US5008014A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Separator
Assignee: Schlumberger UK Holdings Ltd
•
Filing: 1988-09-01
•
Granted: 1991-04-16
•
Expires: 2008-09-01
Abstract
Abstract A separator for separating a relatively small volume e.g. up to 20% of a less dense liquid from a larger volume of a denser liquid, for example for separating small volumes of crude oil from produced water from an oil-well, in the form of an elongated tube of reducing cross-sectional area. The separator has at least one tangentially-disposed inlet (5, 105) for the mixture of liquids, adjacent the wide end of the separator, an outlet (10, 121) for the denser compartment at the narrow end, and an axially disposed outlet (11, 122) for the less dense component. A further outlet (6, 113) for the denser component may be provided intermediate the two ends. The two outlets (10, 121 or 6, 113) for the denser component are provided with pressure control means (85, 93) for controlling the pressure of the denser component.
Inventors
- 👤 David D. Lloyd
- 👤 Peter G. Michaluk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:15
CPC Classifications
B; B04; B04C; B04C11/00; B01; B01D; B01D17/00; B01D17/02; B01D17/0208; B01D17/0214; B01D17/0217; B04C3/00; B04C3/06; B04C5/00; B04C5/08; B04C5/081; B04C5/14; B04C5/15; B04C5/16; B04C5/181
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 52
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
A separator for separating a mixture of liquids into a more dense component and a less dense component comprises an elongated tube having a circular cross-section which reduces in diameter from a wide end means for enabling substantially all of the less dense component in the central core of said tube to be moved toward said narrow end, including to a narrow end, at least one tangentially disposed inlet at or adjacent the wide end for the introduction at relatively high velocity of a mixture of liquids to be separated, the tube having a constant taper from a location adjacent the inlet towards the narrow end, the convergence angle of the tube being about 2°, at least one outlet comprising an axially disposed tube extending into the separator at the narrow end thereof for the removal of the less dense component and at least one outlet for the removal of the more dense component, positioned in the vicinity of the narrow end of the separator, and pressure control means for controlling the pressure of the more dense component in the vicinity of the outlet for the more dense component.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
A separator for separating a mixture of liquids into a more dense component and a less dense component comprises an elongated tube having a circular cross-section which reduces in diameter from a wide end means for enabling substantially all of the less dense component in the central core of said tube to be moved toward said narrow end, including to a narrow end, at least one tangentially disposed inlet at or adjacent the wide end for the introduction at relatively high velocity of a mixture of liquids to be separated, the tube having a constant taper from a location adjacent the inlet towards the narrow end, the convergence angle of the tube being about 2°, at least one outlet comprising an axially disposed tube extending into the separator at the narrow end thereof for the removal of the less dense component and at least one outlet for the removal of the more dense component, positioned in the vicinity of the narrow end of the separator, and pressure control means for controlling the pressure of the more dense component in the vicinity of the outlet for the more dense component.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A separator according to claim 1 wherein the size of the outlet for the removal of the more dense component is adjustable.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
A separator according to claim 2 wherein the convergence angle is 1.8°.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A separator according to claim 2 wherein the width of the outlet, measured in an axial direction, lies in the range from D M /70 to D M /3.5, where D M is the internal diameter of the separator immediately adjacent the inlet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A separator according to claim 1 wherein the outlet for the more dense component extends for at least substantially the whole circumference of the tube.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A separator according to claim 5 wherein the outlet is in the form of a gap between the tube and an outlet unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A separator according to claim 6 wherein the outlet unit is movable along the axis of the separator to vary the size of the gap.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A separator according to claim 6 wherein the surface of the outlet unit defining the gap is tapered, the cross-sectional area of the surface increasing from the wide end towards the narrow end of the separator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A separator according to claim 8 wherein the taper angle γ lies in the range 5° to 90°.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
A separator according to claim 9 wherein the taper angle γ is about 30°.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A separator according to claim 8 wherein the surface at the end of the tube defining the gap is tapered, and parallel to the surface of the outlet unit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A separator according to claim 1 wherein the outlet for the more dense component comprises at least one tangentially-disposed port in the opposite sense to said at least one inlet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A separator according to claim 1 wherein the tube for the removal of the less dense component is tapered so as to have a sharp edge within the separator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A separator according to claim 1 wherein the tube for the removal of the less dense component has an enlarged diameter outwardly of the separator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
A separator according to claim 1 wherein the internal diameter of the tube for the removal of the less dense component is selected depending on the proportions of the liquid components to be separated.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
75 words
A separator according to claim 1 wherein the internal diameter of the tube for the removal of the less dense component lies in the range 0.9 D.sub.4 ≧D.sub.5 ≧0.01 D.sub.m where D 4 is the internal diameter of the separator at the narrow end, D 5 is the internal diameter of the tube for the removal of the less dense component, and D M is the internal diameter of the separator immediately adjacent the inlet.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
A separator according to claim 16 wherein the internal diameter of the tube for the removal of the less dense component lies in the range 0.029 D.sub.m ≧D.sub.5 ≧0.043 D.sub.M for low concentration of the less dense component.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
74 words
A separator according to claim 1 wherein the length of the tube for the removal of the less dense component which extends into the separator lies in the range: E,uns/D/ M/4≦L.sub.4 ≦3 D.sub.M wherein D M is the internal diameter of the separator immediately adjacent the inlet, and L 4 is the length of the tube for the removal of the less dense component which extends into the separator from the narrow end thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
57 words
A separator according to claim 1 comprising at least one other, intermediate, outlet for the more dense component at a predetermined position on the wall of the separator between the two ends, and pressure control means for controlling the pressure of the more dense component in the vicinity of the intermediate outlet for the more dense component.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
A separator according to claim 19 wherein the size of the intermediate outlet for the removal of the more dense component is adjustable.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
49 words
A separator according to claim 20 wherein the width of the intermediate outlet measured in an axial direction lies in the range: D.sub.M /140≦L.sub.2 ≦D.sub.M /7 where L 2 is the width of the outlet, and D M is the internal diameter of the separator immediately adjacent the inlet.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
A separator according to claim 21 wherein the width of the outlet lies in the range: D.sub.M /23≦L.sub.2 ≦D.sub.M /9
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
A separator according to claim 19 wherein the intermediate outlet for the more dense component extends for at least substantially the whole circumference of the tube.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
A separator according to claim 23 wherein the intermediate outlet is in the form of a gap between adjacent lengths of the tube.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
A separator according to claim 24 wherein at least one of the lengths of the tube is movable relative to the adjacent length to vary the size of the gap.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
A separator according to claim 24 wherein the intermediate outlet may be closed by bringing the two adjacent lengths into contact, the internal diameter of each tube length immediately adjacent the outlet being equal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
A separator according to claim 24 wherein the surfaces of the adjacent lengths defining the gap are parallel and tapered, the cross-sectional area of each surface increasing from the wide end towards the narrow end of the separator.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
A separator according to claim 27 wherein the taper angle ω lies in the range 5° to 90°.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
A separator according to claim 27 wherein the taper angle ω is about 30°.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
A separator according to claim 19 wherein the intermediate outlet for the more dense component comprises at least one tangentially-disposed port in the opposite sense of said at least one inlet.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
52 words
A separator according to claim 19 wherein the angel of convergence, α, independent of the shape of the tube, between the position A where the internal diameter starts to reduce and the position B immediately adjacent the intermediate outlet for the more dense component closer to the wide end is about 2°.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
51 words
A separator according to claim 19 wherein the angle of convergence, α, independent of the shape of the tube, between the position A where the internal diameter starts to reduce and the position B immediately adjacent the intermediate outlet for the more dense component closer to the wide end is 1.8°.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
51 words
A separator according to claim 1 wherein the tube comprises two lengths, the first length being tapered and positioned nearer the wide end and the second length being positioned nearer the narrow end, a closeable intermediate outlet for the removal of the more dense component being positioned between the two lengths.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
A separator according to claim 33 comprising a cylindrical inlet section immediately adjacent the inlet.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
18 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the convergence angle α of the first length is about 2°.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
17 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the convergence angle α of the first length is 1.8°.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
57 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the total cross-sectional area of the at least one inlet lies in the range: 0.03 A.sub.M ≦A.sub.1 ≦0.12 A.sub.M where A 1 is the total cross-sectional area of said at least one inlet and A M is the cross-sectional area of the separator immediately adjacent said at least one inlet.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
57 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the total cross-sectional area of the at least one inlet lies in the range: 0.045 A.sub.M ≦A.sub.1 ≦0.09 A.sub.M where A 1 is the total cross-sectional area of said at least one inlet and A M is the cross-sectional area of the separator immediately adjacent said at least one inlet.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
30 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the minimum diameter of the first length lies in the range one half to one eighth of the maximum diameter (D M ).
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
22 words
A separator according to claim 39 wherein the minimum diameter of the first length is about one quarter of the maximum diameter.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
29 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the internal diameter of the second length adjacent the intermediate outlet is substantially equal to the minimum diameter of the first length.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
49 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the internal diameter of the second length is constant and lies within the range: D.sub.2 ≧D.sub.3 ≧E,uns/D/ .sub.2 /2 where D 2 is the minimum internal diameter of the first length and, D 3 is the internal diameter of the second length.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
10 words
A separator according to claim 42 wherein D.sub.3 =0.8 D.sub.2.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
41 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the second length is internally tapered over at least part of its length, the maximum diameter being immediately adjacent the intermediate outlet and the angle of taper having a value up to about 5°.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
87 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the overall length of the second length lies in the range: D.sub.M ≦L.sub.3 ≦14 D.sub.M where D M is the maximum internal diameter of the separator and L 3 is the overall length of said second length, but the following conditions apply: D.sub.4 ≧0.07 D.sub.M and D.sub.3 ≧D.sub.4 where D 3 is the internal diameter of the second length adjacent intermediate outlet and, D 4 is the internal diameter of the second length adjacent the outlet at the narrow end.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
46 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the overall length of the second length lies in the range: 5 D.sub.M ≦L.sub.3 <9 D.sub.M where L 3 is said overall length of the second length and, D M is the maximum internal diameter of the first length.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
26 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the overall length of the said second length equals seven times the maximum internal diameter of the first length.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
62 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the outlet for the more dense component at the narrow end of the separator extends around the whole circumference of the separator, the axial width of the outlet lying in the range: E,uns/D/ .sub.M /70≦L.sub.5 <D.sub.M /3.5 where L 5 is the axial width and, D M is the maximum diameter of the first length.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
36 words
A separator according to claim 48 wherein the outlet for the more dense component at the narrow end of the separator comprises a conical deflector having a taper angle in the range from 5° to 90°.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
45 words
A separator according to claim 33 wherein the outlet for the less dense component comprises an axially disposed tube at the narrow end of the separator which extends into the second length for a variable distance upon to the overall length of the second length.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
42 words
A separator according to claim 50 wherein the distance the tube extends into the second length lies in the range: D.sub.M /4≦L.sub.4 ≦3 D.sub.M where D M is the maximum internal diameter of the first length, L 4 is the said distance.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-04-15 | 1994-10-15 | 1995-04-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-04-15 | 1998-10-15 | 1999-04-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-04-15 | 2002-10-15 | 2003-04-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |