Salt removal and transport system and method for use in a mono ethylene glycol reclamation process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9630122-B2
Application number	US-201615056256-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 29, 2016
Priority date	Jun 17, 2014
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A system for removing salt from a process stream being fed into a flash separator introduces a swirling motive fluid into the fluid column of the separator. The swirling motive fluid comes into contact with salt components residing in the fluid of the column to create a salt slurry. Means to limit the upward movement of the swirling motive fluid can be provided. The salt slurry is then removed and can be sent to a brine generation vessel. Saturated brine from the vessel is transported back to the fluid column to replace the motive fluid in the column.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of fluidizing salts to aid salts removal, the method comprising the steps of:
i. introducing a swirling motive fluid into a bottom end of a fluid column of a flash separator, the swirling motive fluid contacting salt components of a fluid residing in the fluid column;
ii. limiting an upward movement of the swirling motive fluid within the fluid column; and
iii. removing a salt slurry produced by the swirling motive fluid.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the limiting step is by way of a valve located in the fluid column.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of recirculating the salt slurry to the fluid column.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of introducing, after the step ii, a saturated brine stream into the fluid column.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein a source of the swirling motive fluid is at least one of a produced water stream and a condensate water stream.

Assignees

• Cameron Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Lee Joseph Min-Hsiun
• Sams Gary W

Classifications

• C07C29/80 Primary

  by distillation · CPC title

• C07C29/76

  by physical treatment · CPC title

• C07C31/202

  Ethylene glycol · CPC title

• B01D1/30 Primary

  Accessories for evaporators {; Constructional details thereof} · CPC title

• B01D3/065

  Multiple-effect flash distillation (more than two traps) · CPC title