US2320218A - Viscosimeter - Google Patents

Description

May 25, 1943. s. E; BUCKLEY VISCOSIMETER Filed March 24, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l I N VEN TOR.

R slew/g EAL-14521 ATTORNEY 28 CONDUCTOR 50 F0 ELICTRICAL- May 25, 1943. s. E. BUCKLE Y 2,320,218

' VISCOSIMETER Filed March 24,. 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v ATTORNEY Patented May 25, 1943 v VISCOSIMETER Stuart E. Buckley, Houston, Tex., assignor to.

Standard Oil Development ration Delaware Company; a corpo- Application March 24, 1941, Serial No. 384,871

' (cases-111) 6 Claims.

The present invention is directed to a 'viscosimeter and particularly to a device for measusing the viscosity of fluid containing gas at high pressure.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a 'viscosimeter which makes possible the measurement of the viscosity of a fluid containing gas at elevated pressures and temperatures.

An additional object'of the present invention is the provision of a viscosimeter which is so constructed as to enable theoperator to reprorow bore hole extending for a substantial portion of its length. Arranged in this bore is a tube I6 of such diameter as to leave an annular space between the tube and the bore.

At the lower end of the box-e is a packing disk ll on which tube 16 can seat. The tube is norduce conditions existing in subsurface formations and to determine theviscosity of fluids obtained from said formations under the reservoir conditions. An additional object'of the present invention is theprovision of a device of the character described so constructed as to eliminate inaccuracies in readings due to vapor looking.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawit ings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a device according to the present invention; and V Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, numeral I designates a base to which is secured a pair of spaced parallel vertical walls 2. In each of these walls at its upper end is journaled a trunnion 3 which is rigidly. connected to a cylinder 4. This cylinder is a thick walled metal cylinder capable of withstanding extremely high pressures. One of the trunnions has an L-shaped bore 5, to the axial end of which isconnected a. tube 6 through a nipple 1, and to the radial end of which is connected a tube 8 through a nipple 9. The other end of tube 6 is connected.

to 'a pump, and the other end of tube 2 is connected to an enlarged chamber I l in theupper end of cylinder 4 through a'nipple .II and a lateral passage II in the wall of the cylinder.

The front edges of the walls 2 are provided with notches ll adapted to receive a; bar which serves as a stop for thecylinder so that it can be brought to rest at different angles to the vertical. A similar stop M in the form of a bar is carried between the walls 2. It will be understood that as many notches 13 as desired may be provided 'so as to enable viscosity measurementseto be made at as many angular positions of the cylinder 4 as desired. h

The cylinder] is provided with a central narmally held oil this seat by a spring 18 arranged at the upper end of the bore IS. The upper end of the tube I6 is provided at its outer surface with a flange l5 which is adapted to abut against astop 20 which limits the upward movement of the tube. The upper end of the chamber I0 is provided with a plug 2| which has a central opening to receive a plunger 22 which xtends into the enlarged chamber 10 and is provided with a head 23 adapted to seal oil the upper end of tube l6. Between the outer end of the plunger and the plug 2i is an annular space filled with packing 2 l which may be compressed by a screw threaded collar 25. Similarly between the outer surface of the plug 2| and the wall of cylinder 4 is an annular space filled with packing 26 which may be compressed by' a threaded collar 21!. 7

The lower end of the cylinder 4 carries a threaded plug 28 which has a central opening in which is arranged an adapter 29 carrying an electrode 20 which extends through the packing disk [1 in a position tmcontact the metal ball 3| which is of such diameter as to roll in the tube IS with its surface contacting'the inner sura that the fluid will be at least as saturated with the gas as it was lnthe formation. The formation temperature may be reproduced by im jmersing the entire device in a bath of fluid maintained at the formation temperature.

7 When the device is charged, the cylinder 4 is I oscillated on its trunnions so as to insure a thortween the tube It and the bore i5, thus eliminating any possibility of a gas poclret at the readings erroneous. I

When the operator is satisfied that the two 'phases in ,the chamber are in equilibrium, he

screws down the plunger 22 to seat the tube It on the packing disk l1 and to sealthe upper end of the tube. Then the cylinder is inverted to permit the ball to come to rest on the plunger.

,Then the cylinder is flipped to any desired an-- tion with respect to the vertical, determined by the notch in which the stop. bar is arranged,

or if the notches are not used, by stop bar l4.

' determinations or viscosity of a fluid saturated to various degrees with gas at elevated pressures can be ascertained.

It will be noted that theconnection between the tube 6 and the chamber i is such that no bending stress is introduced into the fluid-conducting tubes. In this connection, it will be understood that there is a swivel connection between tube 6 and nipple 1.

The nature and objects of the present invention havingbeen thus described and illustrated. what is claimed as new and useful and is desired to be secured byLetters Patent is:

1. A viscosimeter for the determination of the viscosity of a fluid at elevated pressure comprising a cylinder provided with-a relatively small diameter axial bore having an enlarged chamber at its upper end and a fluidsealing seat at its lower end, the bore and chamber normal y being in open fluid communication, means for intro-.

, ducing fluid to be tested into said enlarged chamber, a tube arranged in said bore adapted to seat on said fluid sealing seat, said tube being oi. such diameter as to leave an annular space between its outer surface and'the wall of, the bore, means for normally urging said tube oi! its seat to thereby establish fluid communication between said annular space, and said enlarged chamber and said tube, means for pressing said tube on its seat and sealing its upper end, and a ball adapted to traverse said tube.

2. A viscosimeter for the determination of the viscosity of a fluid at elevated pressure comprising a cylinder provided with a relatively small diameter axial bore having an enlarged chamber at its upper end and a fluid sealing seat at its lower end, the bore and chamber normally being in open fluid communication, means for supporting said cylinder intermediate its ends for oscillation aboutan axis intermediate its ends, means for introducing fluid to be tested intosaid enlarged chamber, a tube arranged in said bore adapted to seat on said fluid 'sealingseat, said tube being of such diameter as to leavean annular space between its outer surface and the wall oi." said bore, means for normally urging said tube oi! its seat to thereby establish fluid com- .munication between said annular space, and said enlarged chamber and said tube, means for presslower end of the bore which would make the ing said tube on its seat and sealing its upper end, and a ball adapted to traverse said tube.

3. A viscosimeter according to claim 2 in which stops are provided for limiting the oscillation oi said cylinder in a predetermined manner.

'4. A viscosimeter for the determination of the viscosity of a fluid at elevated pressure comprising a cylinder provided with a relatively small diameter axial bore having an enlarged chamber at its upper end and a fluid sealing seat at its lower end, the bore and chamber normally being in open fluid communication, an electrical con tact arranged at the lower end of said bore, means for introducing fluid to be tested into said enlarged-chamber, a tube arranged in said bore adapted to seat on said fluid sealing seat, said tube being 01' such diameter as to leave an annular space between its outer suriace'and the wall of fluid at elevated pressure, comprising a cylinof the bore, means for normally urging said tube oi! its seat to thereby establish fluid communication between said annular space, and said enlargedchamber, and said tube, means for pressing said tube on its seat and sealing its upper end, and a ball adapted to traverse said tube and contact said electrical contact when it is in the I lower end of said tube.

5. A viscosimeter for determining ,the viscosity der provided with a relatively small diameter axial bore having an enlarged chamber at itsupper end and a fluid sealing seat at its lower end, the bore and chamber normally being in open fluid communication, means for supporting said cylinder intermediate its ends for oscillation about an axis intermediate its ends, an electrical contact arranged at the lower end of said bore,

means for introducing fluid to be tested into said enlarged chamber, a tube arranged in said bore adapted to seat on said fluid sealing seat, said tube being of such diameter asto leave an annu-.

lar space between its outer surface and the wall of the bore, means for normally urging said tube on its seat to thereby establish fluid communication between said annular space, and said enlarged chamber and said tube, a plunger arranged in said enlarged chamber and adapted to be manipulated for forcing said tube onto its seat and sealing its upper end, and a ball adapted to traverse said tube and to contact said electrical contact when it is in the lower end of said tube.

6. A viscosimeter for the determination of the viscosity of a fluid containing gas at elevated pressure comprising a chamber for receiving a quantity of said fluid containing gas, said chamber including an elongated column of uniform cross section having both of its ends normally in open fluid communication with the remainder of said chamber, thereby permitting circulation at fluid from said chamber through said column and back to said chamber, the volume of said column constituting only part of the total volume of said chamber, means for mounting said chamber which admit'of agitation of said fluid after its admission to said chamber for establishing equilibrium between the gas and the fluid, means for segregating the fluid in said column from the remainder oi the fluid, and ball adapted to traverse said column so that viscosities can be measured by measuring the travel time of said ball i'rom one end of the column tothe'othert STUART nnucxmr.

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