Liquid purification or separation – Tangential flow or centrifugal fluid action – Multiple cyclone
Patent
1986-09-23
1988-04-19
Sever, Frank
Liquid purification or separation
Tangential flow or centrifugal fluid action
Multiple cyclone
209211, 209144, B01D 17038
Patent
active
047387793
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates generally to apparatus for the treatment or processing of mixtures containing oil such as crude oil and the like.
The use of cyclone separators for the separation of oil/water mixtures has increased over the last few years. One of the reasons for an interest in this area is because of the particular problems associated with off-shore platforms. One of the major problems is the weight of processing equipment and the space it takes up on platforms. This problem vastly increases the cost of construction of an off-shore platform. As a result of this, attempts are continuously being made to try and reduce the size and weight of processing equipment. It is with this in mind that investigations have been conducted into the use of cyclone separators.
Applicant has already devised separators of a unique type which can be used in the separation of oil/water mixtures where there is a relatively small amount of oil in the mixture (say less than 5%). For example, separators of the kind described in U.S. Pat. specification No. 4,237,006 or International patent application No. PCT/AU83/00028 have been successfully used in cleaning the residue water which remains after the substantial part of the oil is removed from the crude oil mixture. The separation of the major part of the oil from the crude oil mixture has been generally carried out using separating tanks and the like.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus and systems incorporating such apparatus which provide for more advantageous separation of the oil from a mixture than prior art techniques.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided oil processing apparatus for the treatment of a mixture containing oil and other constituents, the apparatus comprising a primary treatment section which includes one or more primary cyclone separators each having inlet means and first and second outlet means, said primary cyclone separators(s) being of the type capable of handling a mixture containing a relatively high percentage of oil and of separating the mixture into first and second components which are discharged from said first and second outlet means respectively with said first component being relatively highly concentrated in oil and said second component being of relatively low concentration, the apparatus further including a secondary treatment section which includes one or more secondary cyclone separators the or each separator including inlet means operatively connected to said second outlet means of said primary cyclone separator(s), said secondary cyclone separator(s) further including first and second outlet means and being of the type capable of handling mixtures containing a relatively low percentage of oil and of separating the mixture received from said second outlet means of said primary cyclone separator(s) into first and second components which are discharged from said first and second outlet means of said secondary cyclone separator(s) respectively, said first component containing substantially the remainder of the oil and said second component being substantially oil free.
Preferably, the first outlet means of the primary cyclone separator(s) is operatively connected to means for removing gas from the first component.
It is further preferable that the first outlet means of the secondary cyclone separator(s) is operatively connected to means for removing gas from the first component. Preferably, the first outlet means of the primary and secondary cyclone separators are operatively connected to a common discharge line. Further, the separated gas may be compressed and returned to the oil discharge line.
According to another aspect of the invention an oil recovery system for recovering oil from an underground reservoir from which a mixture containing oil and other constituents can be discharged, the system comprising a line disposed in a cavity between the reservoir and the ground surface and oil processing apparatus for at least partially separating the oil from the other component
REFERENCES:
patent: 3759324 (1973-09-01), Mecusker
patent: 4144087 (1979-03-01), Chwalek et al.
patent: 4323122 (1982-04-01), Knopik
Carroll Noel
Prendergast Gavan J. J.
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