Apparatus, system, and method for separating oil from a fluid mixture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9975063-B2
Application number	US-201615224271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2016
Priority date	Jul 29, 2016
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A system and method for extracting oil from a fluid mixture includes a separation vessel having an internal chamber that extends to a chamber elevation, an inlet port, a water outlet port, and an oil outlet port. A liquid storage tank has an inlet port, an upper outlet port located at an upper outlet elevation, and a lower outlet port. A first conduit system interconnects the separation vessel's water outlet port and the tank's inlet port and has a top conduit segment at the upper outlet elevation. A second conduit system interconnects the first conduit system and the tank's inlet port. The second conduit system intersects the first conduit system below the upper outlet elevation and above the chamber elevation. A pump may be employed to transfer fluid from the upper outlet port back to the separation vessel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for extracting oil from a fluid mixture that includes oil and water, the system comprising:
a separation vessel comprising:
an internal chamber that extends upwardly to a chamber elevation;
an inlet port;
a water outlet port; and
an oil outlet port;
wherein the oil outlet port is disposed at an elevation that is greater than the elevation of the water outlet port;

a first liquid storage tank comprising:
an internal chamber extending to a tank elevation;
an inlet port;
an upper outlet port that is disposed at an upper outlet elevation; and
a lower outlet port disposed below the upper outlet;

a first conduit system interconnecting the water outlet port of the separation vessel and the inlet port of the first liquid storage tank and comprising a top conduit segment that is positioned at an elevation equal to the upper outlet elevation;
a second conduit system interconnecting the first conduit system and the inlet port of the first liquid storage tank, the second conduit system intersecting with the first conduit system at an elevation that is less than the upper outlet elevation and greater than the chamber elevation; and
a pump in fluid communication with the upper outlet port of the first storage tank and configured to pump fluid exiting the upper outlet port to the inlet port of the separation vessel.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first conduit system further comprises a U-tube;
wherein the U-tube comprises an upward conduit segment, the top conduit segment, and a downward conduit segment;
wherein the upward conduit segment is coupled between the water outlet port of the separation vessel and the top conduit segment;
wherein the downward conduit segment is coupled between the top conduit segment and the inlet ports of the first liquid storage tanks; and
wherein the second conduit system intersects the upward conduit segment.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of liquid storage tanks, including the first liquid storage tank, wherein for each liquid storage tank:
the first conduit system interconnects the water outlet port of the separation vessel and the inlet port of the liquid storage tank;
the second conduit system interconnects the upward conduit segment and the inlet port of the liquid storage tank; and
the pump is in fluid communication with the upper outlet port of the liquid storage tank.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
an oil storage tank comprising an oil inlet port disposed at an elevation that is less than the upper outlet elevation; and
a third conduit system interconnecting the oil outlet port of the separation vessel with the oil inlet port of the oil storage tank.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inlet port of the first liquid storage tank is located below the upper outlet port; and
wherein upper outlet elevation of upper outlet port is less than the tank elevation.

6. A system for extracting oil from a fluid mixture that includes oil and water, the system comprising:
a separation vessel comprising:
an internal chamber that extends upwardly to a chamber elevation;
an inlet port;
a water outlet port; and
an oil outlet port;
wherein the oil outlet port is disposed at an elevation that is greater than the elevation of the water outlet port;

a plurality of liquid storage tanks, each comprising:
an inlet port;
an upper outlet port that is disposed at an upper outlet elevation that is substantially the same for all tanks;
a lower outlet port disposed below the upper outlet port; and
an internal chamber extending to a tank elevation that is greater than the upper outlet elevation, the internal chamber in fluid communication with the inlet port, the upper outlet port, and lower outlet port;

a conduit system interconnecting the water outlet port of the separation vessel with the inlet ports of the liquid storage tanks to allow fluid communication there between, the conduit system comprising:
a first conduit segment in fluid communication with the water outlet port of the separation vessel and extending upward; and
a top conduit segment in fluid communication with the first conduit segment and with the inlet ports of the liquid storage tanks, the top conduit segment positioned at an elevation equal to the upper outlet elevation; and

a second conduit system interconnecting the first conduit segment and the inlet ports of the liquid storage tanks, the second conduit system intersecting the first conduit segment at an elevation that is less than the upper outlet elevation and greater than the chamber elevation;
a return conduit system interconnecting the upper outlet ports of the liquid storage tanks with the inlet port of the separation vessel for fluid communication.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein each liquid storage tank further comprises:
a first valve coupled between the inlet port and the top conduit segment;
a second valve coupled between the inlet port and the second conduit systems;
and third valve coupled to the lower outlet port.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein liquid storage tanks are free of any level sensor configured to send a signal to govern the operation of the first, second, and third valves.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the return conduit system comprises:
a pump having a suction port and a discharge port;
a first return segment extending downward, the first return segment in fluid communication with the outlet ports of the liquid storage tanks and with the suction port; and
a second return segment in fluid communication between the discharge port of the pump and the inlet port of the separation vessel;
a fluid sensor positioned to sense the presence and the absence of a fluid in the first return segment;
wherein the fluid sensor and the suction port are disposed at an elevation less than the upper outlet elevation of the upper outlet ports.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the fluid sensor comprises a pressure sensor and a flow sensor;
wherein the pump is configured to turn-on when the pressure sensor detects pressure in the first return segment greater than a threshold pressure value; and
wherein the pump is configured to turn-off when the flow sensor senses a flow rate in the first return segment less than a threshold flow rate value.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the pump is a progressive cavity pump.

12. The system of claim 6 further comprising:
an oil storage tank comprising an oil inlet port disposed at an elevation that is less than the upper outlet elevation of the upper outlet ports; and
a third conduit system interconnecting the oil outlet port of the separation vessel with the oil inlet port of the oil storage tank.

13. The system of claim 6 further comprising a U-tube;
wherein the U-tube comprises the upward extending first conduit segment, the top conduit segment, and a downward conduit segment;
wherein the first conduit segment is coupled between the water outlet port of the separation vessel and the top conduit segment; and
wherein the downward conduit segment is coupled between the top conduit segment and the inlet ports of the liquid storage tanks.

14. A system for extracting oil from a fluid mixture that includes oil and water, the system comprising:
a separation vessel comprising:
an internal chamber having a vertical span that extends upwardly to a chamber elevation and having a horizontal span that is greater than its vertical span;
an inlet port;
a water outlet port separated horizontally from the inlet port by a distance greater than the vertical span of the internal chamber; and
an oi

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Varco Lp

Inventors

• Wolf Mark Ernest

Classifications

• B01D17/0214 Primary

  with removal of one of the phases · CPC title

• 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

• B01D17/12

  Auxiliary equipment particularly adapted for use with liquid-separating apparatus, e.g. control circuits · CPC title

• C02F2103/10

  from quarries or from mining activities · CPC title

• C02F2209/03

  Pressure · CPC title