CA2114098A1 - Sediment removal from holding tanks - Google Patents
Sediment removal from holding tanksInfo
- Publication number
- CA2114098A1 CA2114098A1 CA002114098A CA2114098A CA2114098A1 CA 2114098 A1 CA2114098 A1 CA 2114098A1 CA 002114098 A CA002114098 A CA 002114098A CA 2114098 A CA2114098 A CA 2114098A CA 2114098 A1 CA2114098 A1 CA 2114098A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- tank
- container
- sediment
- liquid
- line
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 239000013049 sediment Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 34
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 19
- 239000002002 slurry Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 239000010779 crude oil Substances 0.000 abstract description 4
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 abstract description 4
- 239000003921 oil Substances 0.000 description 9
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 3
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000007796 conventional method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000009969 flowable effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000243 solution Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08—CLEANING
- B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B9/00—Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto
- B08B9/08—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01D—SEPARATION
- B01D21/00—Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation
- B01D21/24—Feed or discharge mechanisms for settling tanks
- B01D21/245—Discharge mechanisms for the sediments
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
- B01F33/00—Other mixers; Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
- B01F33/40—Mixers using gas or liquid agitation, e.g. with air supply tubes
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08—CLEANING
- B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B9/00—Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto
- B08B9/08—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
- B08B9/093—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks by the force of jets or sprays
- B08B9/0933—Removing sludge or the like from tank bottoms
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D88/00—Large containers
- B65D88/54—Large containers characterised by means facilitating filling or emptying
- B65D88/64—Large containers characterised by means facilitating filling or emptying preventing bridge formation
- B65D88/70—Large containers characterised by means facilitating filling or emptying preventing bridge formation using fluid jets
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Cleaning In General (AREA)
Abstract
A method and an apparatus are disclosed for removing sediment from containers, for example, settled sand from a crude oil holding tank. With the tank containing the sediment and a quantity of liquid, air is injected into the tank adjacent the bottom to agitate the sediment and the liquid to form a slurry of the sediment in the liquid. This slurry is then drained or pumped fromthe tank. The injector mechanism is preferably a pipe that extends across the bottom of the tank and may be rotated in a circular tank.
Description
SEDIMENT REMOVAL FROM HOLDING TANKS
The present invention relates to the removal of sediment from containers and has particular application to the removal of sediments, for example sand, from crude oil holding tanks.
When crude oil is pumped from the ground, it often contains suspended solids, especially sand. The oil is collected in large-volume holding tanks. During the residence time of the oil in the tanks, quantities of the suspended solids will settle out of the oil onto the bottom of the tank.
Periodically, this sediment must be removed.
The removal of the sediment from an oil holding tank is difficult since the sediment is a heavy, oily mass. The conventional technique is to dig the sediment out of the tank mechanically.
The present invention proposes an alternative solution to this problem.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of removing sediments from a container containing the sediments and a quantity of liquid, said method comprising injecting compressed air into the container adjacent the bottom thereof so as to agitate the sediments and form a slurry of the sediments in the liquid, and thereafter removing the slurryfrom the container.
In a crude oil holding tank, the liquid in the tank may be remaining oil, or it may be another liquid, e.g. water, that is added to the tank after the oil has been drained.
The slurry may be drained through a drain opening near the bottom of the tank where it may be pumped from the tank using a suction line.
- 21`~98 In either case, the flowable slurry is much easier to handle than the solid, non-fluidized sediment.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for removing sediment from a container containing the sediment and a quantity of liquid, said apparatus comprising an injector pipe having a plurality of orifices spaced therealong, means for injecting air into the injector pipe and means for translating the pipe across the bottom of the container.
The injector line is preferably a long nozzle pipe, perforated along its length and connected at its centre to a feed pipe by a swivel coupling. The coupling transmits torque from the feed pipe to the nozzle pipe so that the two will rotate together around the centre of a circular tank as injection proceeds.In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 is a schematic view showing the use of the present invention in removing sediments from an oil-holding tank.
Referring to the accompanying drawing, there is illu~lrated an oil-holding tank 10 with a drain 12 adjacent the bottom of the tank. The drain is controlled by a conventional valve 14. At the top of the tank is a manhole 16, normally closed with a hatch (not shown).
During the residence time of oil in the tank, sediment 18 accumulates in the bottom of the tank. This is primarily sand in most cases, although other sediments may also accumulate. To remove this sediment, an apparatus 20 is used for injecting air into the tank near the bottom to agitate .
21140~8 the sediment 18 and liquid 21 in the tank to form a slurry of the sediment in the liquid.
The apparatus 20 includes a nozzle pipe 22 that extends diametrically across the bottom of the circular holding tank. This pipe has closed ends and a set of orifices 24 spaced along its length. The centre of the nozzle pipe is connected by a swivel coupling 26 to a feed pipe 30 extending from the nozzle pipe through the manhole 16 in the top of the tank. The swivel coupling 26 will transmit torque from the feed pipe 30 to the nozzle pipe 22 around the vertical axis 28 but otherwise allows the nozzle pipe to pivot on the feed pipe in a plane containing the two pipes.
The free end of the feed pipe 30 is connected to a hose 32 that leads in turn to a conventional air compressor 34.
Before use of the apparatus, the oil may be drained from the tank, leaving the sediment 18. The body of liquid 21 is provided in the tank. This may be residual oil or it may be another liquid, for example water, either remaining in or added to the tank.
The nozzle pipe and feed pipe are then inserted throu~h the manhole 16 and arranqed with the nozzle pipe 22 Iying across the bottom of the tank. The air compressor is then driven to supply compressed air to the feed pipe 30 and thence to the nozzle pipe 22. The ejection of air from the orifices 24 agitates the liquid 21 and sediment 18 and forms a slurry of the sediment in the liquid. This slurry will flow like a liquid and can be pumped ordrained from the tank.
While one embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are `- 21i4098 possible. The invention is to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.
The present invention relates to the removal of sediment from containers and has particular application to the removal of sediments, for example sand, from crude oil holding tanks.
When crude oil is pumped from the ground, it often contains suspended solids, especially sand. The oil is collected in large-volume holding tanks. During the residence time of the oil in the tanks, quantities of the suspended solids will settle out of the oil onto the bottom of the tank.
Periodically, this sediment must be removed.
The removal of the sediment from an oil holding tank is difficult since the sediment is a heavy, oily mass. The conventional technique is to dig the sediment out of the tank mechanically.
The present invention proposes an alternative solution to this problem.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of removing sediments from a container containing the sediments and a quantity of liquid, said method comprising injecting compressed air into the container adjacent the bottom thereof so as to agitate the sediments and form a slurry of the sediments in the liquid, and thereafter removing the slurryfrom the container.
In a crude oil holding tank, the liquid in the tank may be remaining oil, or it may be another liquid, e.g. water, that is added to the tank after the oil has been drained.
The slurry may be drained through a drain opening near the bottom of the tank where it may be pumped from the tank using a suction line.
- 21`~98 In either case, the flowable slurry is much easier to handle than the solid, non-fluidized sediment.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for removing sediment from a container containing the sediment and a quantity of liquid, said apparatus comprising an injector pipe having a plurality of orifices spaced therealong, means for injecting air into the injector pipe and means for translating the pipe across the bottom of the container.
The injector line is preferably a long nozzle pipe, perforated along its length and connected at its centre to a feed pipe by a swivel coupling. The coupling transmits torque from the feed pipe to the nozzle pipe so that the two will rotate together around the centre of a circular tank as injection proceeds.In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 is a schematic view showing the use of the present invention in removing sediments from an oil-holding tank.
Referring to the accompanying drawing, there is illu~lrated an oil-holding tank 10 with a drain 12 adjacent the bottom of the tank. The drain is controlled by a conventional valve 14. At the top of the tank is a manhole 16, normally closed with a hatch (not shown).
During the residence time of oil in the tank, sediment 18 accumulates in the bottom of the tank. This is primarily sand in most cases, although other sediments may also accumulate. To remove this sediment, an apparatus 20 is used for injecting air into the tank near the bottom to agitate .
21140~8 the sediment 18 and liquid 21 in the tank to form a slurry of the sediment in the liquid.
The apparatus 20 includes a nozzle pipe 22 that extends diametrically across the bottom of the circular holding tank. This pipe has closed ends and a set of orifices 24 spaced along its length. The centre of the nozzle pipe is connected by a swivel coupling 26 to a feed pipe 30 extending from the nozzle pipe through the manhole 16 in the top of the tank. The swivel coupling 26 will transmit torque from the feed pipe 30 to the nozzle pipe 22 around the vertical axis 28 but otherwise allows the nozzle pipe to pivot on the feed pipe in a plane containing the two pipes.
The free end of the feed pipe 30 is connected to a hose 32 that leads in turn to a conventional air compressor 34.
Before use of the apparatus, the oil may be drained from the tank, leaving the sediment 18. The body of liquid 21 is provided in the tank. This may be residual oil or it may be another liquid, for example water, either remaining in or added to the tank.
The nozzle pipe and feed pipe are then inserted throu~h the manhole 16 and arranqed with the nozzle pipe 22 Iying across the bottom of the tank. The air compressor is then driven to supply compressed air to the feed pipe 30 and thence to the nozzle pipe 22. The ejection of air from the orifices 24 agitates the liquid 21 and sediment 18 and forms a slurry of the sediment in the liquid. This slurry will flow like a liquid and can be pumped ordrained from the tank.
While one embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are `- 21i4098 possible. The invention is to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (7)
1. A method of removing sediments from a container containing the sediments and a quantity of liquid, said method comprising injecting compressed air into the container adjacent the bottom thereof so as to agitate the sediments and form a slurry of any sediments in the liquid, and thereafter removing the slurry from the container.
2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein the step of injecting air into the container comprises inserting a perforate air line into the container, across the bottom of the container, injecting the compressed air into the air line and translating the air line across the bottom of the container.
3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2 including the preliminary step of adding the quantity of liquid to the container.
4. Apparatus for removing sediment from a container containing the sediment and a quantity of liquid, said apparatus comprising an injector pipe having a plurality of orifices spaced therealong, means for injecting air into the injector pipe and means for translating the pipe across the bottom of the container.
5. Apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein the container is a substantially circular tank and the injector line extends substantially diametrically across the tank.
6. An apparatus according to Claim 5 wherein the means for translating the injector line comprise means for rotating the injector line around the centre of the tank.
7. Apparatus according to Claim 6 including a feed line coupled to the centre of the injector line for injecting the air into the injector line, the feed line being rotatable to rotate the injector line.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002114098A CA2114098A1 (en) | 1994-01-24 | 1994-01-24 | Sediment removal from holding tanks |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002114098A CA2114098A1 (en) | 1994-01-24 | 1994-01-24 | Sediment removal from holding tanks |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2114098A1 true CA2114098A1 (en) | 1995-07-25 |
Family
ID=4152784
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002114098A Abandoned CA2114098A1 (en) | 1994-01-24 | 1994-01-24 | Sediment removal from holding tanks |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2114098A1 (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN109969629A (en) * | 2019-04-30 | 2019-07-05 | 北京长峰金鼎科技有限公司 | A kind of feed bin of band stirring blanking |
| CN110074973A (en) * | 2019-05-09 | 2019-08-02 | 浙江厚达智能科技股份有限公司 | Airflow-reversing disturbed flow type Traditional Chinese medicine decocting method |
| CN110074972A (en) * | 2019-05-09 | 2019-08-02 | 浙江厚达智能科技股份有限公司 | Pneumatic disturbed flow type Traditional Chinese medicine decocting bucket |
| CN110732277A (en) * | 2019-11-09 | 2020-01-31 | 宋明奎 | Multifunctional solution stirring device |
-
1994
- 1994-01-24 CA CA002114098A patent/CA2114098A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN109969629A (en) * | 2019-04-30 | 2019-07-05 | 北京长峰金鼎科技有限公司 | A kind of feed bin of band stirring blanking |
| CN110074973A (en) * | 2019-05-09 | 2019-08-02 | 浙江厚达智能科技股份有限公司 | Airflow-reversing disturbed flow type Traditional Chinese medicine decocting method |
| CN110074972A (en) * | 2019-05-09 | 2019-08-02 | 浙江厚达智能科技股份有限公司 | Pneumatic disturbed flow type Traditional Chinese medicine decocting bucket |
| CN110732277A (en) * | 2019-11-09 | 2020-01-31 | 宋明奎 | Multifunctional solution stirring device |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued |