Liquid purification or separation – Combined
Patent
1986-08-12
1988-01-26
Sever, Frank
Liquid purification or separation
Combined
166 68, 1661051, 166267, 209144, 209211, 2105121, 2105122, B01D 17038
Patent
active
047215658
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates generally to apparatus for handling mixtures which include at least two liquid components although it will be appreciated that the mixture could also include gaseous and/or solid components.
In one preferred aspect, the invention relates to cyclone separator apparatus for separating liquid components from a liquid mixture. In another preferred aspect, the invention relates to apparatus for use in the recovery of sub-surface oil.
Generally, the oil from a well which passes upwardly from the oil deposit through the oil flow path defining structure between the deposit and the surface, referred to as a "sub-surface completion" comprises a duct or line which is formed of strings of casings each of elongate tubular form. The oil which passes through the sub-surface completion may be formed in various admixtures, for example, water and gas, the gas in particular tending to emerge from solution as the oil passing through the sub-surface completion becomes subjected to lessening pressure as it rises to the surface. Even at the lower end of the completion, at the lower end of the so-called "production casing", the oil water and gases may be present in bubbles or "globs" of relatively discrete components. The presence of these discrete components in only gross admixture may cause certain operating difficulties. For example, where it is desired subsequently to effect separation of oil and water components by use of a cyclone separator, the proper operation of the cyclone separator may be inhibited by quickly occurring variations in the physical form of the liquid as it is admitted to the separator. Thus, if the separator were designed to function adequately for a given gross ratio of water to oil, operation will not be satisfactory if the flow contains "globs" of oil. Furthermore, where the so-called "air lift" method is employed to facilitate movement of the oil to the surface the presence of these discrete "globs" of relatively more water free oil or of gas bubbles in the flow may present difficulties. Finally, it may be desirable to admix demulsifier into the material pumped from the well in order to facilitate subsequent separation, such as when using a cyclone separator for that purpose.
An object of the invention in relation to one preferred aspect is to provide a method and apparatus which, at least in part avoids one or more of the above difficulties.
An object of another preferred aspect of the invention is to improve the efficiency of separation of components of a liquid mixture.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for handling mixtures which include at least two liquid components comprising a cyclone separator having an elongate separating chamber with a larger cross-sectional dimension end and a smaller cross-sectional dimension end, said separating chamber having at least one feed inlet arranged at or towards the larger end thereof, and first outlet means and second outlet means, said separator being in combination with a mixer device operatively connected to the separator and in the flow path of the mixture to be admitted to the separating chamber through said feed inlet, said mixing device being effective to homogenously mix the components of the mixture passing therethrough and before admission to the separating chamber.
Preferably, the mixer is a static mixer and may comprise a plurality of fixed baffles arranged to agitate and admix the liquid components. There may be further provided means for delivering one or more fluid modification agents such as emulsifying agents to said mixer.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for handling oil mixtures to be recovered from underground reservoirs, the apparatus including a duct or line disposed in a cavity between the reservoir and a surface thereabove and at least one mixer which is operatively connected to said duct or line effective to homogenously mix at least the liquid components in the liquid mixture which, in use, is delivered from the reservoi
REFERENCES:
patent: 1437721 (1922-12-01), Clark
patent: 2229541 (1941-01-01), Zublin
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