Gas separator for electrical submersible pump

A gas separator for an electrical submersible pump, comprising:

• a housing defining an inlet at a first axial end of the housing and an outlet at a second axial end of the housing;
• a drive shaft extending axially through the housing;
• a fluid reservoir defined by the housing and disposed downstream of the inlet;
• a paddlewheel affixed to the drive shaft and disposed downstream of the fluid reservoir;
• and
• a crossover comprising a skirt, disposed downstream of the paddlewheel, and providing fluid communication between an interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing;
• wherein the gas separator does not comprise a rotating component configured to impart axial momentum to fluid, and wherein the paddlewheel comprises a notch configured to accommodate at least a portion of the skirt such that an end of the skirt is disposed upstream of an end of the paddlewheel.

A tandem gas separator system, comprising:

• a first gas separator comprising one or more centrifugal pump stages;
• and
• a second gas separator affixed to the first gas separator such that a housing of the second gas separator is in fluid communication with a housing of the first gas separator,
• wherein the second gas separator is disposed downstream of the first gas separator,
• wherein a diameter of the housing of the second gas separator is less than a diameter of the housing of the first gas separator, and
• wherein the second gas separator comprises:
• the housing of the second gas separator defining an inlet at a first axial end and an outlet at a second axial end;
• a drive shaft extending axially through the housing of the second gas separator;
• a fluid reservoir defined by the housing of the second gas separator and disposed downstream of the inlet;
• a paddlewheel affixed to the drive shaft and disposed downstream of the fluid reservoir;
• and
• a crossover comprising a skirt, disposed downstream of the paddlewheel, and providing fluid communication between an interior of the housing of the second gas separator and an exterior of the housing of the second gas separator;
• wherein the second gas separator does not comprise a rotating component configured to impart axial momentum to fluid.

A tandem gas separator system, comprising:

• a first gas separator comprising one or more centrifugal pump stages;
• and
• a second gas separator affixed to the first gas separator such that a housing of the second gas separator is in fluid communication with a housing of the first gas separator,
• wherein the second gas separator is disposed downstream of the first gas separator,
• wherein a diameter of the housing of the second gas separator is less than a diameter of the housing of the first gas separator, and
• wherein the second gas separator comprises:
• the housing of the second gas separator defining an inlet at a first axial end and an outlet at a second axial end;
• a drive shaft extending axially through the housing of the second gas separator;
• a fluid reservoir defined by the housing of the second gas separator and disposed downstream of the inlet;
• a helical auger affixed to the housing of the second gas separator and disposed downstream of the fluid reservoir;
• and
• a crossover comprising a skirt, disposed downstream of the helical auger, and providing fluid communication between an interior of the housing of the second gas separator and an exterior of the housing of the second gas separator;
• wherein the second gas separator does not comprise a rotating component other than the drive shaft or the housing of the second gas separator does not contain any rotating components other than the drive shaft.