METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AND DEGASSING LIQUIDS AND GASES IN SUSPENSION

• US 20100264095A1
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Alastair Sinker, David Hadfield, Ian Charles Smyth
• Inventors: SINKER, Alastair, HADFIELD, David, SMYTH, Ian Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,728,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/748.10
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 17/044 by changing the pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 19/0078 by vibration
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/20 by degassing, i.e. liberation of dissolved gases degasification of liquids in general B01D19/00; arrangement of degassing apparatus in boiler feed supply F22D
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/36 ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/32 Hydrocarbons, e.g. oil

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for the controlled application of ultrasonic energy for conditioning of mixtures of gas and liquids by evolving and/or agglomerating gas bubbles existing with or in a liquid or for coalescing droplets of liquid dispersed in another liquid. The invention in preferred embodiments thereof comprises a coalescing apparatus for increasing the droplet size of a mixture formed as a liquid dispersed in another liquid, and a de-gassing apparatus arranged to evolve and/or agglomerate gaseous bubbles in a gas/liquid mixture. In the apparatuses, ultrasonic transducers are used to impart vibrational energy to the mixtures.

Claims

1. A method of conditioning a mixture liquid comprising a liquid/gas mixture or a liquid/liquid mixture, the method comprising passing vibrational energy through the mixture liquid in a plurality of volumes defined by at least one baffle extending between a transducer and a reflector.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the vibrational energy is in the frequency range 20 kHz to 3 MHz

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the vibrational energy is in the frequency range of 200 kHz to 1.5 MHz.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the vibrational energy is in the frequency range of 400 kHz to 1.5 MHz.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the vibrational energy is in the frequency range of 20 kHz to 800 kHz.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the method comprises increasing droplet size of a dispersed liquid that is dispersed in the mixture liquid.

7. A method according to claim 5 wherein the dispersed liquid is selected from a group consisting of:

liquid hydrocarbons and aqueous liquids.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the mixture liquid comprises a continuous phase liquid selected from a group consisting of:

liquid hydrocarbons and aqueous liquids.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the method comprises evolving and/or agglomerating bubbles of gaseous material dispersed in the mixture liquid.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the gaseous material is hydrocarbon gas.

11. A method according to claim 1 further comprising selecting dimensions for a vessel in which the conditioning occurs and vibrational energy frequency to cause standing waves to form in the mixture liquid.