Flowrox Deposition Watch pipe deposition instrument

Flowrox has released Deposition Watch, an instrument designed to enhance the monitoring of pipelines and related flow-process equipment affected by paraffin wax and asphaltene deposits.

The Flowrox Deposition Watch is a predictive device, allowing its operators to address deposition issues well before these reach critical levels that can cause downtime or costly damage. Crude oil contains a variety of molecular substances that challenge the oil and gas companies with the build-up of paraffin wax when it crystallises into a solid deposition on the pipe wall - along with the accumulation of asphaletene - which can altogether reduce the fluid flow or plug pipes and valves.

The Deposition Watch utilises electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) to create real-time images of the inside of the piping and to detect the differences in permittivity of the various substances found in the piping system. It uses a patented algorithm that creates a 3D image of the process fluid in the piping and generates trend data to show free volume inside the pipe and the growth rate of the deposition growth over time.

Ultimately, the Deposition Watch can show its operators the deposition thickness, deposition profile, growth rates over time, composition and free flow volume - all of which allow engineers to understand areas where pipes are prone to these damaging deposits.