Method and a Device for Separating a Multiphasic Liquid
AssigneeSaipem S.P.A.
InventorsPaul CHANTREL, Marc Bonnissel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cyclone type liquid/gas or liquid/liquid separator having separation properties that are stabilized, even when the flow rate and the proportions of the liquid phases for separation vary, by means of a platform situated in the low portion of a cylindrical separation chamber that is fed at its top end via a tangential feed orifice. An installation and a method are also provided for separating the oil and water contained in crude oil, with the help of a cyclone separator.
Claims18
An installation for separating at least two liquid phases of different densities in a fluid that also contains gas, preferably at least oil and water of crude oil comprising oil, water, particles of sand, and gas, the installation comprising:
- a) at least one cyclone type liquid/gas separator;
- and
- b) at least one cyclone type liquid/liquid separator connected to said liquid/gas separator via a first pipe for feeding degassed oil;
- the at least one cyclone type liquid/liquid separator having a separation chamber having a wall that forms a surface of revolution that extends between at least one tangential admission orifice for the fluid to be separated and a top axial outlet orifice for the lower density liquid phase at the top end of said chamber;
- and a bottom outlet orifice for the higher density liquid phase;
- and wherein the separation chamber comprises a single cylindrical body extending at least between said admission orifices and a platform on the same axis (XX′) as said cylindrical body, the platform being of diameter smaller than that of said cylindrical body and being positioned over said bottom outlet orifice, such that two volumes are created under the effect of the fluid for separation entering via said tangential admission orifice(s), the volumes comprising a central volume of lower density liquid phase, in particular oil phase, in the form of a substantially cylindrical central column supported by said platform, and an annular peripheral volume of the higher density phase surrounding said central column, enabling the lower density liquid phase to be discharged via said top axial outlet orifice and said higher density liquid phase to be discharged via said bottom outlet orifice;
- c) at least one main enclosure, said main enclosure being connected:
- to said liquid/gas separator by a gas feed pipe, where appropriate from the top portion of said first enclosure to the high portion of said main enclosure, said gas feed pipe being fitted with a valve suitable for controlling the pressure of the gas;
- and
- to said cyclone type liquid/liquid separator by two pipes extending from the top and bottom outlet orifices for the oil and aqueous phases respectively and opening out into two distinct zones of said main enclosure;
- said main enclosure further comprising pipes for discharging the water and the oil separately.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.