Apparatus and method for combusting crude oil

Apparatus for combusting crude oil, containing unpredictable types and quantities of contaminants and particulate matter, at a wide and unpredictable range of flow rates such as the crude oil produced during testing of a subterranean well, in a pollution-abating and environmentally acceptable manner, comprising:

• supply means for fluid communicatingly connecting the apparatus to the crude oil;
• a primary liquid nozzle, connected to the supply means, for atomizing and spraying a primary feed of the crude oil;
• a combustion chamber for receiving and combusting the atomized primary feed and combining the combustion so that the primary feed is completely combusted in the combustion chamber, the combustion chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end with the primary nozzle being located inside the chamber near the inlet end;
• a secondary liquid nozzle, connected to the supply means and located in the chamber, for atomizing and spraying a secondary feed of crude oil into the chamber between the primary nozzle and the outlet end of the chamber so that the combustion of the primary feed will heat and maintain the secondary feed above its ignition temperature in the combustion chamber and the secondary feed will combust upon discharge from the combustion chamber and contact with outside air;
• and combustion chamber and contact with outside air;
• and
• ignition means for igniting the combustion.

Method of combusting crude oil produced during testing of a subterranean well in a pollution-abating, environmentally acceptable manner, comprising:

• atomizing and spraying a primary feed of the crude oil into a combustion chamber;
• igniting the primary feed in the combustion chamber;
• completely vaporizing and combusting the primary feed in the combustion chamber;
• atomizing and spraying a secondary feed of crude oil into the combustion chamber;
• heating and maintaining the secondary feed at a temperature above the ignition temperature of the secondary feed in the combustion chamber so that the heated secondary feed will combust on contact with air;
• and
• discharging the heated secondary feed from the combustion chamber for combustion with air outside the combustion chamber.