DE102014117348B3 - Method and device for separating heavy oil - Google Patents

Abstract

On the one hand disclosed is a method for separating heavy oil, ie a mixture of water, organic oil and gas and other impurities, which is guided in a vertically extending cyclone (13) and there forms a swirl flow, wherein the water on an inner wall of the cyclone (13) a film and driven by gravity down in the cyclone (13) forms an internal water level and flows down from the cyclone (13), the organic oil collects on the water, forms an internal oil level and an oil spigot between the internal water level and the internal oil level through an oil pipe (20) flows out of the cyclone (13), and the gas above the internal oil level from the cyclone (13) flows out and outside of the cyclone (13) the water has an external water level and the organic oil forms an external oil level above the external water level. Disclosed is another device for carrying out such a method. In order to avoid the disadvantages of the prior art in the discharge of the liquid components of the heavy oil from the cyclone (13), it is proposed that the oil pipe (20) terminate between the external water level and the external oil level.

Description

The invention relates to a method for separating heavy oil, ie a mixture of water, organic oil and gas and other impurities, which is guided in a vertically extending cyclone and there forms a swirl flow, wherein the water on an inner wall of the cyclone a film and driven by gravity down in the cyclone forms an internal water level and flows down from the cyclone, the organic oil collects on the water, forming an internal oil level and an oil spigot between the internal water level and the internal oil level through an oil pipe from the Cyclone drains, and the gas flows out of the cyclone above the internal oil level, and outside of the cyclone, the water forms an external water level and the organic oil an external oil level above the external water level. The invention relates to another device for separating heavy oil, ie a mixture of water, organic oil and gas and other impurities, with at least one vertically extending cyclone having a heavy oil inlet, a water outlet, an oil pipe with an oil nozzle and a gas outlet, and having an inflow channel to the heavy oil inlet through which the heavy oil can be introduced into the at least one cyclone such that the water forms an inner water level on an inner wall of the cyclone a film and driven by gravity down in the cyclone and down through the water outlet the cyclone drains, the organic oil collects on the water, forms an internal oil level and flows through the oil spout between the internal water level and the internal oil level through the oil pipe from the cyclone, and the gas above the internal oil level through the gas outlet from the cyclone emanates, and outside of the cyclone in the device, the water forms an external water level and the oil forms an external oil level above the external water level.

A method and a device of the aforementioned kind is known from Oropeza-Vasquez, Carlos: Multiphase Flow Separation in Liquid-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone and Gas-Liquid-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone Compact Separators. The University of Tulsa, Oklahoma / USA 2001 known. It is proposed to guide the oil pipe vertically downwards below the water outlet through the bottom of the cyclone.

In the known device, the water drained from the cyclone sinks due to its higher density down, while the organic oil collected collects above the water, oil and water thus inevitably form countercurrent flows, some of which again lead to undesirable mixing of the two components have to.

GB 2 362 589 A discloses a method of separating heavy oil which is directed into and forms a swirling flow in a vertical cyclone, wherein the gas exhausts from the cyclone above the internal oil level, and outside the cyclone, the water has an external water level and the organic oil has an external flow Oil level above the outer water level forms.

task

The invention has for its object to avoid the disadvantages of the prior art in the flow of the liquid components of the heavy oil from the cyclone.

solution

Starting from the known method is proposed according to the invention that the oil pipe ends between the outer water level and the outer oil level. Thus, countercurrent flows of effluent from the cyclone liquid components are avoided.

Preferably, in the context of a method according to the invention, the heavy oil is fed into the cyclone with an inflow velocity of between 2 or 3 m / s and 30 m / s (about 25 m / s). By acting on the liquid phase of the heavy oil centrifugal then forms on the inner wall of the cyclone, a closed film that runs down in the earth's gravity field.

Particularly preferably, in such a method according to the invention, the centrifugal acceleration acts on the heavy oil immediately after the flow into the cyclone up to 1200 times the acceleration of gravity. With a smaller cyclone diameter, higher centrifugal accelerations can also occur. The oil and water droplets distributed very finely in the heavy oil (with a diameter of about 5 to 500 μm) then agglomerate in the film to such an extent that pre-separation of water and organic oil occurs.

In the context of a method according to the invention, the water preferably flows in the film on the inner wall at a maximum circumferential speed between 0.5 m / s and 10 m / s (about 2 m / s). This only applies to very high viscosity classes. If the oil is less viscous, then there are correspondingly higher speeds.

In such a method according to the invention, the water in particular preferably acts on the water the film on the inner wall a maximum centrifugal acceleration between at least five and ten times the gravitational acceleration. The separation of water and organic oil is then significantly accelerated so that the lighter phase - the organic oil - collects in the center of the cyclone and can be easily removed there via the oil spigot. The heavier phase - the water - remains close to the wall and runs down through the water outlet from the cyclone.

Starting from the known device is proposed according to the invention that the oil pipe penetrates between the outer water level and the outer oil level, a side wall of the cyclone. The device according to the invention makes it possible to carry out a method according to the invention and is equally distinguished by the advantages listed above.

In an advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, the at least one cyclone conically flows between the heavy oil inlet and the water outlet. The conical shape on the one hand promotes the maintenance of a tangential flow component in the film and on the other hand avoids dead water zones in front of the water outlet.

Preferably, in a device according to the invention, the at least one cyclone on the inner wall above the heavy oil inlet on an annular, radially inwardly facing deflector for the oil. The deflector avoids a further increase in the film 24 and in particular entrainment of liquid particles by the gas flowing out of the gas outlet.

Preferably, a device according to the invention has ten cyclones, wherein the heavy oil to the heavy oil inlet of each of the cyclones can be conducted through the inflow channel. Such a device according to the invention enables the processing of the tenfold heavy oil flow. Alternatively, scaling with larger diameters of a single cyclone is conceivable for larger heavy oil flows. However, such "upscaling" is limited by the flow conditions changing with the dimension. The number of cyclones can be between one and any number.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of a device according to the invention, the oil pipe penetrates a side wall of the cyclone. Thus, a long pipe through the water layer outside the cyclone can be avoided.

embodiments

The invention will be explained below with reference to two embodiments. Show it

1 a first device according to the invention,

2 a detail of the first device according to the invention and

3 a cyclone of the first device according to the invention as well

4 a detailed diagram of a second device according to the invention.

In the 1 shown device according to the invention 1 has a reclining, with domed bottoms 2 sealed cylindrical separation vessel 3 on with an inlet side 4 and an outlet side 5 , The separation tank 3 points to the inlet side 4 in the separation tank 3 into a heavy oil intake 6 on, as well as on the outlet side 5 a water outlet 7 , a gas outlet 8th and an oil spout, not shown, from the separation tank 3 out.

In the interior 9 of the separation tank 3 joins the heavy oil intake 6 a cylindrical inflow channel 10 on, on, as in 2 represented, via a distribution channel 11 with rectangular cross section ten arranged in two rows cyclones 13 are connected. The heavy oil intake 6 opposite is the interior 9 to about half the height through a vertically aligned overflow weir 14 between inlet side 4 and outlet side 5 divided.

The in 3 exemplified individually cyclone 13 points upwards as a gas outlet 15 open cylindrical gas pipe 16 on, and then down a conically tapered liquid tube 17 that in a turn cylindrical water outlet 18 empties.

Down at the gas pipe 16 is a heavy fuel inlet laterally 19 arranged with rectangular cross-section and out of the liquid pipe 17 leads laterally an oil pipe 20 out. In the interior 21 of the cyclone 13 go the oil pipe 20 in a cylindrical, in the axis of symmetry 22 of the gas pipe 16 and the liquid tube 17 arranged oil nozzle 23 above.

During operation of the device according to the invention 1 is heavy oil as a foamy 3-phase mixture of organic oil, water and a gas mixture of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and oxygen through the heavy oil inlet 6 and the inflow channel 10 in the separation tank 3 introduced, in distribution channel 11 accelerated to a flow rate of up to 30 m / s and through the heavy oil inlets tangentially into the cyclones 13 guided.

The tangential slot-shaped entry of the heavy oil implemented in the gas pipe 16 a rotational flow field. On the one hand, the vortex flow creates a shear field which causes the destruction of the foamy structure and thus the release of the gas. On the other hand, at a flow velocity of about 25 m / s more than eight times the gravitational acceleration acts on the two liquid phases of water and the organic oil. The liquid phases thereby form a closed film 24 on the inner wall 25 of the cyclone 13 off, which runs down in the earth's gravity field.

The gas pipe 16 has about halfway up a deflector ring 26 for the movie 24 which avoids further rising of the liquid phases beyond this.

By separating the liquid phases from the gas phase and the formation of the film 24 be in the cyclone 13 the very high entry speeds are rapidly reduced. In the liquid pipe 17 the speeds are much lower, but still high enough for a separation of the two liquid phases.

Due to the high acceleration it comes within the movie 24 on the inner wall 25 already to a pre-separation of the two liquid phases, which may have a density difference of less than 100 kg / m ³ in part. Within this pre-separation, the originally very fine oil or water droplets, which only have a diameter of 350 μm in the suspension, grow to significantly larger agglomerates or even form a closed liquid phase. The distribution spectrum can be different in other cases, in particular also be much smaller. The lower limit may be 5 μm and the upper limit 500 μm.

By entering the gas flow just above the oil level 27 the viscous liquid is also set in rotation by the shear forces on the surface. The internal friction of the liquid in the liquid phase allows only peripheral velocities of about 2 m / s. This value may be higher if the oil is less viscous. This creates a centrifugal field of about five to ten times the gravitational acceleration. In conjunction with the enlargement of the droplets in the gas space above the oil level 27 This accelerates the separation so much that the lighter phase (the organic oil) in the center of the conical liquid tube 17 accumulates and there over the oil spigot 23 in the oil pipe 20 can be dissipated. The heavier liquid phase (the water) remains on the inner wall 25 and runs over the water outlet 18 in the lower part of the separation tank 3 ,

Accordingly, there is the single cyclone 13 the device according to the invention 1 of two centrifugal separators connected in series, which are driven by a common inlet.

From the cyclones 13 The water occurs as a heavy phase below an existing water level 28 in the separation tank 3 one. The organic oil as a light phase emerges from the cyclones 13 above the water level 28 and below the existing oil level 29 in the separation tank 3 one. A gravity-driven or enforced by specific pipe management subsequent separation of the two liquid phases is in the device according to the invention 1 not mandatory.

A second device according to the invention essentially corresponds to the first device according to the invention described above, but differs in a detail of the device described in FIG 4 illustrated cyclones 30 : The oil pipe 31 does not penetrate a side wall 32 of the cyclone 30 but initially runs vertically downwards out of the cyclone 30 out. The water outlet 33 the second device closes laterally out of the cyclone 30 out.

The light liquid phase - the organic oil - is inside as in the first device of the invention from the core of the flow off and by a targeted pipe guide between the outer water level 34 and the outer oil level 35 directed, so that in this device according to the invention a cross flow or backmixing is avoided.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

contraption

2

arched ground

3

separation vessel

4

inlet side

5

outlet side

6

Heavy oil enema

7

water spout

8th

gas outlet

9

inner space

10

inflow

11

distribution channel

12

line

13

cyclone

14

Overflow weir

15

gas outlet

16

gas pipe

17

liquid pipe

18

water outlet

19

Heavy oil intake

20

oil pipe

21

inner space

22

axis of symmetry

23

oil spigot

24

Movie

25

inner wall

26

deflector

27

oil level

28

water level

29

oil level

30

cyclone

31

oil pipe

32

Side wall

33

water spout

34

water level

35

oil level

Claims (10)

Process for separating heavy oil, ie a mixture of water, organic oil and gas and other impurities, which is placed in a vertical cyclone ( 13 ) is guided and there forms a swirl flow, wherein a. the water on an inner wall ( 25 ) of the cyclone ( 13 ) a movie ( 24 ) and driven by gravity down in the cyclone ( 13 ) forms an internal water level and down from the cyclone ( 13 ), b. the organic oil collects on the water, an internal oil level ( 27 ) and via an oil spout ( 23 ) between the internal water level and the internal oil level ( 27 ) through an oil pipe ( 20 ) from the cyclone ( 13 ), and c. the gas above the internal oil level ( 27 ) from the cyclone ( 13 ) and outside of the cyclone ( 13 ) the water has an external water level ( 28 ) and the organic oil has an external oil level ( 29 ) above the external water level ( 28 ), characterized in that the oil pipe ( 20 ) between the external water level ( 28 ) and the external oil level ( 29 ) ends. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the heavy oil with an inflow velocity between 3 m / s and 30 m / s (about 25 m / s) in the cyclone ( 13 ) to be led. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heavy oil immediately after flowing into the cyclone ( 13 ) a centrifugal acceleration of more than 800 times the gravitational acceleration acts. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water in the film ( 24 ) on the inner wall ( 25 ) flows with a maximum peripheral speed between 0.5 m / s and 10 m / s (about 2 m / s). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water in the film ( 24 ) on the inner wall ( 25 ) a maximum centrifugal acceleration between five and ten times the gravitational acceleration acts. Contraption ( 1 ) for separating heavy oil, ie a mixture of water, organic oil and gas and other impurities, with at least one vertically extending cyclone ( 13 ), which has a heavy oil intake ( 19 ), a water outlet ( 18 ), an oil pipe ( 20 ) with an oil nozzle ( 23 ) and a gas outlet ( 15 ), and with an inflow channel ( 10 ) to the heavy oil inlet ( 19 ), through which the heavy oil in such a way in the at least one cyclone ( 13 ), it is possible to introduce the water on an inner wall ( 25 ) of the cyclone ( 13 ) a movie ( 24 ) and driven by gravity down in the cyclone ( 13 ) forms an internal water level and through the water outlet ( 18 ) down from the cyclone ( 13 ), the organic oil collects on the water, an internal oil level ( 27 ) and via the oil nozzle ( 23 ) between the internal water level and the internal oil level ( 27 ) through the oil pipe ( 20 ) from the cyclone ( 13 ), and the gas above the internal oil level ( 27 ) through the gas outlet ( 15 ) from the cyclone ( 13 ) and outside the cyclone ( 13 ) in the device ( 1 ) the water has an external water level ( 28 ) and the oil has an external oil level ( 29 ) above the external water level ( 28 ), characterized in that the oil pipe ( 20 ) between the external water level ( 28 ) and the external oil level ( 29 ) ends. Contraption ( 1 ) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the at least one cyclone ( 13 ) between the heavy oil inlet ( 19 ) and the water outlet ( 18 ) tapers. Contraption ( 1 ) according to one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the at least one cyclone ( 13 ) on the inner wall ( 25 ) above the heavy oil inlet ( 19 ) has an annular, radially inwardly facing deflector for the oil. Contraption ( 1 ) according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized by ten cyclones ( 13 ), whereby through the inflow channel ( 10 ) the heavy oil to the heavy oil inlet ( 19 ) each of the cyclones ( 13 ) is conductive. Device according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the oil pipe a side wall of the cyclone ( 13 ) penetrates.

Images