Apparatus and method for separation of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-containing produced water

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9950281-B2
Application number	US-201214360551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2012
Priority date	Jan 19, 2012
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for separation of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-containing produced water, comprising; a separator tank, at least one inlet tube ( 22, 27 ), at least one branch means ( 6 ) distributing the produced water stream, at least one outlet nozzle ( 7 ) and at least one guide vane ( 8.1 ) mounted under each outlet nozzle and leading water over the next outlet nozzle; at least one outlet ( 12 ) in the bottom of the tank for cleaned water and at least one outlet ( 9, 35, 36 ) rejecting rising gas with adherent oil droplets, at least one shroud ( 39 ) is arranged entirely or partly along the inside of at least one guide vane ( 8.1 ) in an angle of 30° to 150° related to the at least one guide vane ( 8.1 ). Further the invention relates to a process for separation of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-containing produced water.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for separation of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-containing produced water, comprising;
a separator tank;
an inlet tube;
a branch means for distribution of the produced water
a distribution tube extending from the branch means and ending in a first outlet nozzle;
a guide vane mounted under the outlet nozzle to lead water over to a next outlet nozzle;
an outlet in the bottom of the tank for cleaned water;
an outlet for removal of rising gas with adherent oil droplets; and
a shroud fixed entirely or partly along the inside of the guide vane in an angle of 30° to 150° related to the guide vane.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shroud extends upwards from the guide vane in a distance corresponding to the width of the vane.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shroud is arranged on the inside of the guide vane in an angle of 50° to 120°.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shroud comprises an annular wall fixed to the guide vane.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a plate separates the separator tank into two chambers.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a vortex breaker, and wherein a chamber encircles the inlet tube and comprises a branch means.

7. A method for separation of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-containing produced water in a pressure tank, comprising:
supplying the hydrocarbon-containing produced water and mixing the hydrocarbon-containing produced water with a gas-containing component;
feeding the gas-and-hydrocarbon-containing produced water mixture to an inlet tube in the centre of a tank;
distributing said mixture via a branch means tangentially along the tank wall via distribution tubes, each with a first outlet nozzle;
leading said mixture over to a next outlet nozzle by a guide vane mounted under each outlet nozzle and a shroud fixed to the guide vane in an angle of 30° to 150°;
allowing hydrocarbons and gas with adherent oil droplets to rise to an outlet from the tank;
discharging the hydrocarbons and gas with adherent oil droplets from said tank through the outlet; and
conveying cleaned water to an outlet in the bottom of the tank.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
recirculating at least a portion of the cleaned water into the tank.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the recirculating comprises:
mixing the at least a portion of cleaned water with another gas-containing component;
feeding the gas-and-at least a portion of clean water mixture to an annulus chamber that encircles the inlet tube; and
distributing the gas-and-at least portion of clean water mixture via a second branch means tangentially along the tank wall.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
adjusting a ratio within the gas-and-hydrocarbon-containing produced water mixture feed to the inlet tube.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
allowing the cleaned water to pass through packing materials within the tank;
discharging the cleaned water from the bottom of the tank.

12. An apparatus for separation of hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-containing produced water stream mixed with a gas-containing component, comprising;
a separator tank;
an inlet tube to receive the produced water stream in the tank;
a distribution tube with an outlet nozzle to distribute the produced water stream from the inlet tube;
a guide vane mounted under the outlet nozzle to receive and lead the produced water stream over to a next outlet nozzle;
a shroud positioned on an interior surface of the guide vane;
an outlet at the bottom of the tank to convey cleaned water out of the tank; and
an outlet at the top of the tank to convey rising gas with adherent oil droplets from the tank.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the shroud is angled between about 30° to 150° with respect to an axis of the tank.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:
an annulus chamber formed about the inlet tube to receive a gas-and-clean water mixture in the tank; and
a second distribution tube to distribute the gas-and-clean water mixture from the annulus chamber.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the outlet nozzle is positioned tangentially along a tank wall.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising an adjustable nozzle means connected to the inlet tube.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising packing materials positioned within the tank to filter cleaned water at the bottom of the tank.

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Folkvang Jorn

Classifications

• C02F1/40

  Devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material (cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; devices in sewers for separating liquid or solid substances from sewage E03F5/14, e.g. for use in drains leading to the sewer E03F5/16) · CPC title

• B03D1/1475

  Flotation tanks having means for discharging the pulp, e.g. as a bleed stream · CPC title

• C02F2209/40

  Liquid flow rate · CPC title

• C02F1/30

  by irradiation · CPC title

• B01D17/02 Primary

  Separation of non-miscible liquids · CPC title