# US 8,540,788 B2 · Separator unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,788 B2 - Document ID: US8540788B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/866,285 - Filed: 2009-02-06 - Published: 2011-01-27 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2008-02-08 - Assignees: Statoil ASA - Applicants: Ame Olav Fredheim; Lars Henrik Gjertsen; Bernt Henning Rusten; Trond Austrheim; Cecilie Gotaas Johnsen - Inventors: Ame Olav Fredheim; Lars Henrik Gjertsen; Bernt Henning Rusten; Trond Austrheim; Cecilie Gotaas Johnsen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540788B2 ## CPC - B01D 50/20: Combinations of devices covered by groups B01D45/00 and B01D46/00 - B01D 45/12: by centrifugal forces (centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C) - B01D 46/0031: {with collecting, draining means} - B01D 46/0046: {provoking a tangential stream (B01D46/0045 takes precedence)} - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract Separation device or unit for separating liquid from an inlet flow which mainly contains gas, has a container or a pipe section with an outlet for gas from the container or the pipe section, an outlet for liquid from the container or pipe section and an inlet for the inlet flow to the container or pipe section. The device has a flow manifold arranged to receive and direct the inlet flow towards a porous pipe body extending towards the gas outlet and arranged to receive all or most of the inlet flow. Part of the flow is flowing through the tubular body to the gas outlet, while the remaining flow is flowing through the tubular body's porous wall, and an annular space including the volume between the tubular body and the container wall or pipe section is open for gas flow towards the gas outlet. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Separation device for separation of liquid from an inlet flow which mainly comprises gas, wherein the separation device comprises a container or pipe section with an outlet for gas from the container or pipe section, an outlet for liquid from the container or the pipe section, and an inlet for the inlet flow to the container or pipe section, wherein the separation device further comprises: a flow distributor arranged to receive and put the inlet flow in movement towards a porous tubular body extending towards the gas outlet and arranged to receive all or mainly the whole of the inlet flow, wherein a part of the said flow is flowing through the tubular body to the gas outlet while the remaining of said flow is flowing through the porous wall of the tubular body, and an annular space consisting of the volume between the annular body and the container wall or pipe section, said annular space is open for gas flow towards the gas outlet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Separation device according to claim 1 to separate liquid from an inlet flow which mainly contains gas, the separation device comprising a vertical standing container with circular cross-section, an outlet for gas in an upper part of the container, an outlet for liquid in a lower part of the container, and an inlet for the inlet flow, wherein the separating device further comprises: a spin element arranged to receive and put the inlet flow in rotational movement around the vertical axis of the container, a porous tubular body extending towards the gas outlet and arranged to receive the whole or mainly the whole of the rotating inlet flow, wherein a part of said rotating is flowing flows through the tubular body to the gas outlet while the remaining of said rotating flow is flowing through the porous wall of the tubular body, and an annular space consisting of a volume between the tubular body and the container wall, said annular space is upwardly open towards the gas outlet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Separation device according to claim 1, wherein the porous tubular body is formed as a conical pipe section with minimum diameter in the upper end towards the gas outlet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Separation device according to claim 1, wherein a minimum of 80% of the gas flow is directed through the pipe opening, while maximum 20% of the gas flow is directed through the porous pipe wall. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Separation device according to claim 1, wherein the flow distributor is a separation device itself. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Separation device according to claim 1, wherein the inside of the porous tubular body has no surfaces where liquid film can be deposited, wherein the porous tubular body have open porosity completely up towards its inner surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Separation device according to claim 1, further comprising a wire mat arranged in the gas outlet and/or between the upper end of the tubular body and the container wall. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Separation device according to claim 1, further comprising a spin element in the form of a spinlet arrangement, and in addition a spin element in each inlet end of the tubular body, wherein several tubular bodies are arranged in parallel in a container. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Separation device according to claim 1, wherein a partition is arranged between an upper and a lower part of the container so that the porous tubular body is situated in the upper part while the spin element is situated in the lower part. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Separation device according to claim 1, wherein the porous body has variable porosity, so that the porosity is largest in the lower part of the body where the resistance against through flow thus is lowest. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Separation device according to claim 1, further comprising an adjusting/control arrangement in the upper end of the tubular body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) Separation device according to claim 5, wherein the flow distributor is a spinlet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) Separation device according to claim 7, wherein the wire mat is a wired mesh demister.