US1912670A - Petroleum and gas control apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June `6, 1933. M. J. TRUMBLE Er AL PETROLEUM AND GAS CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Dec. 3, 1950 man 6,455:

` INVENTOR. /V/L 0^/ 2' TRL/MELE WILL/AM L. .FEEL-EY ATTORNEYS.

Patentedlune 6, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT "FFC nzruoir a'. mmm, or ALHAMBRA, Ann WILLIAM; n muy, or Los ANGELES, CALI- romnA, Assrenons To raocnssco, Lnnrnn, or sAn rnancxsco, cALIroamA, A

consonancia or :savana Appunti mea ummm a. 1930. semi' no. 599,139.

This invention relates .to apparatus for controlling gas-carrying petroleum under high pressure, particularly such gas-carrying petroleum as received directly from the 5 wells, and the'dprinci al object of the invention is to lstep own e pressure while simultaneously chillin the iiuid so that certain desirable gases w1 be retained the 1i uid and certain which are undesir- 1 o ab e in the liquid will be freed or conveyed to other uses. Another object is to provide automatically operated apparatus for effect ing the above. Other obJects will appear in the following description and accompanying lli-drawing. r v

Crude petroleum. as received from high pressure wells may run all the wa to 1400 pounds or more to the-square ine ,and at various vtemperatures u to 180 F. or more at)A depending on the locallty and depth of the particular well, and such oils under .high pressure and elevated temperature carry an enormous volume of gases, some ofwhichv such as butane, pentane and heavier gases are desirable as constituents of commercia gasoline, while others of a more volatile nature such as ethane, propane, etc.` generally known as fixed gases are undesirable, yet 'upon the free release ofA pressure of the petroleum as it issues from the well the desirable gases would be carried away with the undesirable gases, and to avoid this many richer in desirable content so that the ab.

soition treatment was more evciently carr1 out. 5 of following the above procedan,

dicated b y thedarker portions 12, while ex' we have discovered that the inherent pressure of the gas carrying oil maybe made to induce Y, auto-refrigeratiou of the fluid in successive steps and whereby the undesirable gases mentioned may be liberated while due to the drop in temperature the desirable gases are all recondensed lwithin the liquid body and thus retained without resorting to the wellknown steps of condensingand/or absorption, though, ,if desired, it is evident that these steps may be additionally practiced Y on any gas found carrying values in respect to richer gases which it is desired to recover.

To carry out the invention we have devised the apparatus shown in the-drawing and in which Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of the apparatus, Fig. 2 is a cross section of Fig. 1 as seen from the line 2.-2 thereof, Fig. 3 is an enlarged cro sectionof a fragment of. the needle valve plate and adjacent portions, and Fig. 4 is a dis. ammatic sketch of anVY installation of the evices.

Infurther detail, 1 is a verticall disposed heavy-steel cylinder with outwarxy curved heads 2, 3 referably made of forged steel 7b welded to the body ofthe tank at 4, 5, and the juncturesjcovered by bands of steel 6, 7 shrunk in place and further welded to the body at their upper and lower edges as indicated, while extending through thereinforcing bands at o posits ends of the cylinder are inlet an outlet pipes 8 and 9 resectively.

ithin the cylinder is an expansion pipe and slide valve assemblage all assembled and welded in place before welding on the cylinder heads.' vThis assemblage comprises two f heavy disks 1Y0, 11 extending across and spaced inwardly from vthe opposite 'ends of t e cylinder and firmly welded in lplace as intending t rough these plates and firmly -welded thegto at opposltllxdis laluralligA og v pi arranged"rtoe.tu`of 9. gister tube. boiler.` ,y After welding the tubes and heads in place the upper end of the tube assemblage is turned oif perfectly and true and aat smoothv apertured and movable .or slidable.

zvalve plate 14 is placed `thereon and'above this is closel fitted another heavy disk firmly welde to the cylinder and which disk is provided with a plurality of fine holes 16 each one of which is aligned over one of the v bores of the tubes 13.

. ment with holes 16 so as to effectively close them oi with respect to pipes 13 as shown clearly in Fig. 3. To permit movement of plate 14 and yet hold it to a proper path of travel so as to bring its holes into alignmentwith holes 16, plate 14 is made somewhat smaller than the interior of the cylinder and is impigned at its opposite edges by hand screws 18 passing through stuffing boxes 19, while a plurality of short pins 20 projecting from recesses in plate 10 and positioned in short slots 21 formed in plate 14 at points between its holes 17 function both as guide pins for disk 14- as well as sup orting pins for disk 15 so that the latter will not be forced down too tightly upon plate 14 to make yit immovable under pressure.

The small holes 16 in plate 15 are outwardly beveled on their upper ends to form tapered seats for a plurality of needle valves 22 projecting downwardly from a ribbed disk or needle valve head 23 carried at the lower end of a vertically extending rod 24 assing upward through cylinder head 2 an into a small cylinder 25 where it is fitted with a piston 26 provided with rings 27 and a further extension or smaller piston 28 operating in a second small cylinder 29 against a compression spring 30, the Jforce of which may be adjusted by a screw 31v threadedly assing through the cap 32 of cylinder 29 an carrying upon its upper end a loosely splined gear 33 meshing'in turn with a pinion 34 secured to the upper end of a shaft 35 operated by a handwheel 36 secured to its lower end.

Cylinder assemblage S25-2,9 is bolted to a seat formed on top of head2 and the lower part of piston 26 is exposed to pressure from` under cylinder head 2 through means of asmall passage 37 which may be closed off more orless by a needle valve 38 adjustable from without by a handwheel 39.

Any fiuid under pressure which might pass piston 26 will find its way through into cylinder 29 for escape at vent 40, though when piston 26 is at its hi hest point its conical ub 41 seats ina comp ementarily formed depression in the ,upper end of cylinder., 25 to seal ol any possible leakage.

The-,space around the tubes between heads 10 andll is sealed from the spaces A and B at the ends of the cylinder and is provided .with inlet and outlet fluid circulation pipesA 42, 43. n l A Pressure gages 44, 45 'are inserted in the LaraevoI upper andl lower ends of the cylinder as indicated, and at the extreme lower end is a sedimentA draw-oi pipe 46, while on outlet pipe is an automatic pressure regulating valve The entire vertical movement Vof needle valve head 23 is so limited ythat the tips of the valves 22 do not completely withdraw from their tapered seats, so as to insure against displacement of the valves relative to the apertures.

It should be notedthat sliding valve plate 14 provides a dual control so that the fiow may be modified or entirely shut off independent of and without altering, the spring setting of automatic expansion valves 22.

In operation, crude petroleum with its gas content under' the pressure and heat from the well is admitted directly to the upper portion of the cylinder through pipe 8 until the pressure builds up to normal well pressure. This pressure acts upon the lower lface of iston 26 and tends to raise the valves 22. owever, vspring 30 is'then adjusted to counteract this pressure and permit a constant flow and expansion of the fiuid through the small orifices and through the heat exchange ltubes 13 to the space B at the lower end of the cylinder where a reduced pressure is maintained by the automatic regulator 46.

The passage of the fluid through the small orifices breaks the oil and gas into a fine spray which in expanding falls downward through the tubes accompanied by a sharp/drop in 4 temperature depending on the relative pressures, initial temperature and rate of flow permitted by the automatic control.

The oil and gas mixture is discharged from the lower chamber by means ofthe automatic regulating valve 46 into the next of several succeeding pieces of similar apparatus as may be, necessary to reduce the pressure to the desired point and the temperature to or below atmospheric.

With an oil-gasmixture from the well at highV pressure it is possible to obtain a great drop 1n temperature in the irst apparatus, though on account of the'moisture content of the oils there would be danger offreezing the orifices, and it is better vto drop the pressure several hundred' pounds at a time in stages from one apparatus to the next with consequent progressive reduction of temperature, it bein understood that succeeding devices should e proportioned to handle the increasing bulk of fluid passing therethrough, as indicated by the successive devices C, D, E, F in Fig. 4 followedby a gas separator G and pressure storage tan H. v

It will be noted that pi s 42 and 43 will permit artificial cooling w en required, particularl when treating oils under lower pressure an greater initial heat such as obtained from some stages of hydrogenating and cracking plants, or the circulation of a irfmtfLthelOlPFessum l l 3. Apparati'sfforcontro Warmer luid to prevent undue Ycooling from too rapid an-expansion fromoils under high pressure and lrelatively low initial heat.

Summarizing the operations of the apparatus, and without burdening the specification with figures and technical data, it may be stated that an oil-gas mixture of from a 1000 to 2000 pounds pressure and at a temperatunreof about 180 F. may be expanded 1Q through the apparatus to a pressure of 150 e pounds and a temperature of 40 F., or forced by artificial means if necessary, with a result that all volatile fractions are-condensed within the liquid up to and including butane, thus allowing the objectionable or lighter dry gases tobe se arated oil in any suitableseparating cham r. If desired, a portion of the. excess butane may be separated as a gas ata lower pressure.

When the oil is run'to storage tanks and its temperature has gradually risen to atmosphere mean temperature say about to in average. time, all of the condensed fractions of gasoline are retained down to y and including pentane (boiling point 97 F.) and a part of the butane (up to 5% by vol- `unie of total oil) is also retained. All gas and vapor should be-separated in any con- A venient gas and oil separator or gas tra at w a pressure of 100 pounds per square inc or more as the butanevwill remain in a liquid state at temperature below 60 F. at thisl pressure. .Any gas given olf from a lower or atmospheric pressure tank will contain high percentages of condensable vapor that maybe saved by either the normal absorption or. compression process and will not exceed perhaps one-hundredth part of the volume necessary to treat by a cas head plant.

i 59 separating sai tures through said partition, and d ual means f for separately 'controlling the openings of said apertures. *l 'y .2.' Apparatus for controlling gas 'A petroleum under `pressure comp and low pressure chambers, a partitionseparating said jchambers, a' plurali of apertures through said partition, v ve means for simultaneoi'isly` controlling the veffective o in of thea rtures and a lurahty of egleinsigon tubes ceding from saildnpertures chamber' Y vtroleuin under pfcomprising End low p chambers, a' partition sepof valves arran ed for seatin in said aper- -From a'consideration of the invention as of valves arran d forv seatin in said aper- 1 tures respective y, a valve hea to which said tures respective y. a valve hea to which said valves are secured, means for moving said arating said chambers," a plurality of apertures through said partition, valve means for simultaneously controllin the eiective opening of the apertures, a p urality of expansion tubes leading from the apertures to the low pressure chamber, and means for circulating a heat exchange iluid around. the i outer sides of said tubes. y 4. Apparatus for controlling gas-carrying1 petroleum under pressure comprising a cy nder, a transverse partition in said cylinder providing at oppeosite sides a high and a low pressure cham r 'and pierced by a` plurality of apertures, a petroleum inlet to said high pressure chamber and a petroleum outlet from said low pressure chamber, a plurality of valves arranged for seating in said apertures respectively, a valve head to which said valves are secured, and means for moving said head to control the degree .of opening-of said apertures. 5. Apparatus for controlling gas-carryin troleum under pressure comprising a cy inder, a transverse' partition'in said'cylinder providing at opposite sides a hi hi and a low pressure'chamber and pierced by a pluralit of apertures, a petroleum inlet to said hi rassure chamber and a petroleum out et om said low pressure chamber, a plurality s tures respective y, a valve hea to which said' valves are secured, and mea responsive to the ressure of said petroleum for moving said ead to control the degiee of opening of saidV apertures.

6. Apparatus for controlling gas-carrying petroleum `under pressure comprising a cylinder, a transverse partition in said cylinder providing at opposite sides a high and a'lowA preure chamber and pierced by a pluralit of apertures, a ,petroleum inlet to said hi li pressure chamber and a petroleum out et from said low pressure chamber, a plurality valves are secured, means for moving said head to control the degee of opening of said apertures," and a plura 'ty of expansion tubes extendang from v'said apertures. tothe low pressure chamber. nl 7. Apparatus for controlling gas-carrying troleum under pressure comprising a cyliner, a transverse partition in said cylinder providing at o posite sides a high .anda low pressure cham r and pierced by a vpluralit of apertures, a petroleum inlet to said hi li j pressure chamber and a petroleum vout et .from said low pressure chamber, a plurality v 'of' valves arraii n for seati in said aperi head to control the degree of opening 'of said apertures, a plate arrangedadncent said partition and apertured to match the same and means whereby the plate may be mov o to misalign its apertures with those of the partition.

8. Apparatus for controlling gas-carrying petroleum under pressure, comprising a c l- 5 inder, a transverse artition in said c 1in er Yforming ahigh and) a low pressure c lamber at opposite ends of there lmder, said partition vhaving a plurality o apertures for passage of the petroleum from the one chamber to the other, a plurality of valves in the high pressure chamber seated respectively in said apertures, a headto which said valves'are secured, arod secured to said head provided with a piston, a cylinder in which said piston l5 operates for simultaneously opening said valves, means for admitting pressure Vfrom the high pressure chamber to act against the said piston for opening said valves and adjustable means for counteracting the eiect of said i0 pressure against said piston.

9. In a construction as specified in claim 8, said means Yfor admitting pressure from the' high pressure chamber belng manually adjustable to various values.

10. Apparatus for controlling gas-carrying petroleum under pressure, comprising a c linder, a transverse partition in saidcylin er 'forming a high and a low pressure chamber at opposite ends of the cylinder, said partition 80 comprising a plurality of s aced tubes extending longitudinally of t e cylinder secured at opposite ends to disks Welded to the cylinder walls, a plate at one end of the tubes provided with a lurality of aper- 85 tures aligned over the tu e openings, and

means for controlling the opening of said apertures. i

11. Apparatus for controlling gas-carrying `.petroleum under pressure, comprising a c l- 40' inder, a transverse (partition in said c lin er forming a high an a low ressure c amber at opposite ends of the cylin er, said partition comprising a pluralityl of spaced tubes extending longitudinally of the cylinder secured at opposite ends to disks welded to the cylinder walls, a plate at one end of the tubes provided with a plurality of apertures aligned over the tube openings, means for con2 trolling the opening of said apertures, and 'means for circulating a heat-exchange fluid around said tubes. n 12. Apparatus for controlling gas-carryin petroleum under pressure comprising hig and low pressure chambers, a plurality of tubular expansion passages separating the chambers, and a plurality of expansion valves 1n the high pressure chamber arranged for expanding a fluidyfrom the high pressure chamber to the tubes. v MILON J. TRUMBLE.

- WILLIAM L.- SEELEY.

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