US1915436A - Gas and liquid separator - Google Patents

Description

June 27, 1933.

T. V. MOORE ET AL GAS AND LIQUID SEPARATOR Filed Aug. 22, 195o I 9 3 7 79. glelfyn..

lawdrmmq l Patented June 27, 1933 Y PATENT OFFICE THOMAS V.

STANDARD MOORE AND REIT-RY D. WIL-DE, JR.,

OIL DEVELOPMENT COMPANY,

0F HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOBS TO .A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE GAS AND LIQUID SEPARATOB Application led August 22, 1930. Serial No.l -477,010.

This invention relates to the separationof gas from liquid, such as hydrocarbon o ils, with which it is intermixed'. The invention will be fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which latter Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view 'through a separator;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a bailie; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of an auxiliary baiiie. A

Referring to the drawing, reference numeral 1 desi ates a shell which is .carried in substantia y vertical position by a support 2. The shell is provided at its upper portion with an outlet opening 3 through which gas, free rom entrained liquid, is adapted to be discharged. .The shell is provided at its lower portion with a discharge opening to which is connected an outlet pipe 4 having a valve 5. Means are provided for maintaining a predetermined level of liquid in the bottom ofthe shell. The meanscomprises a container 7 which. communicates through a line 8 with the interior of the shell. below the normal level of liquid in the shell. The upper portion of container 7 communicates with the interior of the shell above the normal level of liquid in the shell by means of a line 9. A iioat 10 is disposed within the container 7 and is adapted to actuate valve 5 through a connection 11.

An assembly through which the mixture of gas and liquid is first passed is disposed in the shell. The assembly includes a tube 15 having a closed end 16. A tube 17 of relatively small diameter projects through the 4closed end 16 and terminates the larger tube to form an annular chamber 18 with a portion only of the largerftube.` Tube 17 is provided with a closed end 19 exteriorly of the larger tube and has openings 20 in its side walls intermediate its closedend 19 and the closed end 16 of the larger tube. Vanes 21 project outwardly tangentially over the openings from an edge of each opening 2O of the smaller tube 17.

The assembly is disposed in the lower portion of the shell in spaced relation to the side, walls of the shell to form an annular pas sage 23 with the side walls. The assembly is disposed in spaced'relation to the bottom of the shell and provides a reservoir for the separated liquid between the assembly and the bottom of the shell". A conduit 24 leads into the shell and'opens tangentially through: tube 15 into the upper portion of the annular chamber 18. The assembly is supported in spaced relation to the shell by means of the spacedv supports 25 and by means of the rods 26 with the open end of the annular chamber opening downwardly.

The mixture of gas and liquid is injected through conduit 24 into the upper portion of the annular chamber 18 under suliicient pressure to causevthe mixture to travel in a helical path downwardly through the annular cham'- ber at suiiicient speedto centrifugally separate the major portion of the gas and liquid. The liquid is forced to theJ radially outer portion of the annular chamber while the gases seek the radially inner portion of the annular chamber. The 'thus separated liquid falls by gravity into the reservoir at the bottom of the shell where it is permitted to accumulate to a level intermediate the open end of the larger tube 15 and the annular chamber 18. Float 10 is adjousted to maintain this level of cseparated liquid in the shell. Consequently the separated gas reverses its general direction of travel and flows upwardly through the relatively small tube 17 and is discharged from the tube through the opencarries 'some entrained liquid is greatly relarge scrubbing surface before nally passduced in passing through the enlarged zone ing out `of the separator through opening 3. and the carrying power of the gas for the By the construction described centrifugal entrained fluid is reduced toaminimum. In force is utilized for the separation of gas case the mixture of gas and liquid is introfrom a mixture of gas and liquid. The speed 70 duced into the assembly under relatively high of travel of the separated gas is then reduced pressures and the pressure of the gas forces to a minimum and thereby the carrying powthe liquid in the reservoir below the level er of the gas for entrained liquid is miniof the inner tube 15 and thus permits the gas mized. The greatest possible reversal of flow to escape from the assembly through the of the thus treated gas is then effected and a 75 annular passage 23 rather than through the maximum of scrubbing surface is presented pipe 17. In such a case, the supports 25 for to the gas. v lthe assembly function as baiiles to effect the Various changes may be made within the extraction of entrained liquid from such gas scope of the appended claims, in which it is as does pass through this annular passage. desired to claim all novelty inherent in the 80 Bailies 30 and 31 are provided in the upper invention as broadly as the prior art permits. portion of the shell at a substantial distance We claim:

rom the assembly. Balile 30 consists of a 1. A separator, comprising a shell, an asplate which extends transversely across the sembly in the shell 'ncluding a tube having shell from the wall adjoining the upper opena closed end, and a tube 0f relativdy Small 85 ing upwardly between the assembly and opendiameter projecting through the closed end, ing and terminates beyond the opening in and termlnating within the larger tube to spaced relation to the shell. In. the preform an annular chamber withaportion only ferred embodiment this baille extends at an of the larger tube, the smaller tube havin angle of a proximately 30 to the center line a closed end exteriorly of the larger tube an 9 of the shel The baile is provided, adjacent having o enings in its side walls intermediate its lowest oint, with an opening 32 as can be its closedp end and the closed end of the l'ar er seen in ig. 4. By this construction any tube, the assembly disposed in 'the shell with liquid collected by the bale can be returned the annular chamber opening downwardly,

.so through the opening down the side wall of the assembly being in spaced rel-ation to the 5 the shell to the main body of liquidin the side walls of the shell to form an annular bottom ofthe shell without -re-entrainment passage therewith and disposed in spaced' ofany of the liquid in the gas. A lar e porrelation to the bottom of the shell, and a contion of the entrained liquid is normal deduit opening tangentially into the annular p'osited upon the up er surface of b e 30. chamberfthe shell having discharge openings 10 he baile is incline at such an angle that above and below the assembly. a relatively small quantit of the separated 2. Aseparator according to claim 1 includliquid will build up s cient hydrostatic ing vanes projectingoutwardly tan ntially head to force the liquid through opemng 32 over the openm froman edge of t e openo and be delivered to the main ody 4of liquid ings of the sma er tube. 105 in the' bottom of the shell. D ue Vto theshaxp 3. A separator according to claim'l includinclination of this baffie, the velocityhea s -ing means for maintainin a level of li uid of the gas on o posite sides of the bale tend in the shell intermediate t e open end o the to balance and t ereby keep the pressure drop larger tube and the annular chamber.

5 across opening 32 at a minimum, when the 4. A separator, comprising a shell, an asno small quantity of separated liquid passes sembly inthe shell including a tube having ,downwardly to the main body of liquid 1n the a closed end, a tube of relatively small diambottom of the shell. eter projecting through the closed end and Baie 31 comprises a plate whlch extends terlmnating within the larger tube to form an 5 upwardly transversely across-the shell from annular chamber with a portion only. of the 115 the wall of the shell opposite the first menlar er tube, the smaller tube having a closed tioned baiile toward, an terminates, 1n spaced en exteriorly of the larger tube and having relation to the lower Iportion of the first m'eiio enings in its side walls intermediate its tioned baie plate. aille 31 1s provlded with cllsed end and the closed end 0f the larger 55 an openin 33 at approximately the .lowest tube, and Vvanes projecting outwardly tan- 120 point of t e junction of the baile with the gentially over the openings from an edge of shell wall. Any of the entrained l1 uid theppenings the assembly dis sed in the which accumulates upon the upper sur ace shell with the annular cham r ope of this baille is returned through opening downwardly, the assembly bein in spac 0 33 downthe side wall of the shell to the relation to the side walls of the s ell to form 125 reservoir. Baes 30 andv 31 co-operate to an annular passage therewitlr and disposed cause substantially reversal of direction of in spaced relation to the bottomof the shell, gas How. In the preferred embodiment the a conduit o nin tan entially into the anchangeindirection of gas flow may approxinular cham r, t e s ell having openin 05 mate 270. .The gas is caused to passI over a above and below the assembly, means for 130 intheshellinmaintaining n lnel of liquid the lar 1: tube termediate the open end o and the annular chamber, shell extending across the sh adjoining the up r opening upwardl between the assem 1y and opening an minating beyond the o in spaced relation tn the shell, the bale having an opening opposite the first mentioned bse toward, and terminating, in spaced relation to the lower portion o the first mentioned baa, the baille having junction of the bailie with the wail.

THOMAS V. MOORE.

HENRY D. WILBE, Jn.

an opening adjoining the

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