GB1227469A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1,227,469. Separating liquids. SHELL INTERNATIONALE RESEARCH MAATSCHAPPIJ N.V. 20 Nov., 1968 [22 Nov., 1967], No. 55040/68. Heading BID. A pipe 12 through which a viscous liquid such as oil is pumped, separated from the pipe wall by a layer of less viscous liquid, such as water, opens into a settling chamber 11 in a vertical direction, and one or more guides 18 enable the two liquids to flow smoothly into their respective layers 14, 13. In Fig. 1 (not shown), the pipe is directed downwards, because that embodiment is intended to separate liquids of which the more viscous is also of greater density. The guide in Fig. 3 (not shown) has a central opening instead of coming to a point, and that in Fig. 8 (not shown) extends within the diverging pipe end. The conical guides turn the vertical flow smoothly into horizontal flow, but other arrangements (Figs. 5 to 7, (not shown) serve to retard the vertical flow by offering progressively greater areas of contact to the liquids as these flow further from the pipe end. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate channels (25, 27) through which gas or hot viscous liquid may be injected, to assist separation by reducing the density of the, already lighter, viscous liquid and to reduce its viscosity to aid flow over the guide surfaces. Alternatively, guide surfaces could be heated. Fig. 10 illustrates an arrangement, just upstream of the settling chamber, whereby the water used to carry the oil through a pipeline is withdrawn through chamber 43 and then replaced by salt solution through chamber 40, to increase the density difference for better separation. Alternatively, Fig. 9 (not shown) illustrates a single chamber for injecting salt solution or colloidal clay into the water, to increase its density, or for' injecting carboxymethylcellulose, to increase its viscosity. If the viscous liquid is heavier, then the Fig. 9 arrangement could inject gas or a light emulsion, or the lighter liquid could be heated through the tube wall. Fig. 11 (not shown) illustrates a guide through which extends the drive of a vibrating assembly (49), which reduces the viscosity of incoming thixotropic liquid prior to separation.