Combination of expansion and cooling to enhance separation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A fluid separation apparatus, comprising:
- an expander coupled to a main shaft and configured to receive and expand a working fluid feed stream, the expander being adapted to provide rotational energy to the main shaft and generate an expander outlet feed stream having a lower pressure than the working fluid feed stream;
a rotary separator coupled to and driven by the main shaft, the rotary separator being configured to receive the expander outlet feed stream and separate higher-density components from lower-density components in the expander outlet feed stream, thereby generating a separated lower-density feed stream and a separated higher-density stream; and
a compressor coupled to and driven by the main shaft, the compressor being configured to receive the separated lower-density feed stream from the rotary separator and increase a pressure of the separated lower-density feed stream to generate a compressed lower-density stream.
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Abstract
A method and system for expanding, separating, and compressing a multi-phase fluid. An expander receives and expands the multi-phase fluid to generate a lower-pressure fluid which can more efficiently be separated in a separator. Expanding the fluid also drives a main shaft adapted to drive at least the separator and a compressor coupled thereto. The separator receives the lower-pressure fluid, separates any higher-density components from the lower-density components disposed therein, and provides a substantially dry gas to the compressor to be re-compressed and discharged from the system.
382 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fluid separation apparatus, comprising:
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an expander coupled to a main shaft and configured to receive and expand a working fluid feed stream, the expander being adapted to provide rotational energy to the main shaft and generate an expander outlet feed stream having a lower pressure than the working fluid feed stream; a rotary separator coupled to and driven by the main shaft, the rotary separator being configured to receive the expander outlet feed stream and separate higher-density components from lower-density components in the expander outlet feed stream, thereby generating a separated lower-density feed stream and a separated higher-density stream; and a compressor coupled to and driven by the main shaft, the compressor being configured to receive the separated lower-density feed stream from the rotary separator and increase a pressure of the separated lower-density feed stream to generate a compressed lower-density stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for removing higher-density components from lower-density components in a working fluid feed stream, comprising:
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expanding the working fluid feed stream in an expander to generate an expander outlet feed stream, the expander being coupled to a shaft; generating rotational energy with the expander that is transferred to the shaft; driving a separator using the rotational energy to separate higher-density components from lower-density components present in the expander outlet feed stream; discharging a separated lower-density feed stream from the separator into a compressor; driving the compressor using the rotational energy; and compressing the separated lower-density feed stream to generate a compressed lower-density stream. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A fluid separation apparatus, comprising:
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an expander coupled to a main shaft and configured to receive and expand a working fluid feed stream, the expander being adapted to provide rotational energy from the working fluid feed stream to the main shaft and generate an expander outlet feed stream having a lower pressure than the working fluid feed stream; a rotary separator coupled to and driven by the main shaft, the rotary separator being configured to receive the expander outlet feed stream and separate a higher-density component from a lower-density component in the expander outlet feed stream, thereby generating a separated lower-density feed stream and a separated higher-density stream; a static separator disposed about the rotary separator; a multi-stage centrifugal compressor coupled to and driven by the main shaft, the compressor being configured to receive and compress the separated lower-density feed stream to generate a compressed lower-density stream; and an auxiliary motor coupled to the main shaft and configured to provide supplemental rotational energy to the main shaft. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification