US2169156A - Oil and gas separator - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE 2,169,156 OILYAND'GAS sEPAnAToR Lisander Losure, Marion, Ind., assignor of onethird to Milford F. Smith and one-third to Robert A. Bruce, both of Marion, Ind.

Application October 15, 1937, Serial No. 169,266

Letters Patent No. 609,284, granted to me August 16, 1898.

I One of the improvements consists in conduct-- ing the gas and liquid directly from the oil well or other supply in through the bottom or lower portion of a poised tank of suitable dimensions and capacity, discharging it at suitably elevated 10 points within the tank, preferably through a twoway T, where it hits the top of the T causing the gas to condense faster at this point, whereby the liquid discharges into the tank in two directions and hits the opposite sides of the tank at II at least two points.

It further consists in the utilization of a globe valve for automatically controlling the dischargeof the oil and water from the lower part of the tank.

20 The present invention further consists of a gas outlet pipe which extends from the lower end of the tank to a point near the top, where it is provided with a four-way T orcross which takes the gas from the upper end of the tank at a I point well above the liquid level, thereby making it impossible for any of the oil or water in the tank to issue into the pipe from this point, the three-way inlet merging into one pipe, precluding the possibility of fluid entering the pipe at l this point.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

15 Fig. 3 is a vertical section-on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

The numeral i represents a tank, preferably cylindrical in form and of sufficient dimensions and capacity to meet the requirements of the separator. Trunnions 2 extend outwardly in op- .0 posite directions, whereby the tank is poised in the fork 3 of the lever 4. This lever is pivotally mounted at 5 on the upright 6, which latter is secured to a base 1.

The numeral 8 indicates the inlet pipe for air 5 and water, or oil, water and gas. This is also an inlet for steam and water when used on steam lines to take solid water or condensed steam out 01' the steam line. In other words, in all instances this pipe 8 is the inlet pipe. This pipe 8 extends 0 upwardly through the lower end of the tank for a suitable distance .within the tank, and at the upper end it is provided with a T 9, which the inflowing liquid and gas strike, causing same to discharge with considerable force against the 5 walls of the tank at two difierent points.

A gas outlet pipelll extends through the tank from a point near the top and preferably between the center and the wall of the tank and leads to a gas repository (not shown). This pipe has a four-way T or cross II at the upper inlet end 5 through which the gas enters from the upper end of the tank i at three difl'erent points, whence it descends through the tank and out through the discharge end of the pipe ll.

By the use of this T and its location at the top 10 of the tank, it is impossible to draw liquid out through the gas line, there being three inlets from three different directions all merged into the one gas outlet pipe.

The numeral 42 represents an outlet pipe for oil and water. It extends from the lower portion of the tank i through a globe valve i3. This globe valve is adjustably' connected with a support l4 mounted on the base l-by means of the lock nuts IS. The outlet pipe I2 is where liquids or waste may be discharged after the separation from the dry air or gas. Condensation might also be discharged here after being separated from steam, provided this is desired.

Short hose l6 and I1 are connected with the pipes 8 and I0, respectively, providing the flexibility necessary to allow the tank to move freely up and down to operate the valve i3.

Small spigots 24 and 25 are arranged at diflerent elevations in the tank, the lowermost of which 25, when opened, should always show liquid. By means of this precaution, gas is prevented from escaping through the globe valve 1 3 and pipe II.

The number of spigots varies with the height of the tank.

When the separator is set up for operation, the liquid is first allowed to fill the tank just above the lowermost spigot 25. The weight W is then adjusted on the lever 4, so as to balance the tank I and cause the globe valve l3 to close. As the level of the liquid rises in the tank, its weight W will overbalance, thus causing the lowering of the tank, thereby opening the globe valve l3 and thus allowing an amount of liquid to pass out through the pipe 2 corresponding to the liquid and gas being fe into the tank through the supply pipe 8.

A frame or derrick 2!, preferably of angle-iron, supports the entire mechanism. At the bottom of the derrick, a guide pin 23 extends upwardly from the base I through a hole iii in a cross-bar if! at the bottom of the tank I for the purpose of guiding the tank in its upward and downward movement.

With this mechanism as herein described, a

comparatively simple and inexpensive apparatus is provided for separating natural gas from oil.

I claim:

The combination of a support, a balancing lever pivoted thereon, a floating tank poised on the lever, an inlet pipe secured to the tank and flexibly connected to a supply pipe, a T on the discharge end of the inlet pipe which temporarily arrests the infiowing mixture and then discharges it laterally within the tank, whereby to break up the mixture and liberate any lighter than air portion of the mixture, an outlet pipe secured to the tank, and having a flexible extension outside of the tank, a pipe extending down from the upper end of the tank, and connected with and discharging into this outlet pipe, and having an open-ended cross at its upper end, which presents a plurality of openings to the lighter than air contents of the upper end of the tank, a pipe leading from the tank and. having a valve therein connected with the support, and automatically controlled by the movement of the tank, and means for limiting and controlling any lateral movement of the lower end of the tank, thereby preventing undue strain upon the automatically operated valve.

LISANDER LQSURE'.

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