# US 10,478,833 B2 · Fluid treatment system, a fluid processing apparatus and method of treating a mixture

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- Number: US 10,478,833 B2
- Document ID: US10478833B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/105,026
- Filed: 2014-12-03
- Published: 2016-12-15
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2013-12-16
- Assignees: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
- Applicants: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
- Inventors: Mark E. Wolf
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478833B2

## CPC

- B04C 11/00: Accessories, e.g. safety or control devices, not otherwise provided for {, e.g. regulators, valves in inlet or overflow ducting}(with electrostatic precipitating arrangements B03C3/14)
- B01D 17/0208: {by sedimentation}
- B01D 17/0217: {by centrifugal force}
- B01D 17/12: Auxiliary equipment particularly adapted for use with liquid-separating apparatus, e.g. control circuits
- B04C 5/23: using liquids
- B04C 5/28: for parallel flow
- B04C 5/30: Recirculation constructions in or with cyclones which accomplish a partial recirculation of the medium, e.g. by means of conduits
- C02F 1/38: by centrifugal separation
- C02F 1/40: Devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material (cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; devices in sewers for separating liquid or solid substances from sewage E03F5/14, e.g. for use in drains leading to the sewer E03F5/16)
- C02F 1/32: with ultraviolet light
- C02F 2101/32: Hydrocarbons, e.g. oil
- B04C: APPARATUS USING FREE VORTEX FLOW, e.g. CYCLONES ({centrifugal separation of water from steam B01D45/12;} jet mills B02C19/06; {wind sifters B07B7/00;} cyclonic type combustion apparatus F23; {vortex burners for cyclone-type combustion apparatus F23D1/02; cyclonic type combustion apparatus for gas turbines F23R3/00})
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)

## Abstract

A fluid treatment system, a fluid processing apparatus and a method of treating a mixture are provided in which a separator has two outlets for different components of mixed fluid.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fluid treatment system for separating a mixture of a first fluid and a second fluid, comprising:
a separator comprising a separating chamber, an inlet for receiving the mixture, a first outlet for discharge of the first fluid from the separating chamber and a second outlet for discharge of the second fluid from the separating chamber;
an inlet pressure transmitter, a first outlet pressure transmitter, and a second outlet pressure transmitter for monitoring the pressure at the inlet, first outlet and second outlet respectively and providing a signalling indicative of the pressures to a control device;
an inlet flow monitor for monitoring fluid flow rate at the inlet;
an outlet flow monitor for monitoring fluid flow rate at at least one of the first and the second outlets; and
a control device for receiving signals from the pressure transmitters and flow monitors and for processing those signals to provide an indication of blockage within the separator,
wherein the control device uses the signals from the inlet, first outlet, and second outlet pressure transmitters to compute a pressure differential ratio (PDR),
wherein the control device comprises a memory storing a relationship between percentage reject flow and PDR,
wherein the control device comprises processing means for performing calculations on the computed PDR to calculate a first percentage reject flow value based on the relationship between percentage reject flow and PDR, the first percentage reject flow value indicating operating conditions in the separator when there is no blockage,
wherein the control device uses the signals from the flow monitors to calculate a second percentage reject flow value based upon the flow into the inlet and the flow through the at least one of the first and the second outlets, the second percentage reject flow value indicating actual operating conditions within the separator,
wherein the control device is configured to compare the first percentage reject flow value to the second percentage reject flow value to provide the indication of blockage within the separator.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fluid treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the separator is a cyclone separator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The fluid treatment system according to claim 2, wherein the first fluid has a greater density than the second fluid, and wherein the outlet flow monitor is positioned on the second outlet.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fluid treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the processing means is configured for performing calculations on the calculated first and second percentage reject flow values to provide an amount of blockage.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fluid treatment system according to claim 1, further arranged to trigger an automated system backwashing process when a blockage is detected.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fluid treatment system according to claim 1 further comprising:
a first control valve after the first outlet, the first control valve operating to control the flow of fluid leaving the fluid treatment system;
a second control valve after the second outlet, wherein the second control valve is operated by the control device to maintain a constant PDR; and
a fluid store, wherein the separator receives fluid from the fluid store.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The fluid treatment system according to claim 6, wherein the fluid store is an upstream pre-separator vessel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The fluid treatment system according to claim 6, wherein the first control valve is coupled to the fluid store.

### Claim 9

A method of treating a mixture of a first fluid and a second fluid, comprising:
providing a separator comprising a separating chamber, an inlet for receiving the mixture, a first outlet for discharge of the first fluid from the separating chamber and a second outlet for discharge of the second fluid from the separating chamber;
providing an inlet pressure transmitter, a first outlet pressure transmitter, and a second outlet pressure transmitter for monitoring the pressure at the inlet, first outlet and second outlet respectively and providing a signaling indicative of the pressures to a control device;
providing an inlet flow monitor for monitoring fluid flow rate at the inlet;
providing an outlet flow monitor for monitoring fluid flow rate at at least one of the first and the second outlets;
providing a control device for receiving signals from the pressure transmitters and flow monitors and for processing those signals to provide an indication of blockage within the separator;
receiving the mixture into the inlet of the separator;
separating the mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid in the separator;
discharging the first fluid through the first outlet of the separator;
discharging the second fluid through the second outlet of the separator;
monitoring the pressures in the inlet and first and second outlets of the separator;
monitoring the fluid flows at the inlet and at least one of the first and second outlets of the separator; and
determining a presence of a blockage in the separator depending upon the monitored pressures and flows,
wherein the monitored pressures in the inlet and first and second outlets of the separator are used in the control device to compute a pressure differential ratio (PDR), storing in a memory of the control device a relationship between percentage reject flow and PDR,
using processing means of the control device to perform calculations on the computed PDR to calculate a first percentage reject flow value based on the relationship between percentage reject flow and PDR the first percentage reject flow value indicating operating conditions in the separator when there is no blockage,
wherein the monitored fluid flows are used in the control device to compute a second percentage reject flow value, the second percentage reject flow value indicating actual operating conditions within the separator,
comparing the first and second percentage reject flow values to provide an indication of the blockage.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The fluid method according to claim 9, wherein the first fluid is water and the second fluid is oil.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein the separator is a cyclone separator, wherein the first fluid has a greater density than the second fluid, wherein fluid flow is monitored on the second outlet, the method further comprising:
providing a first control valve after the first outlet;
operating the first control valve to control the flow of fluid leaving the fluid treatment system;
providing a second control valve after the second outlet; and
operating the second control valve to maintain a constant PDR.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising performing calculations on the calculated first and second percentage reject flow values to provide an amount of blockage.