow-rate (Qi) and pressure (hi) values effectively measured and the corresponding theoretical flow-rate (QiT) and pressure (hiT) values, wherein said calculation phase is performed by applying a certain own fitness function J(α) of the genetic algorithms (GAs).

主权项

1. A method for detecting and identifying restrictions and obstructions in a pipeline network for transporting single-phase or multiphase fluid, wherein the pipeline network comprises a plurality of pipeline sections (P) and a plurality of junctions (N), the method comprising:
acquiring geometrical data of a predefined number of pipeline sections (P) for which the presence of obstructions has to be evaluated, wherein the geometrical data comprises values of nominal lengths (L1) and diameters (D1) of the pipeline sections (P); measuring an actual flow-rate value (Q1) of the fluid in a pipeline section (P) and an actual pressure value (hi) of the fluid at a junction (N) of the network; comparing the values of the nominal diameters (D1) of the pipeline sections (P) and corresponding equivalent diameters (Dieq) of the pipeline sections (P), wherein the value of each equivalent diameter (Dieq) is calculated as:Dieq=[Li(∑jLjDj5)-1]1/5 calculating theoretical flow-rate values (QiT) and pressure values (hiT) of the fluid for the equivalent diameters (Dieq) with a specified numerical model; with Dieq=αi×Di, calculating a value of the variables vector αi, having a dimension equal to the predefined number of pipeline sections (P), which minimize a function based on a discrepancy between the actual flow-rate (Qi) and pressure (hi) values effectively measured and corresponding theoretical flow-rate (QiT) and pressure (hiT) values, wherein the calculating of the value of the variables vector αi is performed by applying a certain fitness function J(α) of a genetic algorithm.