US 6,736,964 B1Granted

Apparatus for separating mixed fluids and measuring quantity of component fluids

OwnerDennis Paul Caldwellinventor

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Abstract

The apparatus for separating and measuring mixed fluids, specifically the separation of crude oil and water and the volumetric measurement of each of the mixed fluids using a mechanical portable device primarily involving a separation vessel, an adjustable float within the vessel which allows the fluid of less specific gravity to be released from the top of the separation vessel through an upper pipeline, the heavier specific gravity fluid to be released from the bottom of the separation vessel through a lower pipeline, with fluid volume meters on each of the pipelines to measure the liquid flowing through the respective pipelines, the apparatus presented as a portable unit transferable from one pumping device to another, allowing for an accurate measurement of the fluids being extracted by the pumping devices.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An apparatus for separating and measuring mixed fluids of differing constituent specific gravity, attaching between a fluid source and a remote storage container, the apparatus comprising:

a vertically oriented vessel positioned on a support frame, said vessel having an interior, an exterior surface, an upper outlet located in a top portion, a lower outlet through the exterior surface into the interior, located in a bottom portion and an inlet located between the top portion and bottom portion;
an adjustably buoyant float member within the interior of the vessel, said float member having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end and lower end having ball seals;
an upper housing having a tapered interior seat adapted to sealably engage the ball seal on the upper end of the float member, the upper housing attached to the upper outlet of the vessel said float member having a hollow interior and means to inject liquid into or extract liquid from said hollow interior in order to adjust the buoyancy of said float member;
a lower housing having a tapered interior seats adapted to sealably engage the ball seal on the lower end of the float member, the lower housing attached to the lower outlet of the vessel;
an external surge tank connecting to the inlet, the external surge tank further connected to the fluid source;
a first pipeline connecting to the upper housing having a first fluid flow measuring meter measuring the quantity of fluid flowing from the upper outlet of the vessel;
a second pipeline connecting to the lower housing having a second fluid flow measuring meter measuring the quantity of fluid flowing from the lower outlet of the vessel;
and, a third pipeline joining together after the two meters to carry the fluids to the remote storage container.

5 more elements

An apparatus for separating and measuring mixed fluids of differing constituent specific gravity, attaching between a fluid source and a remote storage container, the apparatus comprising:

a vertically oriented vessel having an interior, an exterior surface, an upper outlet located in a top portion, a lower outlet through the exterior surface into the interior, located in a bottom portion and an inlet located between the top portion and bottom portion;
an adjustably buoyant float member positioned within the interior of the vessel, said float member having
a hollow interior which may be filled with a neutral liquid ballast and means to inject liquid into or extract liquid from said hollow interior in order to adjust the buoyancy of said float member;
an upper end separable from the float member allowing access to the hollow interior;
and a lower end, each upper end and lower end having ball seals;
an upper housing having a tapered interior seat adapted to sealably engage the ball seal on the upper end of the float member, the upper housing attached to the upper outlet of the vessel;
a lower housing having a tapered interior seat adapted to sealably engage the ball seal on the lower end of the float member, the lower housing attached to the lower outlet of the vessel;
the ball seal on the upper end of the float member conformed to sealably engage the tapered interior seat of the upper housing, and the ball seal on the lower end of the float member conformed to sealably engage the tapered interior seat of the lower housing;
the float member is contained between the tapered interior seats of the upper and lower housings when said housings are attached to the vessel, with the ball seals on the upper and lower ends of the float member not engaging the tapered interior seats of the upper and lower housings at the same time, allowing for either flow of a lighter fluid from the upper outlet, a heavier fluid flow from the lower outlet or flow of both the lighter fluid and the heavier fluid from the respective upper outlet and lower outlet, but never restricting the fluid flow from the upper outlet and lower outlet simultaneously;
an external surge tank connecting to the inlet by an inlet line connection further connected to the fluid source, said surge tank also having an internal chamber and an outlet connection, attaching to the inlet of the vessel with the inlet line applied lower on the surge tank than the outlet connection;
a first pipeline connecting to the upper housing having a first fluid flow measuring meter measuring the quantity of fluid flowing from the upper outlet of the vessel;
a second pipeline connecting to the lower housing having a second fluid flow measuring meter measuring the quantity of fluid flowing from the lower outlet of the vessel;
and, a third pipeline joining together after the two meters to carry the fluids to the remote storage container.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.