System and methods for removing entrained liquids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9597622-B2
Application number	US-201414565018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2014
Priority date	Jan 8, 2014
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

The present techniques are directed to a method for removing entrained liquid hydrocarbons in a countercurrent contact separator to produce a lean hydrocarbons gas. The method includes introducing a gas stream into an inlet of the countercurrent contact separator and flowing the gas stream through a bulk separator to capture a portion of the entrained liquid hydrocarbons. The method includes flowing the gas stream through a plurality of cyclone bundles, where the plurality of cyclone bundles are located in risers to capture a remaining fraction of the entrained liquid hydrocarbons. The method includes flowing the captured entrained liquids downward into a drain line countercurrent to the gas stream. The method includes removing the captured entrained liquids through a bottom outlet of the countercurrent contact separator. The method includes removing the lean hydrocarbons gas through a top outlet of the countercurrent contact separator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for removing entrained liquids, comprising:
introducing a gas stream into an inlet of a column comprising a plurality of cyclones incorporated into risers, wherein the gas stream comprises entrained liquids;
separating at least a portion of the entrained liquids from the gas stream using the plurality of cyclones;
flowing the separated entrained liquids countercurrent to the flow of the gas stream;
introducing a contact liquid into an inlet of the column;
removing the separated entrained liquids through a bottom outlet of the column; and
removing the gas stream through a top outlet of the column.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least about 70% to 99.9% of the entrained liquids are separated from the gas stream.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising flowing the gas stream through a bulk separator to remove at least a portion of the entrained liquids before flowing the gas stream through the plurality of cyclones.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein separating at least a portion of the entrained liquids from the gas stream comprises implementing swirl tubes or a demisting cyclonic mechanism within the plurality of cyclones.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising placing wire meshing or other elements for de-entrainment above the plurality of cyclones, inside of the risers, in an open window of the risers, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas stream contains about 0.1% to 30% of entrained liquids.

7. A method for removing entrained liquid hydrocarbons in a countercurrent contact separator to produce a lean hydrocarbons gas, comprising:
introducing a gas stream into an inlet of the countercurrent contact separator;
flowing the gas stream through a bulk separator to capture a portion of the entrained liquid hydrocarbons;
flowing the gas stream through a plurality of cyclone bundles, wherein the plurality of cyclone bundles are located in risers to capture a remaining fraction of the entrained liquid hydrocarbons;
flowing the captured entrained liquids downward into a drain line countercurrent to the gas stream;
introducing a contact liquid into an inlet of the column;
removing the captured entrained liquids through a bottom outlet of the countercurrent contact separator; and
removing the lean hydrocarbons gas through a top outlet of the countercurrent contact separator.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein capturing the remaining fraction of the entrained liquid hydrocarbons comprises implementing swirl tubes or a demisting cyclonic mechanism within the plurality of cyclone bundles.

9. The method of claim 7 , comprising flushing a bottom of each riser with a collector tray in an area excluding the cross-sectional area where the plurality of cyclone bundles are located.

10. The method of claim 7 , comprising placing wire meshing above the plurality of cyclone bundles, inside of the risers, in an open window of the risers, or any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the lean hydrocarbons gas contains about 0.1% to 30% of entrained liquids.

Assignees

• Grave Edward J
• Steinhauser Andrew P
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Grave Edward J
• Steinhauser Andrew P

Classifications

• B01D47/14

  Packed scrubbers (packing elements B01J19/30, B01J19/32) · CPC title

• B01D1/305

  Demister (vapour-liquid separation) · 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

• C10L3/101

  Removal of contaminants · CPC title

• B01D50/004

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic