A Water Volume Fraction Measurement Method Based on Flow Regime Insensitivity-Microwave Resonant Cavity Sensor (FRI-MRCS)

In the process of natural gas exploitation, the complex pipe network coupled with changes in pressure and temperature can result in a variety of flow regimes, complicating the use of microwave technology for water content measurement. To overcome this challenge, this study introduces a flow regime insensitivity-microwave resonant cavity sensor (FRI-MRCS). We achieved flow uniformity and regularity by converting the pipeline into a Venturi structure and introducing a swirler within the Venturi contraction section. This design induced a spiral annular flow in the gas-water two-phase flow, which mitigates the influence of the gas-water distribution on the water content measurement. The flow regime modified ability of the swirler is demonstrated by FLUENT simulation. The water content measurement characteristics of FRI-MRCS are investigated through experiments, and the water volume fraction prediction model (0%-5%) is established. The confidence probability of relative error within +/- 10% is 90.6%. The results show that the FRI-MRCS proposed in this study provides a reliable and effective solution for the measurement of water content in the oil and gas industry.