CA3024237A1

CA3024237A1 - The nepturne universal separator system and method

Info

Publication number: CA3024237A1
Application number: CA3024237A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Peter A. Stang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-11-15
Filing date: 2018-11-15
Publication date: 2020-05-15

Abstract

The Neptune Separator (neptune universal separator system) is a device that provides simultaneous separation of solids and oils (and potentially gases) from water.
It has applications in many industries including: Sewage Treatment; Water Treatment; Oil & Gas (tailings ponds, SAGO, etc.); Mining; and Food processing. Furthermore, the concept offers virtually endless operating and geometric variations depending on the application. The Neptune employs various means of separation including coagulation, cyclonic separation, recycling, heat, electrostatic demulsification and oil floatation.

Description

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THE NEPTUNE UNIVERSAL SEPARATOR SYSTEM AND METHOD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of liquid purification or separation of existing art and more specifically relates to cyclonic, or centrifugal liquid purification or separation, via a neptune universal separator system.
RELATED ART

[0003] Separation of solids and oils from water is required in many industries. Current separation methods include: gravity separation, cyclones, filtration, membranes and fabrics and centrifuges. Separators can be designed to treat a variety of contaminants in water including free floating oil, emulsified oil, and suspended solids. Not all separator types are capable of separating both solids and oils. The most common performance parameters considered are:
oil and solid separation efficiency and the discharge water quality desired.

[0004] Gravity separators require large holding tanks or ponds and also require long holding periods. Cyclones may perform well when there is significant density difference between the solids iSTANG_P.001U
and liquids. Filtration, membranes and fabrics may limit flow and often require high levels of maintenance. Centrifuges involve a high capital cost of investment since they operate at high rotating speeds, consume a large amount of energy. Thus, it is desirable to have a reliable, cost-effective, and safe means to separate the solids and oils from water.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known liquid purification or separation art, the present disclosure provides a novel neptune universal separator system. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide an efficient and effective means for separation of solids and oils from water in a simultaneous fashion.

[0006] The Neptune Separator (neptune universal separator system) is a device that provides simultaneous separation of solids and oils (and even gases) from water. It has applications in many industries including the following: Sewage Treatment; Water Treatment; Oil &
Gas (produced water, tailings ponds, SAGD, etc.); Mining; and Food processing. Furthermore, the concept offers virtually endless operating and geometric variations depending on the application. The Neptune employs various means of separation including coagulation, cyclonic separation, recycling, heat, electrostatic demulsification and oil floatation. It may offer significant advantages over current separation methods as follows: 1) Low initial investment; 2) Superior performance; 3) Simple, automatic operation and low maintenance; 4) Modular construction of operational units; and 5) Many additional advantages for various applications such as Sewage Treatment.

[0007] A neptune universal separator system is disclosed herein, in a preferred embodiment comprising: a vessel, an inlet flow chamber partially separated from the main body of the vessel with two inlet flow connections, and an underflow outlet at the bottom of the unit connected to a solids chamber. The system further comprises rotating baffles driven by a shaft which passes through the top of the unit, driven by an electric motor supported above the vessel, a pipe heater inserted in the central rotating shaft from above the unit; an oil separation chamber with two iSTANG_P.001U
circular electrostatic grids; tangential water and oil outlet connects;
connected control valves; an inlet pump, a solids outlet pumps, bearings and stationary baffles. The Neptune universal separator, by use of cyclone separation, heat and electrostatic fields from the electrostatic grids (via a DC current generator), induced flow modification and an injected polymer (or polyelectrolyte) provide improved separation of solids and oils.

[0008] The neptune universal separator may be described as a modified cyclone with the following additional features intended to contribute to enhanced performance for the separation of oils and solids from water.

[0009] The first feature is an inlet zone where the inlet flow enters the unit via two tangential inlet connections 180 degrees apart. These connections reduce the turbulence at the inlet and allow the solids to migrate to the outer boundary layer of the cyclone prior to entering the main body of the cyclone. Boundary layer turbulence may be further reduced by a polymer that is injected into the flow prior to the liquid entering the unit. The polymer may also cause solid particles to merge and improve the settling of solids into a boundary layer (in accordance with Stokes' Law).

[0010] The second feature is a set of rotating baffles in the cylindrical section of the unit to improve the separation of solids and oils by creating a large rotating vortex under the stationary baffles and bearing support which may have the following effects: a) provides a recycle flow parallel to the inlet flow that pushes the inlet flow further down the cone before rising up the center of the unit, improving the separation of solids; b) causes the flow rising up the center of the unit to rotate at a higher speed pushing out fugitive particles to the recycle flow as well as oils to accumulate at the center of the rising flow; c) as the rotating flow rises up and spreads out into the bottom of the rotating baffles, most of the clear water moves to the perimeter of the baffles into iSTANG_P.001U
the clear water chamber; and d) oils and some water move up the center of the unit along the central axes for separation.

[0011] A third feature is electrical heat from an electrical pipe heater inserted into the central axle shaft from above the vessel. As the flow moves up the central chamber the temperature increases and the oil expands more rapidly than the water which causes the upward oil flow to accelerate upward in the mixture. Near the top of the central chamber part of the water flows out into a larger diameter chamber and then into the clear water chamber. The balance of the oil-water mixture rises to the top of the vessel and into an oil-water separation chamber.

[0012] A fourth feature is the use of electrostatic oil-water separation.
The rotating flow spirals out into the oil-water separation chambers chamber and passes through two circular electrostatic grids. The oil floats to the top of the unit and exits via a tangential connection to a dump valve activated by an oil-water interface level switch. The water exits out of this chamber through circular openings at the perimeter of a plate at the bottom of this chamber. As an alternative, the electrostatic grids may be replaced by three ultrasonic plate transducers mounted on the perimeter of the oil-water separation chamber at 120-degree intervals.

[0013] A method of use for the neptune universal separator system is also described herein.

[0014] For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving iSTANG_P.001U
other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a neptune universal separator system (Neptune Separator), constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the Neptune Separator during an 'in-use' condition, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of controls of the Neptune Separator of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to liquid purification or separation and more particularly to a Neptune Separator as used to improve the separation of solids and oils from water via a cyclone with an inserted rotating section containing a pipe heater in the axle and electrostatic grids. The 'Neptune' employs various means of separation including coagulation, cyclonic separation, recycling, demulsification by polymer injection, heat and an electrostatic field and oil floatation.

[0020] Generally referring now to the present invention as shown in FIG. 1:
1) Flow arrows as shown indicate the directional movement of the rotating flow; and 2) electric motors are equipped with variable frequency drives to allow optimization of the unit's performance.

[0021] Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in FIGS. 1-2, various views of a neptune universal separator system 100.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a neptune universal separator system 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Here, the neptune universal separator system 100 may be beneficial for use by a user to promote the thorough separation of solids and oils from water. As illustrated, the neptune universal separator system 100 may include a neptune universal separator as a vessel having an inlet chamber; inlet connections; a central axle; a plurality of baffles; and circular electrostatic grids; wherein the neptune universal separator system functions by use of heat created by a pipe heater and an electric field created by the circular electrostatic grids connected to a DC
current source. A polymer and alternately a polyelectrolyte is injected into the liquid causing a water-oil emulsion to demulsify and oil and water to separate. Those with ordinary skill in the art iSTANG_P.001U
will now appreciate that upon reading this specification and by their understanding the art of use of heat and electric fields, as described herein, and methods of liquid separation will be understood by those knowledgeable in such art.

[0023] The neptune universal separator's mode of operation for the separation of oils and solids from water is described herein referring specifically to FIG. 1 with references to FIG. 2.

[0024] Start Up Phase: Before water containing solid particles and oil is introduced into the neptune universal separator system 100, the unit is filled with clean water.
The electric motor at the top of the unit starts turning the rotating section until it reaches a predetermined rotating speed.

[0025] Polymer Injection Phase: After the rotation reaches operating speed, the liquid to be separated is pumped into the unit by a feed pump. Prior to the liquid entering the unit, a chemical agent such as a polymer or a polyelectrolyte is injected into the inlet flow for the following purposes: 1) it causes the merging of solid particles, making them easier to separate (Stokes Law);
2) it contributes to drag reduction of boundary layers in the cyclone; 3) it promotes demulsification for oil separation.

[0026] Referring now to the Inlet flow as shown in FIG. 1. The water, oil and solid mixture enters the unit at two tangential inlet connections (la & lb located 180 degrees apart) in the confined space of the inlet chamber 2, establishing a balanced, rotating cyclone flow at the outer wall of the unit.

[0027] From this cyclone flow, the liquid exits the bottom of the inlet chamber 2 and enters the cyclone chamber 3 where it spirals downward in a basic cyclone flow pattern. At this point, a iSTANG_P.001U
recycle flow formed from a second downward spiraling current from above flows in a parallel fashion inside of the inlet stream. This recycle flow from the second current forms a layer between the inlet flow and the turbulent flows at the center of the unit allowing the solids-rich boundary layer at the cone wall to move further down the cone undisturbed. The solids slide to the bottom and exit the cyclone chamber 3 to a solids chamber 4 below. The solid sludge is then pumped out of the solids chamber by a pump triggered by a level switch (as shown in FIG.
2).

[0028] After the liquid reaches the bottom of the cone it spirals up the center of the cyclone 3.
The addition of the recycle flow described above to the inlet flow (increasing the total flow) causes the rising cyclonic flow to rotate at a higher speed and the oil and oil emulsion in the mixture to accumulate and rise up the center of the unit.
Flow Separation

[0029] The flow rises until it reaches rotating chamber 23 with a capped central axle 5 and four (4) rotating baffles 6 connected to it at ninety-degree angles. Note that the central axle 5 is driven by an electric motor mounted above the unit. The axle passes through a seal 17 mounted on the enclosing blind flange 18 on top of the unit. An electric pipe heater 7 is inserted into the central axle from above the unit. As liquid flow reaches the rotating baffles 6 it separates into three separate streams as follows:
Oil-Rich Stream (Stream 1)

[0030] The oil-rich stream flows upward along the heated central axle 5 of the rotating chamber 23. The central axle 5 and the inner portion of the rotating baffles 6 are coated with an oleophilic material. The oils migrate toward the center and the water gravitates outward. When the flow reaches the top of the inner cylinder wall 9, a portion of the denser water flows outward through opening 10, then downward to opening 12 and out into the clear water chamber 13.

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[0031] The remaining oil-water mixture flows up into the oil-water separation chamber 14 due to its lower density and the rotation of the baffles in this chamber. The flows spirals outward through two circular electrostatic grids 15. Note that the liquid passes through the grids at a shallow horizontal angle. As an alternative, the electrostatic grids 15 may be replaced by three ultrasonic plate transducers mounted on the perimeter of the oil-water separation chamber at 120-degree intervals.

[0032] The oil-water separation chamber 14 is isolated from the clarified water chamber by a plate 19 that is supported at the perimeter and near the center by 4 posts inserted through the top flange 18 of the separator. The combination of the heat, the electric field created by the grid (DC
current) and the polymer injected into the liquid causes the water-oil emulsion to demulsify and the oil and water to separate. The oil moves to the high temperature zone at the top of the chamber 14 and the water descends to the cold surface 19 at the bottom. The oil exits through a dump valve at the tangential oil outlet 16 connection. The water flows down and outward to equally spaced openings 20 near the perimeter of the plate 19. This water then passes through these openings to the perimeter of the clear water chamber 13. The oils which pass into the clear water chamber 13 will rise up the inner portion of this chamber to the oil trap 21 and are then drawn into the oil-water separation chamber 14 by rotating baffles 22 connected to the outer cylinder 11 in the chamber 14. Note that the outer surface of cylinder 11 and the surfaces at the oil trap 21 will be coated with an oleophilic material.
Clear Water (Stream 2)

[0033] The largest part of the flow that enters the rotating chamber 23 is clear water that exits from the perimeter of this chamber through opening 24 and flows into clear water chamber 13.

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This water then spirals upward and flows out of the tangential water outlet connection 25 which has a back-pressure valve attached to it. The rotating baffles 6 are guided by a bearing 26 which has a half round shape 27 connected to it. This supports the rotating baffles and allows the flow to move smoothly above and below the bearing. The bearing is supported by angular stationary baffles 28.
Recycle Water (Stream 3)

[0034] The recycle water flow is made up of two separate flows that merge at the outer surface of the unit as follows: part of the clarified water that passes through opening 24 is diverted through stationary baffles 28 and flow downward into the cyclone chamber below.

[0035] Part of the water that reaches the rotating baffles 6 flows under the bearing 26, merges with the recycled water flowing through the stationary baffles 28 and recycles back to the bottom of the cyclone as described above. Note that any fugitive particles travelling up the central rising cyclone will also be captured by the recycle flow.

[0036] Referring generally now to FIG. 2 showing various views of the controls of neptune universal separator system 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Control Narrative:

[0037] Control of the separator of the neptune universal separator system 100 is completely automatic as follows: The Liquid Feed Pump 1 sends a signal to the drive motor 2 on top of the unit. The motor 2 starts and brings the rotating section up to a predetermined speed. A permissive signal is sent back to the Liquid Feed Pump 1 and it starts pumping liquid into the unit. A self-iSTANG_P.001U
contained back pressure valve 3 on the water outlet line controls the pressure and the water flow out of the unit. A dump valve 4 triggered by an oil-water interface level switch (LS) dumps oil from the top of the enclosed vessel. A solids pump 5 triggered by a level switch (LS), pumps solids out of a solids chamber 6 at the bottom of the unit. A temperature transmitter (TT) on top of the separator controls a pipe heater 7 inserted in the central rotating shaft to provide the optimum operating temperature for oil-water demulsification and separation. No other controls are necessary in preferred embodiments.

[0038] It should be noted that a portion of the steps may be optional step(s) and may not be implemented in all cases. It should also be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. The use of "step of' should not be interpreted as "step for", in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112(0. It should also be noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods for separation are taught herein.

[0039] The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.

Claims

What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. A neptune universal separator system comprising:
a neptune universal separator as a vessel having an outer-surface;
an inner-surface;
inlet connections;
a central axle with an inserted pipe heater;
a plurality of baffles;
circular electrostatic grids; and a solids collection chamber wherein said neptune universal separator system by use of heat, an electric field created by the circular electrostatic grids as DC current and a polymer injected into liquid causes a water-oil emulsion to demulsify and oil and water to separate.

2. The neptune universal separator system of claim 1, wherein the oil exits at a higher plane than said water exits.

3. The neptune universal separator system of claim 1, wherein the outer surface and oil-trap-surfaces of an oil trap are coated with an oleophilic material.

4. The neptune universal separator system of claim 3, wherein the oils which pass into a clear water chamber rise up an inner portion of said clear water chamber to the oil trap and are then drawn into an oil-water separation chamber.

5. The neptune universal separator system of claim 1, further comprising a back-pressure valve.

6. The neptune universal separator system of claim 5, wherein clear water spirals upward and flows out of a tangential water outlet connection which has said back-pressure valve attached to it.

7. The neptune universal separator system of claim 1, further comprising a bearing supported by angular stationary said baffles.

8. The neptune universal separator system of claim 1, wherein the polymer is injected into an inlet flow.

9. The neptune universal separator system of claim 1, wherein the polyelectrolyte is injected into an inlet flow.

10. The neptune universal separator system of claim 1, further comprising a feed-pump.

11. The neptune universal separator system of claim 10, further comprising an electric motor.

12. The neptune universal separator system of claim 1, wherein the polymer when injected causes merging of solid particles.

13. The neptune universal separator system of claim 12, wherein the merging of solid particles causes them to be easier to separate.

14. The neptune universal separator system of claim 12, wherein the polymer when injected causes drag reduction of boundary layers in a cyclone.

15. The neptune universal separator system of claim 14, wherein the polymer promotes demulsification for oil separation.

16. The neptune universal separator system of claim 1, wherein two tangential said inlet connections are located 180 degrees apart.

17. The Neptune universal separator system of claim 4, wherein the circular electrostatic grids are replaced by three ultrasonic plate transducers mounted at 120-degree intervals around the perimeter of the oil-water separation chamber.

18. A neptune universal separator system comprising:
a neptune universal separator as a vessel having an outer-surface;
an inner-surface;
inlet connections;
at least one tangential water outlet connection;
a feed-pump;
a central axle;
a back-pressure valve;
an electric motor;
a plurality of baffles;
a bearing supported by angular stationary said baffles; and circular electrostatic grids;
wherein the outer surface and oil-trap-surfaces of an oil trap are coated with an oleophilic material;

wherein the oils which pass into a clear water chamber rise up an inner portion of said clear water chamber to the oil trap and are then drawn into an oil-water separation chamber;
wherein clear water spirals upward and flows out of one of the tangential water outlet connections which has said back-pressure valve attached to it;
wherein the oil exits at a higher plane than said water exits;
wherein two tangential said inlet connections are located 180 degrees apart;
and wherein said neptune universal separator system by use of heat, electric field created by the circular electrostatic grids as DC current and polymer and alternately a polyelectrolyte is injected into liquid injected into an inlet flow which causes a water-oil emulsion to demulsify and oil and water to separate.