WO2003102462A1 - A device for reducing separation of volatile organic compounds from oil during filling of tanks - Google Patents

A device for reducing separation of volatile organic compounds from oil during filling of tanks Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2003102462A1
WO2003102462A1 PCT/NO2003/000159 NO0300159W WO03102462A1 WO 2003102462 A1 WO2003102462 A1 WO 2003102462A1 NO 0300159 W NO0300159 W NO 0300159W WO 03102462 A1 WO03102462 A1 WO 03102462A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
down pipe
inlet
pipe
upper portion
organic compounds
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NO2003/000159
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Per Lothe
Original Assignee
Knutsen Oas Shipping As
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Knutsen Oas Shipping As filed Critical Knutsen Oas Shipping As
Priority to US10/515,520 priority Critical patent/US7228871B2/en
Priority to AU2003241228A priority patent/AU2003241228A1/en
Priority to EP03730929A priority patent/EP1509721A1/en
Publication of WO2003102462A1 publication Critical patent/WO2003102462A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D7/00—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes
    • B67D7/04—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants
    • B67D7/0476—Vapour recovery systems
    • B67D7/0478—Vapour recovery systems constructional features or components
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17B—GAS-HOLDERS OF VARIABLE CAPACITY
    • F17B1/00—Gas-holders of variable capacity
    • F17B1/02—Details
    • F17B1/12—Gas admission or discharge arrangements
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/8593—Systems
    • Y10T137/86348—Tank with internally extending flow guide, pipe or conduit
    • Y10T137/86372—Inlet internally extending
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/8593—Systems
    • Y10T137/87571—Multiple inlet with single outlet
    • Y10T137/87587—Combining by aspiration

Definitions

  • This invention concerns a device for reducing the fraction of volatile organic compounds (VOC) being separated from oil, especially crude oil, during filling of larger tanks, as is customary when, for example, loading a ship from a terminal, a production platform or a floating loading device.
  • VOC volatile organic compounds
  • Crude oil normally contains fractions of lighter and heavier gasses that, due to their volatility, may not be transported together with the liquid fraction of the crude oil. From a transport technical point of view, it would be advantageous if the crude oil was separated into a gas fraction, a wet gas fraction and a liquid fraction. To separate and transport petroleum products from a producing field in three fractions, however, is associated with significant extra costs, and therefore it is more common to separate the crude oil into a gas- and a liquid fraction. The wet gas phase therefore is divided into a lighter fraction, which is transported together with the gas fraction, and a heavier fraction, which is transported together with the liquid fraction.
  • gasses from the volatile fraction continuously evaporate.
  • the evaporation gasses i.e. the volatile organic compounds, must be extracted from the tanks and be carried onwards to incineration or to a re-injection facility.
  • a relatively substantial evaporation of volatile organic compounds is known to take place while pumping oil into larger tanks.
  • a pressure in the range of 1,05 to 1,07 bar normally is maintained in both storage and transport tanks.
  • the oil When loading a tanker, for example, the oil normally is pumped from a storage tank and through a supply pipe to a position above the cargo tank, from which position the oil is guided into the tank through a down pipe down to the bottom portion of the tank.
  • a down pipe of this type may be of a length in the order of several tens of meters.
  • NO 19996471 concerns a down pipe provided with a venturi, in which the venturi being arranged to condense gasses that already have separated from a cargo tank. The device according to NO 19996471 is not arranged to restrain volatile gasses from separating from the oil when being loaded into the cargo tank.
  • the object of the invention is to remedy the disadvantages of prior art.
  • the underpressure is reduced substantially in the fall pipe portion of concern.
  • the inlet must be formed in such a way that a reduction in flow-section at the inlet of the down pipe does not exist.
  • the inlet may be placed anywhere within the upper portion of the down pipe, but it is preferable to place the inlet immediately below the lid of the transport or storage tank. Gasses already evaporated from the oil thus may flow into the down pipe.
  • the device according to the invention is equally suited for use during loading and unloading of ships and other, larger tank installations when oil or oil products, such as gas and liquid natural gas, are to be moved.
  • Fig. 1 schematically shows a loading arrangement, in which oil is pumped from a storage tank onto a tanker
  • Fig. 2 shows, in larger scale, the upper portion of the down pipe
  • Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the upper portion of the fall pipe.
  • the reference numeral 1 denotes an oil storage tank.
  • a pump 2 is connected to the storage tank 1 via a pipe 4 and onto a loading point 8 of a tanker 6 via a pipe 10 and a flexible connection/hose 12.
  • a fall pipe 14 extends from the loading point 8 of the tanker 6 and down through the deck 16 of the tanker 6 onto the bottom portion of the cargo tank 18 of the tanker 6.
  • a gas outlet 20 extends from the top of the cargo tank 18 onto a gas treatment facility (not shown).
  • FIG. 1 An arrow immediately below the deck 16 of Fig. 1 indicates the position at which gas flows into the down pipe 14 through an inlet 22. Arrows on the drawings indicate flow directions of fluids.
  • An inlet 22 comprises a pipe bend 24, cf. Fig. 2, extending through the wall of the down pipe 14 onto the outside of the down pipe 14, a bell-shaped inlet funnel 26 being connected thereto in order to reduce the inflow loss of the inflowing gas.
  • the internal flow-section of the pipe bend 24 relative to the flow-section of the down pipe 14 is dimensioned in a manner allowing a suitable amount of gas to flow in through the pipe bend 24 during the first phase of the tank filling when relatively little oil is contained in the cargo tank 18.
  • the inlet is formed with encircling openings 28 in the wall of the down pipe 14.
  • An external, tapered, bell-shaped shield/ring 30 that preferably encircles the down pipe 14, protrudes up- and outward from the down pipe 14 at the lower portion of the openings 28 and onto a level higher up than that of the upper portion of the openings 28.
  • the shield 30 is arranged to restrain fluid that flows down through the down pipe 14, from flowing out of the openings 28.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Production Of Liquid Hydrocarbon Mixture For Refining Petroleum (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
  • Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)

Abstract

AbstractA device for reducing evaporation of volatile organic compounds (VOC) during filling of a substantially liquid petroleum product into a storage and/or transportation tank (18) via a down pipe (14), wherein the down pipe (14), which has a non-constricted flow-section, is provided with an inlet (22) for gas at its upper portion, the inlet (22) being arranged to enable inflow of gas due to the underpressure being formed in the upper portion of the down pipe (14) when the petroleum product flows down through the down pipe (14).

Description

A DEVICE FOR REDUCING SEPARATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM OIL DURING FILLING OF TANKS
This invention concerns a device for reducing the fraction of volatile organic compounds (VOC) being separated from oil, especially crude oil, during filling of larger tanks, as is customary when, for example, loading a ship from a terminal, a production platform or a floating loading device.
Crude oil normally contains fractions of lighter and heavier gasses that, due to their volatility, may not be transported together with the liquid fraction of the crude oil. From a transport technical point of view, it would be advantageous if the crude oil was separated into a gas fraction, a wet gas fraction and a liquid fraction. To separate and transport petroleum products from a producing field in three fractions, however, is associated with significant extra costs, and therefore it is more common to separate the crude oil into a gas- and a liquid fraction. The wet gas phase therefore is divided into a lighter fraction, which is transported together with the gas fraction, and a heavier fraction, which is transported together with the liquid fraction.
During loading at a moderate overpressure of a liquid petroleum fraction containing heavier gasses, such as propane and butane, gasses from the volatile fraction continuously evaporate. In order to avoid a pressure increase in the transport and storage tanks, the evaporation gasses, i.e. the volatile organic compounds, must be extracted from the tanks and be carried onwards to incineration or to a re-injection facility.
A relatively substantial evaporation of volatile organic compounds is known to take place while pumping oil into larger tanks. A pressure in the range of 1,05 to 1,07 bar normally is maintained in both storage and transport tanks. When loading a tanker, for example, the oil normally is pumped from a storage tank and through a supply pipe to a position above the cargo tank, from which position the oil is guided into the tank through a down pipe down to the bottom portion of the tank. A down pipe of this type may be of a length in the order of several tens of meters.
When the oil flows into the upper end portion of the down pipe, the force of gravity will accelerate the liquid flowing downward in the down pipe, whereby a lesser total pressure is formed in the supply pipe and in the upper portion of the down pipe. In these pipes having a lesser total pressure, a substantial evaporation of volatile organic compounds takes place, these only being insubstantially condensed into liquid phase when the pressure again increases to the ordinary pressure of the tank. NO 19996471 concerns a down pipe provided with a venturi, in which the venturi being arranged to condense gasses that already have separated from a cargo tank. The device according to NO 19996471 is not arranged to restrain volatile gasses from separating from the oil when being loaded into the cargo tank.
The object of the invention is to remedy the disadvantages of prior art.
The object is achieved in accordance with the features provided in the description below and in the subsequent patent claims.
By providing the upper portion of the down pipe with a inlet through which gasses may flow into the down pipe, the underpressure is reduced substantially in the fall pipe portion of concern. Preferably, the inlet must be formed in such a way that a reduction in flow-section at the inlet of the down pipe does not exist.
The inlet may be placed anywhere within the upper portion of the down pipe, but it is preferable to place the inlet immediately below the lid of the transport or storage tank. Gasses already evaporated from the oil thus may flow into the down pipe.
Experiments have shown that the evaporation of volatile organic compounds during loading is reduced substantially by preventing the formation of an underpressure in supply- and down pipes. The device according to the invention is equally suited for use during loading and unloading of ships and other, larger tank installations when oil or oil products, such as gas and liquid natural gas, are to be moved.
In the following a non-limiting example of a preferred device is described, the device being shown in the accompanying drawings , where :
Fig. 1 schematically shows a loading arrangement, in which oil is pumped from a storage tank onto a tanker;
Fig. 2 shows, in larger scale, the upper portion of the down pipe; and
Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the upper portion of the fall pipe.
On the drawings the reference numeral 1 denotes an oil storage tank. A pump 2 is connected to the storage tank 1 via a pipe 4 and onto a loading point 8 of a tanker 6 via a pipe 10 and a flexible connection/hose 12.
A fall pipe 14 extends from the loading point 8 of the tanker 6 and down through the deck 16 of the tanker 6 onto the bottom portion of the cargo tank 18 of the tanker 6. A gas outlet 20 extends from the top of the cargo tank 18 onto a gas treatment facility (not shown).
An arrow immediately below the deck 16 of Fig. 1 indicates the position at which gas flows into the down pipe 14 through an inlet 22. Arrows on the drawings indicate flow directions of fluids.
As stated in the general part of the description, it is advantageous for the flow-section of the down pipe 14 not to be reduced at the inlet 22. A reduction in flow-section would cause the inflowing oil to be inflicted with a velocity increase at the inlet 22. The static pressure of the oil thus would be reduced, causing further evaporation of VOC to happe .
An inlet 22 comprises a pipe bend 24, cf. Fig. 2, extending through the wall of the down pipe 14 onto the outside of the down pipe 14, a bell-shaped inlet funnel 26 being connected thereto in order to reduce the inflow loss of the inflowing gas. The internal flow-section of the pipe bend 24 relative to the flow-section of the down pipe 14 is dimensioned in a manner allowing a suitable amount of gas to flow in through the pipe bend 24 during the first phase of the tank filling when relatively little oil is contained in the cargo tank 18.
In an alternative embodiment, cf. Fig. 3, the inlet is formed with encircling openings 28 in the wall of the down pipe 14. An external, tapered, bell-shaped shield/ring 30 that preferably encircles the down pipe 14, protrudes up- and outward from the down pipe 14 at the lower portion of the openings 28 and onto a level higher up than that of the upper portion of the openings 28. The shield 30 is arranged to restrain fluid that flows down through the down pipe 14, from flowing out of the openings 28. When oil containing volatile organic compounds is pumped by the pump 2 from the storage tank 1 via the pipes 4, 10 and the hose 12 onto the loading point 8 of the tanker 6 and further down through the down pipe 14, gas simultaneously flows through the pipe bend 24, or alternatively through the openings 28, and into the down pipe 14 where gas is mixed with the inflowing oil.
Through appropriate dimensioning of the inlet 22, a suitable amount of gas is carried into the down pipe 14, whereby the o underpressure in the upper portion of the down pipe 14 is significantly reduced during loading. Thereby the forming of an underpressure in the pipes/hose 10, 12, 14 also is substantially prevented. Thus evaporation of volatile organic compounds during loading is reduced substantially.
s According to the invention, only the underpressure formed due to inflowing oil falling down through the down pipe 14 causes the intake of gasses at the upper portion of the down pipe 14. Emphasis is placed on avoiding reductions in flow-section within the down pipe 14, inasmuch as such reductions will o cause further separation of VOC from the oil.

Claims

C la ims
1. A device for reducing evaporation of volatile organic compounds, so-called VOC, during filling of a substantially liquid petroleum product into a storage and/or transportation tank (18) via a down pipe (14), c har ac t er i s e d i n that the down pipe (14) , which has a non-constricted flow-section at its upper portion, is provided with an inlet (22) for gas at its upper portion, the inlet (22) being arranged to enable o inflow of gas due to the underpressure being formed in the upper portion of the down pipe (14) when the petroleum product flows down through the down pipe (14).
2. A device according to claim 1, c harac te ri s ed i n that the inlet (22) consists of a pipe bend (24) s penetrating through the wall of the down pipe (14).
3. A device according to claim 1, c har ac te ri s ed i n that the inlet (22) consists of at least one through-going opening (28) in the wall of the down pipe (14), and that a shield (30) protrudes up- and outward o from the down pipe 14, the lower portion of the shield (30) being placed at the lower limit of the openings (28), and the upper portion of the shield (30) protruding onto a level located higher up than that of the upper limit of the openings (28).
5
PCT/NO2003/000159 2002-05-31 2003-05-15 A device for reducing separation of volatile organic compounds from oil during filling of tanks WO2003102462A1 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/515,520 US7228871B2 (en) 2002-05-31 2003-05-15 Device for reducing separation of volatile organic compounds from oil during filling of tanks
AU2003241228A AU2003241228A1 (en) 2002-05-31 2003-05-15 A device for reducing separation of volatile organic compounds from oil during filling of tanks
EP03730929A EP1509721A1 (en) 2002-05-31 2003-05-15 A device for reducing separation of volatile organic compounds from oil during filling of tanks

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NO20022582A NO316739B1 (en) 2002-05-31 2002-05-31 Process for reducing the separation of volatile organic compounds from oil during filling of tanks
NO20022582 2002-05-31

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2003102462A1 true WO2003102462A1 (en) 2003-12-11

Family

ID=19913677

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/NO2003/000159 WO2003102462A1 (en) 2002-05-31 2003-05-15 A device for reducing separation of volatile organic compounds from oil during filling of tanks

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US7228871B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1509721A1 (en)
AU (1) AU2003241228A1 (en)
NO (1) NO316739B1 (en)
WO (1) WO2003102462A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103079950A (en) * 2010-10-11 2013-05-01 容器科技有限公司 Apparatus for decreasing volatile organic components

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NO315417B1 (en) * 2001-12-06 2003-09-01 Knutsen Oas Shipping As Method and arrangement of loading column
NO321880B1 (en) * 2002-12-23 2006-07-17 Knutsen Oas Shipping As Device for reducing VOC evaporation
KR101012643B1 (en) * 2008-07-16 2011-02-09 대우조선해양 주식회사 System and method for decreasing voc in crude oil tanker
NO331559B1 (en) * 2010-03-08 2012-01-23 Hamworthy Oil & Gas Systems As System for reducing emissions from volatile liquid cargo
KR101239985B1 (en) * 2011-05-13 2013-03-06 삼성중공업 주식회사 Liquid cargo storage tank
KR101291360B1 (en) * 2011-07-01 2013-07-30 삼성중공업 주식회사 VOC reducing apparatus for liquid cargo storage tank
KR101422719B1 (en) * 2012-09-27 2014-08-13 삼성중공업 주식회사 Apparatus for loading storage tank with oil and oil carrier having the same
NO347384B1 (en) 2021-10-26 2023-10-09 Gba Marine As Liquid loading assembly for loading a ship-hold or tank

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US3003325A (en) * 1957-10-31 1961-10-10 Bastian Blessing Co Gas dispensing system
JPS5850398A (en) * 1981-09-18 1983-03-24 Tokyo Gas Co Ltd Evaporated gas processing method while accepting low temperature liquefied gas
JPH09303697A (en) * 1996-05-13 1997-11-28 Osaka Gas Co Ltd Boost-up suppressing device for low-temperature liquefied gas storage tank
JP2000240896A (en) * 1999-02-24 2000-09-08 Osaka Gas Co Ltd Liquefied gas storage tank

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US1195915A (en) * 1916-08-22 Steam-jet
US1144868A (en) * 1914-07-27 1915-06-29 Jean Gustave Roy Milk-heater.
US2784560A (en) * 1954-02-11 1957-03-12 American Messer Corp Process and apparatus for storing and shipping liquefied gases
JPS5860398A (en) 1981-10-05 1983-04-09 マツダ株式会社 Indicator for quantity to be measured
US6279611B2 (en) * 1999-05-10 2001-08-28 Hideto Uematsu Apparatus for generating microbubbles while mixing an additive fluid with a mainstream liquid
US6852145B2 (en) * 1999-12-23 2005-02-08 Ide Til Produkt As Method, apparatus and system for the condensation of vapors and gases

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3003325A (en) * 1957-10-31 1961-10-10 Bastian Blessing Co Gas dispensing system
JPS5850398A (en) * 1981-09-18 1983-03-24 Tokyo Gas Co Ltd Evaporated gas processing method while accepting low temperature liquefied gas
JPH09303697A (en) * 1996-05-13 1997-11-28 Osaka Gas Co Ltd Boost-up suppressing device for low-temperature liquefied gas storage tank
JP2000240896A (en) * 1999-02-24 2000-09-08 Osaka Gas Co Ltd Liquefied gas storage tank

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Title
DATABASE WPI Week 199807, Derwent World Patents Index; Class Q69, AN 1998-066200, XP002904968 *
DATABASE WPI Week 200056, Derwent World Patents Index; Class Q69, AN 2000-592237, XP002904969 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 7, no. 137 15 June 1983 (1983-06-15) *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103079950A (en) * 2010-10-11 2013-05-01 容器科技有限公司 Apparatus for decreasing volatile organic components

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2003241228A1 (en) 2003-12-19
NO316739B1 (en) 2004-04-19
NO20022582D0 (en) 2002-05-31
EP1509721A1 (en) 2005-03-02
US7228871B2 (en) 2007-06-12
US20050166982A1 (en) 2005-08-04
NO20022582L (en) 2003-12-01

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