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US 11,583,786 B2Granted
Immersed plate heater separation system
OwnerVictor van Asperen, Sander G. Baaren +1inventors
InventorsVictor van Asperen, Sander G. Baaren, Wouter Balk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A separation system includes an elongated separator vessel having an inlet, a heating section which is located downstream of the inlet, an oil accumulation section which is located downstream of the heating section, and an oil outlet which is connected to the oil accumulation section. The heating section includes an immersed plate heater which is fluidly connected to a heating medium heater that is located externally of the separator vessel. In operation, a heating fluid which is heated in the heating medium heater is circulated through the immersed plate heater to heat the multiphase fluid.
Claims17
A separation system comprising:
- an elongated separator vessel which includes an inlet for a multiphase fluid flowstream, an upstream section which is located downstream of the inlet, a heating section which is located downstream of the upstream section, an oil accumulation section which is located downstream of the heating section, and an oil outlet which is connected to the oil accumulation section;
- an immersed plate heater which is positioned in the heating section;
- and
- a heating medium heater which is located externally of the separator vessel and is fluidly connected to the immersed plate heater;
- wherein a heating fluid which is heated in the heating medium heater is circulated through the immersed plate heater to heat the multiphase fluid;
- wherein the immersed plate heater comprises an immersed plate heater bank comprising a plurality of generally rectangular, generally parallel, spaced apart heat exchanger plates;
- wherein the heat exchanger plates are oriented generally vertically in the heating section generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the separator vessel;
- wherein the upstream section is located horizontally adjacent to the heating section and is separated from the heating section by at least one partially perforated baffle plate, the partially perforated baffle plate including a solid upper portion and a perforated lower portion which comprises a plurality of through holes;
- and
- wherein a first vertical distance from a bottom of the separator vessel to a top of the immersed plate heater is greater than a second vertical distance from the bottom of the separator vessel to a top of the perforated lower portion of the partially perforated baffle plate;
- whereby the multiphase fluid flowstream from the upstream section is directed by the partially perforated baffle plate both horizontally and vertically through the immersed plate heater.
8 more elements
A method for treating a hydrocarbon flowstream, the method comprising:
- directing the hydrocarbon flowstream into an elongated separator vessel which includes at least an inlet for a multiphase fluid flowstream, an upstream section which is located downstream of the inlet, a heating section which is located downstream of the upstream section, a separation section which is located downstream of the heating section, an oil accumulation section which is located downstream of the separation section, and an oil outlet which is connected to the oil accumulation section;
- directing at least a portion of the hydrocarbon flowstream into the heating section;
- and
- heating said portion of the hydrocarbon flowstream with an immersed plate heater which is positioned in the heating section and is fluidly connected to a heating medium heater which is located externally of the separator vessel;
- wherein the immersed plate heater comprises an immersed plate heater bank comprising a plurality of generally rectangular, generally parallel spaced apart heat exchanger plates;
- wherein the heat exchanger plates are oriented generally vertically in the heating section generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the separator vessel;
- wherein the upstream section is located horizontally adjacent to the heating section and is separated from the heating section by at least one partially perforated baffle plate, the partially perforated baffle plate including a solid upper portion and perforated lower portion which comprises a plurality of through holes;
- and
- wherein a first vertical distance from a bottom of the separator vessel to a top of the immersed plate heater is greater than a second vertical distance from the bottom of the separator vessel to a top of the perforated lower portion of the partially perforated baffle plate;
- whereby the multiphase fluid flow stream from the upstream section is directed by the partially perforated baffle plate both horizontally and vertically through the immersed plate heater.
7 more elements
A separation system comprising:
- an elongated separator vessel which includes:
- an inlet for a multiphase fluid flowstream;
- an upstream section which is located downstream of the inlet;
- a heating section which is located downstream of and horizontally adjacent to the upstream section;
- a separation section which is located downstream of and horizontally adjacent to the heating section;
- an oil accumulation section which is located downstream of and horizontally adjacent to the separation section, the oil accumulation section being separated from the separation section by an overflow weir;
- and
- an oil outlet which is connected to the oil accumulation section;
- an immersed plate heater which is positioned in the heating section;
- and
- a heating medium heater which is located externally of the separator vessel and is fluidly connected to the immersed plate heater;
- wherein a heating fluid which is heated in the heating medium heater is circulated through the immersed plate heater to heat the multiphase fluid;
- wherein the immersed plate heater comprises an immersed plate heater bank comprising a plurality of generally rectangular, generally parallel, spaced apart heat exchanger plates;
- wherein the heat exchanger plates are oriented generally vertically in the heating section generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the separator vessel:
- wherein the upstream section is separated from the heating section by at least one partially perforated baffle plate, the partially perforated baffle plate including a solid upper portion and a perforated lower portion comprising a plurality of through holes;
- and
- wherein a first vertical distance from a bottom of the separator vessel to a top of the immersed plate heater is greater than a second vertical distance from the bottom of the separator vessel to a top of the perforated lower portion of the partially perforated baffle plate;
- whereby the multiphase fluid flowstream from the upstream section is directed by the partially perforated baffle plate both horizontally and vertically through the immersed plate heater.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.