Method and apparatus for enhanced oil recovery by injection of a micro-dispersed gas-liquid mixture into the oil-bearing formation

• US 7,059,591 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nickolay V. Savitsky, Sergey A. Kostrov, Sergey V. Bortkevitch, William O. Wooden
• Original Assignee: Nickolay V. Savitsky, Sergey A. Kostrov, Sergey V. Bortkevitch, William O. Wooden
• Inventors: Bortkevitch, Sergey V., Kostrov, Sergey A., Wooden, William O., Savitsky, Nickolay V.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUSHEY, CHARLES S
• Application Number:
  US10/682,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20050077636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 261/76, 261/79.2, 261/116, 261/DIG.39, 261/DIG.75
• US Class Current: 261/76
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/232 using flow-mixing means for introducing the gases, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2326 adding the flowing main component by suction means, e.g. using an ejector
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/10 Mixing by creating a vortex flow, e.g. by tangential introduction of flow components
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/25 Mixing by jets impinging against collision plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/3121 with additional mixing means other than injector mixers, e.g. screens, baffles or rotating elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/31242 the main flow being injected in the central area of the venturi, creating an aspiration in the circumferential part of the conduit B01F25/31243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/45 Mixers in which the materials to be mixed are pressed together through orifices or interstitial spaces, e.g. between beads B01F25/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4521 the components being pressed through orifices in elements, e.g. flat plates or cylinders, which obstruct the whole diameter of the tube
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/45211 the elements being cylinders or cones which obstruct the whole diameter of the tube, the flow changing from axial in radial and again in axial
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/75 Flowing liquid aspirates gas

Abstract

The method and apparatus for making a micro-dispersed gas-liquid mixture which includes a gas-liquid ejector unit, a cavitation unit and a jet dispersing unit installed in a sequence. All above referenced units are installed into a cylindrical housing which in turn includes bottom and top covers and also has a first partition having a conical orifice separating a gas-liquid ejector unit from a cavitation unit and a second partition separating a cavitation unit from a jet dispersing unit. The gas-liquid ejector unit has an inlet located at the bottom of the cylindrical housing for liquid and the inlet located on side surface of housing for gas, these being between bottom cover of the housing and the first partition. In addition, the inlet for liquid is a nozzle the top having both outside and inside parts of which are adapted to the conical orifice of first partition to provide a required flow-rate of an ejected gas through the gas inlet. The gas-liquid ejector unit communicates through the conical orifice of the first partition with a cavitation unit comprising a hollow cylindrical cavitation chamber having at least one tangential inlet allowing a gas-liquid mixture from a gas-liquid ejector unit to flow inside the hollow cylindrical cavitation chamber for breaking of gas bubbles and further to a jet dispersing unit through an orifice of second partition for additional dispersing and homogenization. The jet dispersing unit comprises a hollow cylindrical dispersing chamber attached to the second partition and communicates with the injection well through an outlet located at the top cover of the cylindrical housing. In addition, the hollow cylindrical dispersing chamber has at least one outlet channel and a hollow dip at the bottom of the hollow cylindrical dispersing chamber.

Claims

1. Apparatus for producing a micro-dispersed gas-liquid mixture, comprising a cylindrical housing having a cylindrical surface with bottom and top covers, which in turn incorporate:

a gas-liquid ejector unit consisting of said bottom cover of said cylindrical housing, a first part of said cylindrical surface of said housing, an inlet for gas connected to a gas injection line, an inlet nozzle for liquid connected to an injection liquid line and a first partition of said cylindrical housing, said inlet nozzle having has both outside and inner surfaces to adapt a conical orifice of said first partition to provide a required flow-rate of an ejected gas through said gas inlet;

a cavitation unit communicating through said first partition with said gas-liquid ejector unit, said cavitation unit comprising said first partition, a second part of said cylindrical surface of said housing, a hollow cylindrical cavitation chamber having at least one tangential inlet allowing a gas-liquid mixture from said gas-liquid ejector unit to flow inside the hollow cylindrical cavitation chamber and a second partition having an orifice connected to said hollow cylindrical cavitation chamber;

a jet dispersing unit communicating though said second partition orifice with said cavitation unit comprising said second partition, a third part of said cylindrical surface of said cylindrical housing, a hollow cylindrical dispersing chamber attached to said second partition, said top cover of said cylindrical housing and an outlet connected to an injection well, said hollow cylindrical dispersing chamber includes at least one outlet channel and a hollow dip at the bottom of said hollow cylindrical dispersing chamber, said outlet channel communicates with said outlet connected to said injection well.