System for separating entrained liquid from a gas stream using a sloped vessel
AssigneeNational Tank Company
InventorHugh M. West
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for separating a mixed phase stream into gas and liquid includes an elongated sloped vessel having a vortex tube cluster therein through which the mixed phase process stream is introduced and by which liquid is extracted from the gas, the vessel having a gas outlet adjacent an upper end of the sloped vessel, a liquid outlet adjacent a lower end of the slope vessel and a weir within the vessel establishing a liquid level above which gas accumulates, the cross-sectional area within the vessel above the liquid level increasing in the direction towards the gas outlet, and the cross-sectional area within the vessel below the liquid level increasing in the direction towards the liquid (oil and water) outlets.
Claims12
A system for separating immiscible water, oil and gas components of a mixed phase stream comprising:
- an elongated sloped vessel having a first end and an opposed second end in which the second end is higher in elevation than the first end, the vessel having a water outlet and an oil outlet adjacent said vessel first end, a mixed phase stream inlet and a gas outlet adjacent said vessel second end;
- at least one vortex tube positioned within said vessel, each vortex tube having an upper gas outlet, a lower liquid outlet and a tangential stream inlet in communication with said vessel mixed phase stream inlet wherein within each vortex tube, centrifugal action separates the stream into gas and liquid components;
- a partition wall within said vessel and adjacent said first end thereof having an upper edge that forms a weir over which the oil component flows into an oil outlet compartment in communication with said oil outlet, the weir forming a liquid level within said vessel and an oil/water interface being formed below the liquid level;
- and
- a sloped diverter baffle within said vessel spaced between said partition wall and said vessel second end over which liquid flows as it moves towards said water and oil outlets, an upper edge of the diverter baffle being lower in elevation than said oil/water interface.
A system for separating gas, water and oil components from a mixed phase inlet stream comprising:
- an elongated sloped vessel having a first end and an opposed second end and in which the second end is higher in elevation than the first end and having an oil component outlet, a water component outlet, a gas outlet and a mixed phase inlet opening;
- a partition wall within said vessel adjacent said first end and having an upper edge that forms a weir over which oil component flows into an oil outlet compartment in communication with said oil outlet, an upper edge of the wall forming a liquid level within the vessel, an interface being formed below the liquid level having a layer of oil below a water level;
- a sloped diverter baffle within said vessel spaced between said partition wall and said vessel second end and having an upper edge over which liquid flows as it moves toward said water and oil outlet, the upper edge of the diverter baffle being lower in elevation than said oil/water interface, oil droplets being directed by the diverter baffle towards said oil layer above said water level;
- and
- at least one vortex tube positioned within said vessel having an upper gas outlet, a lower liquid outlet and a tangential inlet in communication with said vessel mixed phase inlet opening.
A system for separating liquid from an inlet mixed phase stream comprising:
- an elongated vessel having a first end and an opposed second end and in which the second end is higher in elevation than the first end, and having a liquid outlet adjacent said first, a gas outlet adjacent said second end and an inlet opening;
- a wall within said vessel intermediate said end, and having an upper edge providing a weir over which liquid flows into an outlet compartment having communication with said liquid outlet, the weir forming a liquid level within said vessel;
- at least one vortex tube positioned within said vessel having an upper gas outlet, a lower liquid outlet that is below said vessel liquid level and a tangential inlet in communication with said vessel inlet opening, the vortex tube being configured to cause gas to swirl therein to separate entrained liquid by centrifugal force, the liquid passing out through the vortex tubes lower liquid outlet;
- and
- a distribution trough positioned within said vessel having a top with an opening therein receiving each said vortex tube whereby said lower liquid outlet communicates with an interior area of the distribution trough and openings provided in the distribution trough through which liquid discharged from said at least one vortex tube passes into the vessel interior.
A system for separating a mixed phase stream comprising:
- an elongated sloped vessel having a vortex tube cluster therein through which the mixed phase stream is introduced and by which liquid and gas phases are separated;
- a gas outlet adjacent an upper end of said sloped vessel;
- a liquid outlet adjacent a lower end of said sloped vessel;
- and
- a weir within said vessel establishing a liquid level above which gas accumulates, the cross-section area within said vessel above said liquid level increasing in the direction towards said gas outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.