Natural gas separation and purification and mercury collection system for oil and gas wells, and method of use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11946007-B1
Application number	US-202318518606-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 24, 2023
Priority date	May 31, 2023
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

A natural gas separation and purification and mercury collection system for oil and gas wells includes a cyclone separator, a condensation purification and separation mechanism, pressure buffer mechanisms, mercury collection and separation mechanisms, and natural gas storage tanks. An inlet end of the cyclone separator is communicated with an external gas source through a pressure buffer mechanism, and an outlet end of the cyclone separator is communicated with the condensation purification and separation mechanism through a pressure buffer mechanism. The condensation purification and separation mechanism is communicated with the mercury collection and separation mechanism through a pressure buffer mechanism. The mercury collection and separation mechanism is communicated with the natural gas storage tank through a guide tube. A method of use of the natural gas separation and purification and mercury collection system includes gas collection, gas purification, mercury separation, and mercury analysis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A natural gas separation and purification and mercury collection system for oil and gas wells, comprising a cyclone separator, a condensation purification and separation mechanism, pressure buffer mechanisms, mercury collection and separation mechanisms, natural gas storage tanks, and a driver circuit, wherein an inlet end of the cyclone separator is communicated with an external gas source through a first pressure buffer mechanism of the pressure buffer mechanisms, and an outlet end of the cyclone separator is communicated with the condensation purification and separation mechanism through a second pressure buffer mechanism of the pressure buffer mechanisms; the condensation purification and separation mechanism is communicated with the mercury collection and separation mechanism through a third pressure buffer mechanism of the pressure buffer mechanisms; the mercury collection and separation mechanism is communicated with the natural gas storage tank through a first guide tube; each of the cyclone separator, the condensation purification and separation mechanism, the pressure buffer mechanisms, the mercury collection and separation mechanisms, and the natural gas storage tanks is provided with a control valve; the cyclone separator, the condensation purification and separation mechanism, the pressure buffer mechanisms, the mercury collection and separation mechanisms, the natural gas storage tanks, and the control valve are electrically connected to the driver circuit; at least two mercury collection and separation mechanisms are connected in parallel to each other and communicated with the pressure buffer mechanisms and the natural gas storage tanks through a shunt.

2. The natural gas separation and purification and mercury collection system for oil and gas wells according to claim 1 , wherein the mercury collection and separation mechanisms are connected to each other through a bearing frame; the bearing frame is a cylindrical frame with an I-shaped axial section; the mercury collection and separation mechanisms are embedded in a trough at a side surface of the bearing frame and distributed in parallel to an axis of the bearing frame; the pressure buffer mechanisms communicated with the mercury collection and separation mechanisms are connected to an outer side of the bearing frame; each of the mercury collection and separation mechanisms is communicated with a pressure buffer mechanism and communicated with the shunt through the pressure buffer mechanism; the shunt is connected to an upper end surface of the bearing frame; each of the mercury collection and separation mechanisms is further communicated with the natural gas storage tank through the shunt; a wall of the trough at the side surface of the bearing frame is provided with a guide way and connected to the mercury collection and separation mechanisms through the guide way; each two adjacent mercury collection and separation mechanisms are isolated by a partition; a bearing chamber is provided in the bearing frame and is coaxial with the bearing frame; the outer side of the bearing frame is provided with at least one connecting clip; a natural gas storage tank is provided in the bearing chamber; and the outer side of the bearing frame is connected to at least one natural gas storage tank through the at least one connecting clip.

3. The natural gas separation and purification and mercury collection system for oil and gas wells according to claim 1 , wherein the mercury collection and separation mechanism comprises a separation tank, carriers, gold foil meshes, an aerator, a partition, a guide fan, heat exchange tubes, a temperature-humidity sensor, and pressure-flow sensors; the separation tank is a closed chamber structure with a rectangular axial section; the separation tank comprises an upper end surface provided with a gas inlet and a gas outlet, and a bottom provided with a drain outlet; the gas inlet and the gas outlet are distributed at two sides of an axis of the separation tank; the partition is embedded in the separation tank and connected to a top and a side wall of the separation tank; a distance between the partition and the bottom of the separation tank does not exceed 10% of a height of the separation tank; the partition divides the separation tank into a mercury removal chamber and a gas discharge chamber; the gas inlet is communicated with the mercury removal chamber, and the gas outlet is communicated with the gas discharge chamber; each of the carriers is a closed and circular structure, and is provided with 1-2 gold foil meshes; the carriers are embedded in the mercury removal chamber, coaxial with the mercury removal chamber, and slidably connected to an inner side of the mercury removal chamber through sliding rails; a distance between each two adjacent carriers is not less than 10 mm; the aerator is communicated with the gas inlet, located inside the mercury removal chamber, and connected to a top of the separation tank; there are at least two heat exchange tubes, comprising a first heat exchange tube located below the partition, connected to the bottom of the separation tank, and surrounding the axis of the separation tank, and a second heat exchange tube embedded in the gas discharge chamber and connected to a side wall of the separation tank corresponding to the gas discharge chamber; an outer side of the separation tank corresponding to the second heat exchange tube is provided with a pipe joint and communicated with the external condensation purification and separation mechanism through the pipe joint; the temperature-humidity sensor is embedded in the gas outlet; each of the gas inlet and the gas outlet is provided with a pressure-flow sensor; at least one guide fan is connected to the bearing frame and communicated with the gas outlet and the shunt through a second guide tube; the at least one guide fan is communicated with the natural gas storage tank through the shunt; and the at least one guide fan, the temperature-humidity sensor, and the pressure-flow sensors are electrically connected to the driver circuit.

4. The natural gas separation and purification and mercury collection system for oil and gas wells according to claim 3 , wherein at least one electric heating wire and a temperature sensor are further provided in each of the carriers; the at least one electric heating wire is spirally distributed around an axis of the carrier, and is 0-5 mm far from the gold foil mesh; the temperature sensor is coaxial with the carrier; and the at least one electric heating wire and the temperature sensor are electrically connected to the driver circuit.

5. The natural gas separation and purification and mercury collection system for oil and gas wells according to claim 1 , wherein the condensation purification and separation mechanism comprises a support frame, gas-liquid separators, a refrigeration mechanism, a condensation chamber, and pressure regulating pumps; the support frame is a frame structure with a T-shaped axial section, and an axis of the support frame is perpendicular to a horizontal plane; the condensation chamber is embedded in the support frame, coaxial with the support frame, and connected to a bottom of the support frame; the condensation chamber comprises a side wall provided with a first gas inlet and a top provided with a gas outlet; the first gas inlet is communicated with the cyclone separator, and the gas outlet is communicated with a plurality of gas-liquid separators through a second guide tube; the plurality of gas-liquid separators are embedded in an upper half of the support frame and uniformly surround the axis of the support frame; the plurality of gas-liquid separators are connected in parallel to each other and communicated with the gas outlet of the condensation chamber through the pressure regulating pumps; th

Assignees

• Univ Beijing

Inventors

• Liu Quanyou
• Li Pengpeng
• Liu Jiarun

Classifications

• C10L3/101 Primary

  Removal of contaminants · CPC title

• B01D45/16

  generated by the winding course of the gas stream {, the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes} · CPC title

• B01D53/002

  by condensation · CPC title

• B01D53/30 Primary

  Controlling by gas-analysis apparatus (regulating non electrical variables in general G05D) · CPC title

• B01D2256/24

  Hydrocarbons · CPC title