Cleaning tank and gas lift system
By designing the cleaning tank and control valve structure, the air lift ball is cleaned, solving the wear problem of the air lift ball and extending the service life and reliability of the air lift system.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SINGAPORE NAVI PETROLEUM TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-28
AI Technical Summary
After being transported by air lift, the surface of the air lift ball becomes covered with oil, wax, mud, sand, etc., which causes wear on pipeline components and affects the lifespan of the oil production system.
Design a cleaning tank comprising a tank body, a control valve, a cleaning track, and a stirring assembly. The cleaning track cleans the air-lift ball, and the control valve plate is higher than the drain port to prevent impurities from accumulating and reduce wear.
Reduce the risk of air-lift balls getting stuck, extend the life of air-lift system components, reduce the failure rate, and improve system reliability.
Smart Images

Figure CN224168174U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of gas lift oil production technology, and in particular to a cleaning tank and a gas lift system. Background Technology
[0002] Gas lift oil production systems involve inserting a gas lift sphere into the oil pipeline, pressurizing the pipeline with gas, and using the sphere as a solid-liquid interface to transport oil or water from underground to the surface. Once at the surface, the oil and the gas lift sphere separate, and the separated sphere is then reinserted into the pipeline for the next oil transport cycle. After a round of gas lift transport, the sphere becomes very dirty, its surface covered with oil, wax, mud, sand, etc. If it is not cleaned before being reinserted into the pipeline, it will affect components along the pipeline route, causing severe wear to ball valves and shortening the service life of the oil production system. Utility Model Content
[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a cleaning tank and an air lift system that facilitates the smooth passage of the air lift ball, reduces the risk of ball jamming, and cleans the air lift ball more thoroughly, thereby reducing wear on the air lift ball and other components, as well as valve assemblies, and extending the service life of the air lift system.
[0004] In a first aspect, this utility model provides a cleaning tank, comprising:
[0005] The tank body has a cleaning chamber and an inlet, a ball outlet and a drain outlet respectively communicating with the cleaning chamber;
[0006] A control valve, comprising a valve body and a valve plate, wherein the valve body is disposed within the cleaning chamber and has a through hole communicating with the ball outlet; the valve plate is movably connected to the valve body and is used to open or close the through hole;
[0007] A cleaning track is provided inside the cleaning chamber; one end of the cleaning track is connected to the inlet, and the other end is connected to the ball outlet; the cleaning track is used for supplying air to lift the ball.
[0008] A stirring assembly, which is rotatably disposed within the cleaning chamber;
[0009] The valve plate is located at a position higher than the drain outlet.
[0010] In an optional embodiment, the cleaning track is a spiral track; the diameter of the cleaning track is larger than the outer diameter of the air-lift ball, but less than twice the outer diameter of the air-lift ball.
[0011] In an optional embodiment, the valve body is provided with a slide groove, and the valve plate is movably disposed within the slide groove; the moving direction of the valve plate is perpendicular to the axis of the through hole;
[0012] And / or, the valve plate is connected to an elastic element.
[0013] In an optional embodiment, a first guide slope is provided at the end of the valve body away from the ball outlet, and the first guide slope is used to guide the fluid on the surface of the valve body to the drain outlet;
[0014] And / or, the tank includes a bottom wall, and the bottom wall has a second guide slope on the side facing the cleaning chamber, the second guide slope being used to guide the fluid on the bottom wall to the drain port.
[0015] In an optional implementation, the inlet and the outlet are misaligned.
[0016] In an optional embodiment, a first protective cover is provided at one end of the cleaning track near the ball outlet;
[0017] And / or, a second protective cover is provided at one end of the cleaning track near the inlet, and the second protective cover is located inside the cleaning chamber.
[0018] In an optional embodiment, the stirring assembly includes a stirring shaft and an impeller disposed on the stirring shaft, wherein the impeller does not interfere with the cleaning track.
[0019] In an optional embodiment, the tank is further provided with a drying device and / or a camera device.
[0020] In an optional embodiment, the ball outlet is connected to a ball outlet pipe, which is used to connect to a ball storage tank; a ball replacement pipe is detachably connected to the ball outlet pipe.
[0021] Secondly, the present invention provides an airlift system, including a cleaning tank as described in any of the foregoing embodiments.
[0022] The cleaning tank and air lift system provided in this embodiment of the invention have the following advantages:
[0023] The cleaning tank provided in this embodiment of the utility model is equipped with a cleaning track, along which the air-lift balls can pass sequentially, reducing the risk of ball jamming and making the movement of the air-lift balls smoother. The control valve is located inside the cleaning chamber, and the valve plate is higher than the drain port, which can prevent impurities and particles after cleaning from depositing on the valve body, reducing the probability of impurities and particles entering the valve body, and helping to extend the service life of the control valve.
[0024] The air lift system provided in this embodiment of the present invention includes the cleaning tank described above, which can reduce the risk of ball jamming, help extend the service life of the control valve, and reduce the failure rate of the entire air lift system. Attached Figure Description
[0025] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of this utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.
[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the cleaning tank provided in an embodiment of the present utility model;
[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the disassembled structure of the cleaning tank provided in an embodiment of the present utility model;
[0028] Figure 3 A cross-sectional structural diagram of the cleaning tank provided in an embodiment of this utility model;
[0029] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the control valve of the cleaning tank provided in this embodiment of the utility model;
[0030] Figure 5 Another structural schematic diagram of the control valve of the cleaning tank provided in an embodiment of this utility model;
[0031] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the connection between the control valve and the first drive component of the cleaning tank provided in this embodiment of the utility model;
[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of the ball-changing pipe of the cleaning tank provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.
[0033] Icons: 100-Cleaning tank; 110-Tank body; 101-Cleaning chamber; 111-Inlet; 112-Ball outlet; 113-Drain outlet; 114-Bottom wall; 115-Second guide slope; 120-Control valve; 121-Valve body; 122-Through hole; 123-Slide groove; 124-First guide slope; 125-Valve plate; 126-Elastic element; 127-First drive element; 130-Cleaning track; 140-Agitator assembly; 141-Agitator shaft; 143-Impeller; 145-Second drive element; 151-Camera; 152-Supplemental light; 161-Ball outlet pipe; 163-Ball storage tank; 165-Ball replacement pipe; 200-Air-lift ball. Detailed Implementation
[0034] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this utility model described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.
[0035] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0036] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.
[0037] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this utility model is in use. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0038] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal," "vertical," and "sag" do not imply that components must be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but rather that they can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical," not that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.
[0039] In the description of this utility model, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.
[0040] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, outlines some embodiments of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.
[0041] Combination Figures 1 to 4 The present invention provides a cleaning tank 100 that can be applied in an air lift system to clean the air lift ball 200 after one lifting operation, ensuring that the air lift ball 200 put into the oil pipe in the next round is a clean air lift ball 200, reducing the wear of various components along the pipeline, reducing the wear of the control valve 120, reducing the failure rate of the entire air lift system, and extending the service life of the air lift system.
[0042] The cleaning tank 100 provided in this embodiment of the utility model includes a tank body 110, a control valve 120, a cleaning track 130, and a stirring assembly 140. The tank body 110 has a cleaning chamber 101 and an inlet 111, a ball outlet 112, and a drain outlet 113 respectively communicating with the cleaning chamber 101. The control valve 120 includes a valve body 121 and a valve plate 125. The valve body 121 is disposed in the cleaning chamber 101 and has a through hole 122 communicating with the ball outlet 112. The valve plate 125 is movably connected to the valve body 121 and is used to open or close the through hole 122. The cleaning track 130 is disposed in the cleaning chamber 101; one end of the cleaning track 130 is connected to the inlet 111, and the other end is connected to the ball outlet 112. The cleaning track 130 is used to allow the air-lifted ball 200 to pass through. The stirring assembly 140 is rotatably disposed in the cleaning chamber 101. The valve plate 125 is positioned higher than the drain port 113. In this cleaning tank 100, the air-lift ball 200 can pass sequentially along the cleaning track 130, reducing the risk of ball jamming and ensuring smoother movement of the air-lift ball 200. The control valve 120 is located within the cleaning chamber 101, and the valve plate 125 is higher than the drain port 113, preventing impurities and particles from depositing on the valve body 121 after cleaning, reducing the probability of impurities and particles entering the valve body 121, and extending the service life of the control valve 120. In this embodiment, the control valve 120 uses the valve plate 125 to control the opening and closing of the through hole 122, ensuring reliable operation, simple structure, and easy control. Compared to ball valves, which are more sensitive to impurities and particles, it has a lower cost.
[0043] Optionally, the valve body 121 is provided with a slide groove 123, and the valve plate 125 is movably disposed within the slide groove 123. The moving direction of the valve plate 125 is perpendicular to the axis of the through hole 122. In this embodiment, the valve plate 125 is connected to a first driving member 127, which can drive the valve plate 125 to move within the slide groove 123. Optionally, the first driving member 127 can be a motor or the like.
[0044] Combination Figure 5 and Figure 6Optionally, the valve plate 125 is connected to an elastic element 126. The elastic element 126 can be a spring, a sheet, or other elastic components. If the valve plate 125 wears during use, it can automatically compensate for displacement under the elastic force of the spring to tightly fit the valve body 121 and ensure good sealing performance. Of course, a corresponding sealing ring or the like can also be provided on the inner wall of the through hole 122 to improve the sealing performance of the structure.
[0045] Optionally, a first guide slope 124 is provided at the end of the valve body 121 away from the ball outlet 112. The first guide slope 124 is used to guide the fluid on the surface of the valve body 121 to the drain port 113. By providing the first guide slope 124, impurities and dirt are less likely to accumulate on the surface of the valve body 121, which can reduce the probability of impurities and dirt entering the valve body 121. This can reduce the wear of the valve plate 125 and the valve body 121, improve the reliability of the movement of the valve plate 125, and extend the service life of the control valve 120.
[0046] Optionally, the tank body 110 includes a bottom wall 114, a side wall connected to the bottom wall 114, and a cover disposed opposite to the bottom wall 114. The bottom wall 114, the cover, and the side wall together form a cleaning chamber 101. A drain port 113 is provided on the bottom wall 114. A second guide slope 115 is provided on the side of the bottom wall 114 facing the cleaning chamber 101. The second guide slope 115 is used to guide the fluid in the bottom wall 114 to the drain port 113. That is, the bottom of the cleaning chamber 101 is inclined, which facilitates the discharge of dirt and other contaminants, reduces the accumulation of impurities and dirt in dead corners after cleaning, and helps to improve the cleaning effect.
[0047] In this embodiment, the valve plate 125 is positioned higher than the drain port 113, preventing deposited impurities and dirt from entering the valve body 121, which helps extend the service life of the control valve 120.
[0048] Optionally, the cleaning track 130 adopts a spiral track; the diameter of the cleaning track 130 is larger than the outer diameter of the air-lift ball 200, but less than twice the outer diameter of the air-lift ball 200. This ensures that the air-lift balls 200 can pass through the cleaning track 130 one by one, preventing blockage and jamming, and improving the smoothness of the air-lift balls 200's passage. Optionally, the diameter of the cleaning track 130 is 1.2 to 1.8 times the outer diameter of the air-lift ball 200. The spiral track design can increase the capacity of the air-lift ball 200, helping to increase the contact area between the air-lift ball 200 and the cleaning fluid, resulting in more thorough cleaning and higher cleaning efficiency.
[0049] In this embodiment, the cleaning track 130 is formed by multiple steel pipes arranged in parallel at intervals. The gap between two adjacent steel pipes facilitates drainage and also increases the contact area between the air-lift ball 200 and the cleaning fluid, resulting in better cleaning performance. Of course, in other embodiments, the cleaning track 130 can also be a perforated pipe; this is not specifically limited here. Furthermore, the material of the cleaning track 130 is not limited to steel pipes and can be other materials.
[0050] Optionally, the inlet 111 and the outlet 112 are staggered. This arrangement prevents dirt and particles on the surface of the dirty air-lift ball 200 from falling directly into the valve body 121 when the dirty air-lift ball 200 enters the cleaning tank 100 through the inlet 111.
[0051] In this embodiment, a first protective cover is provided at one end of the cleaning track 130 near the ball outlet 112. The first protective cover protects the through hole 122 on the valve body 121, preventing impurities and dirt from falling directly into the valve body 121. It can be understood that the first protective cover also helps to improve the structural strength of the cleaning track 130.
[0052] In some embodiments, a second protective cover is provided at one end of the cleaning track 130 near the inlet 111. The second protective cover prevents dirt on the surface of the air-lift ball 200 that has just entered the cleaning chamber 101 from falling directly onto the valve body 121 below.
[0053] It should be noted that only one of the first and second protective covers may be provided, or both may be provided; no specific limitation is made here. Of course, in some embodiments, a guide pipe may be connected to the inlet 111 of the tank 110, and the guide pipe may be located inside the cleaning chamber 101; the end of the cleaning track 130 near the inlet 111 may be connected to the guide pipe, which also has a similar technical effect.
[0054] Optionally, the stirring assembly 140 includes a stirring shaft 141 and an impeller 143 mounted on the stirring shaft 141. The impeller 143 does not interfere with the cleaning track 130. That is, the spiral cleaning track 130 will not hinder the rotation of the impeller 143. The impeller 143 and the stirring shaft 141 can be integrally formed or separately connected. It should be understood that the stirring shaft 141 is connected to a second driving member 145. The second driving member 145 and the stirring shaft 141 are connected in a transmission connection. The second driving member 145 can drive the stirring shaft 141 to rotate, thereby realizing the rotation of the impeller 143 in the cleaning chamber 101, agitating the cleaning liquid in the cleaning chamber 101, and achieving the washing of the air-lift ball 200. The second driving member 145 includes, but is not limited to, a motor or electric motor.
[0055] It should be understood that the number of impellers 143 can be determined according to the actual situation, such as setting one set of impellers 143 or multiple sets of impellers 143. If multiple sets of impellers 143 are provided, the multiple sets of impellers 143 can be spaced apart along the axial direction of the stirring shaft 141. The number of blades in each set of impellers 143 can be one or more, and there is no specific limitation here. The structural form of the impellers 143 is not limited, as long as they can agitate the cleaning liquid in the cleaning chamber 101. Optionally, the cross-section of the impellers 143 should be as large as possible to increase the contact area between the impellers 143 and the cleaning liquid, thereby improving the stirring efficiency and thus improving the cleaning efficiency and cleaning effect.
[0056] Optionally, tank 110 may also be equipped with a drying device and / or a camera device. The drying device is used to dry the cleaned airlift balls 200 to ensure that the dried airlift balls 200 are then placed into the subsequent storage tank 163. The drying device may use heating or airflow drying; no specific limitation is made here.
[0057] The camera device is used to photograph the cleaned air-lift balls 200, and transmits the captured image information to the controller. It can detect whether the air-lift balls 200 are clean, whether they are damaged, and can also count the number of air-lift balls 200. Optionally, the camera device includes a camera 151 and a supplementary light 152. When capturing images, the supplementary light 152 is turned on, and the camera 151 then captures the image. This improves image clarity, which is beneficial for subsequent detection and judgment based on image information, resulting in more accurate and reliable detection and judgment results. Of course, in some embodiments, the supplementary light 152 can also be integrated into the camera 151, i.e., there is no need to set up a separate supplementary light 152.
[0058] Combination Figure 7 Optionally, the outlet 112 is connected to an outlet pipe 161, which is used to connect to the storage tank 163. A replacement pipe 165 is detachably connected to the outlet pipe 161. It is understood that if an air-lift ball 200 is damaged and needs to be replaced, the replacement pipe 165 and the outlet pipe 161 can be connected, and the control valve 120 can be opened. At this time, the air-lift ball 200 in the cleaning chamber 101 enters the replacement pipe 165 through the valve body 121 through-hole 122, the outlet 112, and the outlet pipe 161. The air-lift ball 200 can be led out from the replacement pipe 165, and after removing the damaged air-lift ball 200, a new, intact air-lift ball 200 can be placed into the storage tank 163 through the replacement pipe 165 and into the outlet pipe 161.
[0059] This embodiment of the invention also provides an air lift system, including the aforementioned cleaning tank 100, as well as a ball storage tank 163, a separation tank, etc. The air lift ball 200 enters the tubing for lifting operations, transporting the oil from the bottom of the well to the surface. Afterward, the air lift ball 200 and the oil enter the separation tank for separation. The liquid is discharged from the outlet of the separation tank, while the air lift ball 200 remains inside. After separation, the separated air lift ball 200 enters the cleaning tank 100 for cleaning. After cleaning and drying, the clean air lift ball 200 enters the ball storage tank 163, awaiting the next round of lifting operations in the tubing.
[0060] The cleaning tank 100 and air lift system provided in this embodiment of the invention have the following beneficial effects, including:
[0061] The cleaning tank 100 provided in this embodiment of the utility model is provided with a cleaning track 130, and the air-lift balls 200 can pass sequentially along the cleaning track 130, reducing the risk of ball jamming and making the movement of the air-lift balls 200 smoother. The control valve 120 is located in the cleaning chamber 101, and the valve plate 125 is higher than the drain port 113, which can prevent impurities and particles after cleaning from depositing on the valve body 121, reducing the probability of impurities and particles entering the valve body 121, and helping to extend the service life of the control valve 120.
[0062] The air lift system provided in this embodiment of the utility model includes the cleaning tank 100 mentioned above, which can reduce the risk of ball jamming, help extend the service life of the control valve 120, and reduce the failure rate of the entire air lift system.
[0063] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., should be included within the protection scope of this utility model.
Claims
1. A cleaning tank, characterized in that, include: The tank (110) has a cleaning chamber (101) and an inlet (111), a ball outlet (112) and a drain outlet (113) respectively communicating with the cleaning chamber (101); A control valve (120) includes a valve body (121) and a valve plate (125). The valve body (121) is disposed in the cleaning chamber (101) and has a through hole (122) communicating with the ball outlet (112). The valve plate (125) is movably connected to the valve body (121) and is used to open or close the through hole (122). A cleaning track (130) is provided inside the cleaning chamber (101); one end of the cleaning track (130) is connected to the inlet (111), and the other end is connected to the ball outlet (112); the cleaning track (130) is used to supply air for the ball lifter (200) to pass through; A stirring assembly (140) is rotatably disposed within the cleaning chamber (101); The valve plate (125) is located at a position higher than the drain outlet (113).
2. The cleaning tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning track (130) is a spiral track; the diameter of the cleaning track (130) is greater than the outer diameter of the air-lift ball (200) and less than twice the outer diameter of the air-lift ball (200).
3. The cleaning tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve body (121) is provided with a slide groove (123), and the valve plate (125) is movably disposed in the slide groove (123); the moving direction of the valve plate (125) is perpendicular to the axis of the through hole (122); And / or, the valve plate (125) is connected to an elastic element (126).
4. The cleaning tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve body (121) is provided with a first guide slope (124) at one end away from the ball outlet (112). The first guide slope (124) is used to guide the fluid on the surface of the valve body (121) to the drain outlet (113). And / or, the tank (110) includes a bottom wall (114) with a second guide slope (115) on the side of the bottom wall (114) facing the cleaning chamber (101), the second guide slope (115) being used to guide the fluid of the bottom wall (114) to the drain port (113).
5. The cleaning tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet (111) and the outlet (112) are misaligned.
6. The cleaning tank according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cleaning track (130) is provided with a first protective cover at one end near the ball outlet (112); And / or, a second protective cover is provided at one end of the cleaning track (130) near the inlet (111); the second protective cover is located inside the cleaning chamber (101).
7. The cleaning tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stirring assembly (140) includes a stirring shaft (141) and an impeller (143) disposed on the stirring shaft (141), wherein the impeller (143) does not interfere with the cleaning track (130).
8. The cleaning tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tank (110) is also equipped with a drying device and / or a camera device.
9. The cleaning tank according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The ball outlet (112) is connected to a ball outlet pipe (161), which is used to connect to the ball storage tank (163); a ball replacement pipe (165) is detachably connected to the ball outlet pipe (161).
10. An air-lift system, characterized in that, Includes the cleaning tank as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.