US 12,487,205 B2
Acoustic sand monitor
Lee David Rhyne, Cypress, TX (US); Peter Crowder, Houston, TX (US); and Hariprasad Janakiram Subramani, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to CHEVRON U.S.A. INC., San Ramon, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/553,701
Filed by Chevron U.S.A. Inc., San Ramon, CA (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 31, 2022, PCT No. PCT/US2022/022965
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 2, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/212797, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 6, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/170,156, filed on Apr. 2, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0175848 A1, May 30, 2024
Int. Cl. G01N 29/14 (2006.01); G01F 22/00 (2006.01); E21B 43/34 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 29/14 (2013.01) [G01F 22/00 (2013.01); E21B 43/35 (2020.05); G01N 2291/0232 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An acoustic sand monitor system comprising:
an accumulator vessel configured to be coupled to a de-sander vessel, wherein the de-sander vessel separates sand from a fluid stream of a flow line and wherein the accumulator vessel collects the sand separated from the fluid stream;
an exciter assembly coupled to the accumulator vessel, wherein, when activated, the exciter assembly causes vibrations of the accumulator vessel;
a receiver coupled to the accumulator vessel, wherein the receiver detects an accumulator audio signal created by the vibrations of the accumulator vessel; and
a communications interface electrically coupled to the receiver, wherein the communications interface transmits the accumulator audio signal to a control system that analyzes the accumulator audio signal.