AU608748B2 - Cyclone separator - Google Patents

Description

90127,dbwdat.037,c2.I,4

I

AU-Al-708 78 8 7 WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION International Bureau

PCT

0) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (51) International Patent Classification 4 B04C 5/13, 5/14, 5/15 1) International Publiation Number: WO 87/ 05235 InhatKi ul tion Date: ati tio Date: September 1987 (11.09.87) (81) Designated States: AT (European patent), AU, BE (European patent), CH (European patent), DE (European patent), DK, FR (European patent), GB, GB (European patent), IT (European patent), LU (European patent), NL, NL (European patent), NO, SE (21) International Application Number: PCT/AU87/00058 (22) International Filing Date: 27 February 1987 (27.02.87) (31) Priority Application Number: PH 4828 (European patent), US.

(32) Priority Date: 28 -February 1986 (28.02.86) Published (33) Priority Country: AU With international search report.

SECTIN 34(4)(a) DIRECTION SEE FOLIO NAME DIRECTED Cooco S.ccCi-. 1,-od s aA &OO N 0i^VC or ReCeC\, C L-O \r0 2 O v Iison, I Little Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000 A n I CT A. (01, 2 C 1987

AUSTRALIAN

28 SEP 1987 PATENT

OFFICE

J.

(54) Title: CYCLONE SEPARATOR I~ls dOL~incI c~ulrl~tm I d his Sectirn 49 amld Pi (57) Abstract A cyclone separator comprising an elongated separating chamber having a iongitudinal axis of symmetry between opposite first and second ends the separator including at least one feed inlet adjacent the first end and at least two outlets, (4 and At least one of the outlets for discharge of a more dense component of the mixture and at least another of the outlets is for discharge of a less dense component of the mixture. The cyclone separator further includes cohtrol means (10) which includes an outlet passage (14) which is at or adjacent or forms part of one of the outlets and is operable so that the flow through the outlet passage (14) thereof can be in either one or the other direction.

,il/ -1- CYCLONE SEPARATOR This invention relates generally to cyclone separators for separating multiphase mixtures such as, for example, oil/water mixtures.

Cyclone separators generally comprise an elongated separating chamber having a feed inlet proximate to one end and an overflow outlet adjacent that end and an underflow outlet at the opposite end thereof, the overflow outlet being for removing the less dense phase and the underflow outlet for the more dense phase.

go S" One of the problems which sometimes occurs under certain circumstances is •o S 10 that the overflow outlet can become blocked with foreign matter thereby either reducing the efficiency of the separator or preventing its operation altogether.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cyclone oooo separator which alleviates the aforementioned problem.

According to the present invention there is provided a cyclone separator comprising an elongated separating chamber having a longitudinal axis of symmetry between opposite first and second ends, the separator including at least one feed inlet adjacent the first end and at least two outlets, at least one of said outlets being for discharge of a more dense component of the mixture and at least another of said outlets being for discharge of a less dense component of the 20 mixture, the cyclone separator being characterised by control means which includes an outlet passage that is movable to effect a change in orientation of the outlet S• passage and which is at or adjacent or forms part of one of the outlets, said control means being operable so that the flow through the outlet passage thereof can be in either one or another direction depending on a change in the orientation of the outlet passage.

In one form, the aforementioned control means comprises a body portion having the outlet passage therein, the outlet passage having first and second ends, the body portion being arranged for movement between a first position in which the first end is adjacent the outlet of the separating chamber and a second position in which the second end is adjacent the outlet of the separating chamber.

It is preferred that the body portion is mounted for rotation between the first 910121,dbwspc.023,sepI.spc,l r -2and second positions. Rotation of the body may be effected either manually or by suitable drive means.

There may further be provided sensing means for determining when the outlet of the cyclone separator is blocked, the control means being responsive to the sensing means.

Thus, if a blockage occurs at the outlet, by rotating the body portion, the blockage material may be discharged.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 10 Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a cyclone separator according to the invention; and oo 000 05005 0

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0 0 0 *0 o 910121,dbwspe.023,sepl.spc,2 wo 87/05235 PCT/AU87/00058 -3- Figure 2 is a block diagram of a contral system according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, a cyclone separator gene7:lly indicated at 1 comprises a separating chamber 2 having a feed inlet 3 with an underflow outlet 4 and an overflow outlet The cyclone separator may take any suitable form such as that described in U.S. patent 4,237,006 or PCT/AU85/00166 or the like. The disclosures in these specifications are hereby incorporated into the present specification.

The separator 1 functions generally in accordance with past practice in that the fluid mixture admitted into the separating chamber via the feed inlet 3 is subjected to centrifugal action causing the separating liquid components to be ejected, on the one hand from the outlet 4 and on the other through the outlet 5. Thus the denser phase material close to the underflow outlet 4 in an annular crosssection flow around the wall of the separating chamber whilst the lighter phase forms a central core which is subjected to differential pressure action driving the fluid out through the overflow outlet At the overflow outlet 5 there is provided a control member 10 which, as shown, comprises a spherical main body 12 having an outlet passage 14 therein. The main body 12 is adapted for rotation about a shaft 16 which is operatively connected to a suitable drive means so that rotation of the main body about the shaft 16 between the position shown and that 1300 can cause fluid to flow through the outlet passage in opposite directions along that passage. In this manner, it is possible to remove blockages that occur at the outlet, the blockage material being discharged through the ;(illj ~_L1 i ~UL ~I _li WO 87/05235 PCT/AU87/00058 -4passage and out of the system.

Referring to Figure 2, there is shown a control system for a cyclone separator 40 comprising a pressure measuring device 41 which can determine any drop in pressure in the outlet line which may indicate a blockage. This device is operatively connected to a microprocesser 43 which in turn is adapted to provide a signal to motor 44 which operates the control member K

Claims (6)

1. A cyclone separator comprising an elongated separating chamber having a longitudinal axis of symmetry between opposite first and second ends, the separator including at least one feed inlet adjacent the first end and at least two outlets, at least one of said outlets being for discharge of a more dense component of the mixture and at least another of said outlets being for discharge of a less dense component of the mixture, the cyclone separator being characterised by control means which includes an outlet passage that is movable to effect a change in orientation of the outlet passage and which is at or adjacent or forms part of one of 6 the outlets, said control means being operable so that the flow through the outlet passage thereof can be in either one or another direction depending on a change in -oethe orientation of the outlet passage. :0.

2. A cyclone separator according to claim 1 characterised in that said control means comprises a body portion having the outlet passage therein, the outlet passage having first and second ends, the body portion being arranged for movement between a first position in which the first end is adjacent the separating chamber and a second position in which the second end is adjacent the separating S 20 chamber. S"

3. A cyclone separator according to claim 2 characterised in that said body portion is mounted for rotation between the first and second positions.

4. A cyclone separator according to claim 3 characterised by sensing means for determining when the outlet of the cyclone separator is blocked, the control means being responsive to the sensing means.

A cyclone separator according to any preceding claim wherein said control means is adjacent or forms part of an overflow outlet of said separator. 910121,dbwspe.023,sepl.spc,5 ~e L L( i Y I -~ii -I -6-

6. A cyclone separator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. S* o 0 00 0@ 0 I 0 0 o0 0 *000* *00•& DATED this 28th day of November, 1990. CONOCO SPECIALTY PRODUCTS, INC. By its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON 00 0 0 00 00 0 00 901128,dbwspc.020,cycll.spc,6