Back to results
US 2021/0362075 A1Published application
Methods and systems for enhanced dissolved gas floatation
AssigneeSiemens Energy, Inc.
InventorsShane P. Wiercinski, Curtis D. Cooley, Chad L. Felch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is disclosed processes and systems for improving the efficiency of the separation of insoluble contaminants from a fluid in a floatation unit.
Claims20
A separation process comprising:
- dissolving an amount of gas (26) in a fluid (24) via a pump (22) to form a fluid/gas mixture (20) comprising a plurality of dissolved bubbles (28) having an average bubble size of 100 micron or less;
- delivering the fluid/gas mixture (20) to a floatation unit (12) comprising a waste stream (18) therein, the waste stream (18) comprising oil droplets (33) having an average oil droplet size;
- releasing the dissolved bubbles (28) from the fluid/gas mixture;
- and
- separating the oil droplets from the waste stream (18) in the floatation unit (12) via attachment of the released bubbles (28) to the oil droplets (33) and rising of the oil droplets (33) toward a fluid surface in the floatation unit (12).
2 more elements
A separation system (10) comprising:
- a pump (22) in fluid communication with a gas source and a fluid source, the gas source and the fluid source configured to deliver a gas (26) and a fluid (24), respectively, to the pump (22), the pump (22) configured to introduce the gas (26) into the fluid (24) to form a fluid/gas mixture (20), the fluid/gas mixture (20) comprising a plurality of dissolved bubbles (28) having an average bubble size of 100 micron or less;
- and
- a floatation unit (12) comprising an amount of a waste stream having oil droplets (33) of an average oil droplet size, the floatation unit (12) comprising an inlet in fluid communication with the pump (22) for receiving an amount of the fluid/gas mixture (24) therein.
A separation process comprising:
- dissolving an amount of a gas (26) in a fluid (24) within a pump (22) to form a fluid/gas mixture (20) comprising a plurality of dissolved bubbles (28);
- during the dissolving, increasing an electrical frequency of the pump (22) to increase a motor speed of the pump (22) and increase an amount of the gas (26) drawn into the pump (22), wherein the increased electrical is effective to provide an air bubble density in the fluid (24) of at least about 9% by volume;
- delivering the fluid/gas mixture (20) from the pump to a floatation unit (12) comprising a waste stream (18) comprising an amount of oil droplets (33) therein;
- releasing the dissolved bubbles (28) from the fluid/gas mixture (20);
- and
- separating the oil droplets (33) from the waste stream (24) in the floatation unit (20) via attachment of the released bubbles (28) to the oil droplets and rising of the oil droplets (33) toward a fluid surface in the floatation unit (12).
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.