Revolution vortex tube gas/liquids separator

• US 7,931,719 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Tank Company (SLB)
• Original Assignee: National Tank Company (SLB)
• Inventors: Porneala, Dan C., Sams, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): TURNER, SONJI LUCAS
• Application Number:
  US11/949,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20090139192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 553/42, 553/45, 553/48, 553/49, 554/34, 554/47, 554/56, 554/57, 554/591, 554/62, 963/01, 963/02, 963/04, 963/05, 963/21
• US Class Current: 55/348
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/12 by centrifugal forces centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C

Abstract

A centrifugal separator for separating immiscible components of a wet gas stream is formed by an upright cylindrical vortex tube having an internal wall surface, a top with a gas outlet opening therein, a bottom providing a liquid outlet opening and a wet gas stream inlet tangential to the internal wall surface, the inlet being spaced below the top. A helical baffle is secured to the vortex tube internal wall surface and extends from below the top but above the inlet to a lower end spaced above the vortex tube bottom. A plurality of spaced apart vertical outlet fins are affixed to and extending radially from the internal wall surface adjacent the vortex tube bottom, each outlet fin having a top end spaced below the helical baffle lower end.

Claims

1. A centrifugal separator for separating immiscible components of a wet gas stream comprising:

an upright cylindrical vortex tube having an internal wall surface, a top with a gas outlet opening therein, a bottom providing a liquid outlet opening and a wet gas stream inlet tangential to the internal wall surface, the inlet being spaced below the top;

a helical baffle secured to said vortex tube internal wall surface and extending from below said top above said inlet to a lower end spaced above said vortex tube bottom; and

a plurality of spaced apart vertical outlet fins affixed to and extending radially from said internal wall surface adjacent said bottom, each outlet fin having a top end spaced below said helical baffle lower end.

2. A centrifugal separator according to claim 1 wherein said helical baffle is in the form of two spaced apart spiral rings each with the same pitch angle of from 1 to 45 degrees from a horizontal plane.

3. A centrifugal separator according to claim 2 wherein said helical baffle spiral rings each have a pitch of about 15 to 30 degrees from a horizontal plane.

4. A centrifugal separator according to claim 1 configured for mounting within a liquid containing separator vessel having a liquid level therein and wherein said vortex tube liquid outlet opening is submerged in the liquid and wherein said helical baffle lower end is at the said liquid level in the vortex tube.

5. A centrifugal separator according to claim 1 having between 3 and 12 of said spaced apart outlet fins.

6. A centrifugal separator according to claim 1 where each said outlet fin is in a plane of a cylindrical axis of said cylindrical vortex tube.

7. A centrifugal separator according to claim 1 further comprising a short length reduced diameter downwardly extending tubular lip secured to said vortex tube top and concentric with and surrounding said gas outlet opening.

8. A centrifugal separator according to claim 7 wherein said tubular lip is a minimum of about 1 inch in length.

9. An inlet device for separating immiscible components of a wet gas stream comprising:

a closed vessel having a wet gas stream inlet, an upper gas outlet, at least one, lower liquid outlet and having provision for maintaining a liquid level therein;

a plurality of upright cylindrical vortex tubes each having an internal wall surface, a top with a gas outlet opening therein, a bottom providing a liquid outlet opening and a wet gas stream inlet tangential to the internal wall surface, the inlet being spaced below the top;

each vortex tube having a helical baffle secured to said vortex tube internal wall surface and extending from below said top above said inlet to a lower end spaced above said vortex tube bottom;

each vortex tube having a plurality of spaced apart vertical outlet fins affixed to and extending radially from said vortex tube internal wall surface adjacent said bottom, each outlet fin having a top end spaced below said helical baffle lower end; and

a horizontal inlet tube within said vessel connected at an inlet end to said vessel wet gas stream inlet and having a separate sidewall outlet opening for each said vortex tube each sidewall outlet being in communication with a said vortex tube wet gas stream inlet.

10. An inlet device according to claim 9 wherein said helical baffle in each of said vortex tubes is in the form of two spaced apart spiral rings each with the same pitch angle from 1 to 45 degrees from a horizontal plane.

11. An inlet device according to claim 10 wherein said helical baffle spiral rings in each of said vortex tubes has a pitch of about 15 degrees from a horizontal plane.

12. An inlet device according to claim 9 wherein said open bottom of each said vortex tube is submerged below said liquid level and wherein said helical baffle lower end of each of said vortex tubes is at or slightly above said liquid level.

13. An inlet device according to claim 9 wherein each of said vortex tubes has between 3 and about 12 of said spaced apart vertical outlet fins.

14. An inlet device according to claim 9 where each said vertical outlet fin is in a plane of a cylindrical axis of said cylindrical vortex tube.

15. An inlet device according to claim 9 wherein each said vortex tube includes therein a short length reduced diameter downwardly extending tubular lip secured to each said vortex tube top and concentric with and surrounding said gas outlet opening.

16. An inlet device according to claim 9 wherein each said vortex tube has therein a tubular lip of at least about 1 inch in length.

17. An inlet device according to claim 9 wherein said horizontal inlet tube has spaced apart pairs of said sidewall outlet opening whereby said vortex tubes are positioned in pairs along opposed sides of said horizontal inlet tube.

18. An inlet device according to claim 17 in which said inlet tube is of substantially constant diameter for its full length.

19. An inlet device according to claim 18 including a V-shaped baffle that diverts the incoming wet gas stream towards said sidewall outlets.

20. An inlet device according to claim 17 wherein said horizontal inlet tube is tapered in width in the direction towards a final pair of vortex tubes.

21. An inlet device according to claim 20 wherein said inlet tube is tapered such that a final opposed pair of said vortex tubes are at least substantially contiguous as their exterior surfaces.