Methods and systems for in-line mixing of hydrocarbon liquids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11607654-B2
Application number	US-202217856478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2022
Priority date	Dec 30, 2019
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

Methods and systems of admixing hydrocarbon liquids from a plurality of tanks into a single pipeline thereof. The system may include two or more tanks positioned at a tank farm each containing a hydrocarbon liquid therein. The system may include two or more first main pipes, each connected to one of the tanks. The system may include two or more main valves, each connected to one of the first main pipes. The system may include two or more second main pipes each connected to a corresponding main valve. The system may include two or more mixing jumpers, each connected to a corresponding first main pipe, each mixing jumper to, when a corresponding main valve is closed, control hydrocarbon liquid. The system may include a mixing pipe, connected to the second main pipes and the mixing jumpers, configured to transport hydrocarbon liquid from one or more of the tanks.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An in-line liquid mixing system positioned at a tank farm to admix hydrocarbon liquids from a plurality of tanks into a single pipeline, the in-line liquid mixing system comprising:
two or more tanks positioned at the tank farm with at least one tank containing a hydrocarbon liquid therein;
two or more first main pipes, each one of the two or more first main pipes connected to one of the two or more tanks;
two or more main valves, each of the two or more main valves connected to one of the two or more first main pipes, the hydrocarbon liquid flowing from one tank through one first main pipe to a corresponding main valve;
two or more second main pipes, each one of the two or more second main pipes connected to a corresponding main valve;
two or more mixing jumpers, each of the mixing jumpers connected to a corresponding first main pipe of the two or more first main pipes, each of the two or more mixing jumpers to control, when a corresponding main valve is closed, hydrocarbon liquid flowing from the corresponding one of the two or more tanks; and
a mixing pipe connected to each of the two or more second main pipes and each of the two or more mixing jumpers, the mixing pipe configured to transport hydrocarbon liquid from one or more of the two or more tanks.

2. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more mixing jumpers include:
an isolation valve to prevent, when closed, hydrocarbon liquid to flow therethrough and, when open, allow hydrocarbon liquid to flow therethrough;
a sensor to determine a characteristic of hydrocarbon liquid flowing through the corresponding one of the two or more mixing jumpers;
a flow control device to control hydrocarbon liquid flowing through the corresponding one of the two or more mixing jumpers; and
a mixing jumper pipe to connect the mixing jumper to the mixing pipe or the corresponding second main pipe.

3. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 2 , wherein the flow control device comprises one or more of a control valve or a turbine.

4. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor comprises one or more of a flow meter, density sensor, pressure sensor, pressure transducer, or a temperature sensor.

5. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 2 , wherein, when any one of the two or more main valves is open and hydrocarbon liquid is flowing therethrough, each of the isolation valves for the two or more mixing jumpers is closed.

6. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 2 , further comprising one or more controllers in signal communication with the isolation valve, the sensor, and the flow control device of each of the two or more mixing jumpers and with each of the two or more main valves.

7. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more controllers controls the flow control device for each of the two or more mixing jumpers, thereby to control an amount of hydrocarbon liquid flowing therethrough.

8. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 7 , wherein the characteristic comprises a flow rate, and wherein the amount of hydrocarbon liquid flowing through one or more of the flow control devices of each of the two or more mixing jumpers further is based on one or more of (a) a specified hydrocarbon liquid blend percentage or (b) a current flow rate, from a corresponding sensor, of a specified hydrocarbon liquid flowing from a specified tank.

9. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 8 , further comprising one or more sensors corresponding to each of the two or more tanks and in communication with the one or more controllers.

10. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more controllers determine, via each of the one or more sensors, a tank level or hydrocarbon liquid density.

11. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 10 , wherein the amount of hydrocarbon liquid flowing through the one or more of the flow control devices further is based on one or more of tank level or hydrocarbon liquid density corresponding to each of the two or more tanks.

12. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 1 , wherein one or more additional pipes associated with each of the two or more mixing jumpers comprises a 16-inch diameter pipe, and wherein each of the two or more first main pipes and each of the two or more second main pipes comprises a 36-inch diameter pipe.

13. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more main valves comprise an isolation valve, and wherein the isolation valve includes an open position and a closed position.

14. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 1 , further comprising a pump positioned along the mixing pipe and downstream of a location where each of the two or more second main pipes and each of the two or more mixing jumpers connects to the mixing pipe.

15. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon liquid includes one or more of a petroleum liquid or a renewable liquid.

16. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 15 , wherein the renewable liquid includes one or more of bio-fuel, pyrolysis oil, oleaginous feedstock, or biomass derived feedstock.

17. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 1 , wherein the mixing pipe comprises a pipe including a plurality of connectors to connect each of the two or more second main pipes and each of the two or more mixing jumpers.

18. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 1 , wherein the mixing pipe comprises a header.

19. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 1 , wherein gravity generates flow of the hydrocarbon liquid from the at least one tank through one of the two or more first main pipes to a corresponding main valve of the two or more main valves.

20. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 19 , wherein the flow of the hydrocarbon liquid from the at least one tank changes based on tank level of the at least one tank, and wherein the tank level comprises an amount of hydrocarbon liquid stored in each of the two or more tanks.

21. The in-line liquid mixing system of claim 20 , wherein the two or more mixing jumpers controls flow rate of the hydrocarbon liquid flowing from two or more tanks based on flow rates generated by gravity and tank level.

22. An in-line liquid mixing system positioned at a tank farm to admix hydrocarbon liquids from a plurality of tanks into a single pipeline, the in-line liquid mixing system comprising: two or more tanks positioned at the tank farm with at least one tank containing a hydrocarbon liquid therein; two or more first main pipes, each one of the two or more first main pipes connected to one of the two or more tanks; two or more main valves, each of the two or more main valves connected to one of the two or more first main pipes, the hydrocarbon liquid to flow from one tank through one first main pipe to a corresponding main valve as a gravity-fed stream; two or more second main pipes, each one of the two or more second main pipes connected to a corresponding main valve; two or more mixing jumpers, each of the mixing jumpers connected to a corresponding first main pipe of the two or more first main pipes, each of the two or more mixing jumpers to control, when a corresponding main valve is closed, hydrocarbon liquid flowing from the corresponding one of the two or more tanks; and a mixing pipe connected to each of the two or more second main pipes and each of the two or more mixing jumpers, the mixing pipe configured to transport hydrocarbon liquid from one or m

Assignees

• Marathon Petroleum Co Lp

Inventors

• Miller Kyle E

Classifications

• B01F2025/919

  characterised by the disposition of the feed and discharge openings · CPC title

• B01F23/49 Primary

  Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams · CPC title

• F17D3/00

  Arrangements for supervising or controlling working operations · CPC title

• B01F35/833

  Flow control by valves, e.g. opening intermittently · CPC title

• G05D11/132 Primary

  by controlling the flow of the individual components (G05D11/133 takes precedence) · CPC title