Vapor-liquid separation apparatus

Claim 1

An apparatus for the separation of a mixed-phase fluid stream, in which apparatus a quantity of liquid is maintained, and which comprises: a. an outer spherical vessel having an enclosed inner volume and hereinafter described fluid transfer means communicating with said inner volume; b. a central vapor conduit having walls extending downward from the upper surface of the internal volume of said conduit into the lower portion of the vessel to a point below the normal liquid level maintained in the vessel and in open communication with this liquid, said normal liquid level being at about the horizontal centerline of said vessel, said walls having perforations which allow the passage of material horizontally into the central vapor conduit, the perforations being above said normal liquid level; c. a mixed-phase fluid inlet means positioned above the bottom of said central vapor conduit and passing through a wall of said outer vessel, said inlet means communicating with the internal volume of the outer vessel which is located outside of said central vapor conduit, said inlet means having means to discharge incoming material substantially tangentially and in only one angular direction to the inner surface of said vessel; d. a demisting means located within said central vapor conduit above said inlet means and extending across the horizontal cross-sectional area of said vapor conduit at a point above said perforations in the conduit wall, said demisting means comprising a circular pad of woven wire fabric; e. a vapor outlet means passing through a wall of the outer vessel and communicating with the internal volume of said vapor conduit above said demisting means; and, f. a liquid outlet means passing through a wall of the outer vessel and communicating with the internal volume of the outer vessel at a point located within the lower portion of the vessel below the normal liquid level maintained in the vessel.

Claim 2

An apparatus for the separation of a mixed-phase fluid stream, in which apparatus a quantity of liquid is maintained, and which comprises: a. an outer spherical vessel having an enclosed inner volume and hereinafter described fluid transfer means communicating with said inner volume; b. a central vapor conduit having walls extending downward from the upper surface of the internal volume of said conduit into the lower portion of the vessel to a point below the normal liquid level maintained in the vessel and in open communication with this liquid, said normal liquid level being at about the horizontal centerline of said vessel, said walls having perforations which allow the passage of material horizontally into the central vapor conduit, the perforations being above said normal liquid level; c. a mixed-phase fluid inlet means positioned above the bottom of said central vapor conduit and passing through a wall of said outer vessel, said inlet means communicating with the internal volume of the outer vessel which is located outside of said central vapor conduit, said inlet means having means to discharge incoming material substantially tangentially and in only one angular direction to the inner surface of said vessel; d. a demisting means located within said central vapor conduit above said inlet means and extending across the horizontal cross-sectional area of said vapor conduit at a point above said perforations in the conduit wall, said demisting means comprising a circular pad of woven wire fabric; e. a vapor outlet means passing through a wall of the outer vessel and communicating with the internal volume of said vapor conduit above said demisting means; and, f. a liquid outlet means passing through a wall of the outer vessel and communicating with the internal volume of the outer vessel at a point located within the lower portion of the vessel below the normal liquid level maintained in the vessel.