Oilfield ground high-efficiency liquid cyclone separation sand removal device
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHAANXI YUYANG PETROLEUM TECH ENG CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-14
AI Technical Summary
Existing three-phase separators in oilfields have low fine sand removal rates, are prone to clogging of the sand discharge port, cannot flexibly switch production modes, and lack real-time monitoring and automatic control, resulting in insufficient separation efficiency and frequent equipment shutdowns.
Design a high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and sand removal device that integrates hydrocyclone separation, sand and water storage, automatic sand discharge and pressure monitoring functions. It is suitable for continuous or intermittent sand and water removal operations. The device includes a hydrocyclone separator, a sand and water storage tank and a secondary filter. It is equipped with electric valves and remote control to realize intelligent pressure monitoring and valve linkage.
It improves the fine sand removal rate, reduces equipment clogging, supports flexible production mode switching, enables real-time monitoring and automatic control, reduces manual intervention, and improves equipment operation stability and efficiency.
Smart Images

Figure CN224485267U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of oil and gas pretreatment technology in oilfield surface engineering, specifically to an efficient hydrocyclone separation and sand removal device for oilfield surfaces. Background Technology
[0002] In oilfield development, the initial produced fluid contains a large amount of sand. After years of extraction, the water content in the produced fluid increases rapidly. To improve the efficiency of crude oil gathering and transportation and reduce operating costs, pretreatment of the produced fluid is necessary. Dehydration and sand removal of the produced fluid are mainly achieved in transfer dehydration stations and combined stations using three-phase separators. However, at least one of the following problems exists in field operation:
[0003] 1. Insufficient separation efficiency: The three-phase separator has a low removal rate of fine sand with a particle size <100μm, and the sand discharge port is prone to blockage due to sand accumulation, resulting in an unstable flow field, poor separation effect, and frequent manual cleaning of sand inside the equipment.
[0004] 2. The current operating mode is simple: the three-phase separator operates continuously within the station, making it difficult to flexibly switch between continuous production and intermittent operation. This results in a large amount of sand accumulation, requiring production to be stopped for manual sand removal.
[0005] 3. Insufficient status monitoring: The operating equipment lacks real-time monitoring and automatic control functions for sand quantity and flow rate, relying on periodic equipment inspections, resulting in a lag in sand removal and dewatering response. Utility Model Content
[0006] To address the sand separation problem in the crude oil gathering and pretreatment processes at oil and gas fields, this invention provides a high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and sand removal device for oil fields. This device integrates hydrocyclone separation, sand and water storage, secondary filtration of water-bearing crude oil, automatic sand removal, pressure monitoring, and remote start / stop functions. It is suitable for continuous or intermittent sand and water removal operations of oilfield produced fluids and sand-bearing fracturing flowback fluids, and features integrated functions, sand and water separation, and rapid relocation capabilities.
[0007] This utility model discloses an efficient hydrocyclone separator for sand removal on the surface of an oilfield, comprising: a movable skid-mounted base and a hydrocyclone separator, a sand-water storage tank and a secondary filter installed on the skid-mounted base;
[0008] The hydrocyclone separator is equipped with an inlet pipe for oilfield produced fluid;
[0009] The bottom sand and water separated by the hydrocyclone separator are connected to the sand and water inlet of the sand and water storage tank through the sand and water outlet pipe. The sand and water storage tank is equipped with a sand discharge pipe and a water inlet pipe.
[0010] The supernatant separated by the hydrocyclone separator is connected to the inlet of the secondary filter through an inverted U-shaped pipe, and an outlet pipe is connected to the outlet of the secondary filter.
[0011] As a further improvement of this utility model, the hydrocyclone separator has an upper first straight cylindrical section and a lower first conical section connected to each other. The liquid inlet pipe is connected to the first straight cylindrical section and is equipped with a liquid inlet valve. The first conical section is mounted on the skid-mounted base through a hydrocyclone separator support. The bottom of the first conical section is connected to the sand inlet at the top of the sand and water storage tank below through a sand outlet water pipe. The sand outlet water pipe is equipped with a bottom valve.
[0012] As a further improvement of this utility model, the sand-water storage tank has an upper second straight cylindrical section and a lower second conical section connected to each other. The water inlet pipe is provided above the second conical section, and the bottom of the second conical section is connected to a sand discharge pipe. The sand-water storage tank is fixed directly below the hydrocyclone separator by the inner support leg in the middle of the hydrocyclone separator support. The tail end of the sand discharge pipe is supported and fixed on the skid-mounted base by a pipe bracket. The sand discharge pipe is provided with a sand discharge valve, the water inlet pipe is provided with a water inlet valve, and the top cover of the second straight cylindrical section is provided with a first vent valve.
[0013] As a further improvement of this utility model, the liquid inlet pipe is inserted obliquely downwards into the first straight cylindrical section, and the water inlet pipe is inserted horizontally or obliquely upwards into the second straight cylindrical section. The liquid outlet of the liquid inlet pipe tangentially enters the hydrocyclone separator, and the liquid outlet of the water inlet pipe tangentially enters the sand-water storage tank; that is, in the top view, the axes of the liquid inlet pipe and the water inlet pipe are parallel to the transverse diameter line passing through the center of the circle and are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. Figure 2 , 3 As shown.
[0014] As a further improvement of this utility model, the liquid inlet valve, bottom valve, sand discharge valve and water inlet valve are electric valves.
[0015] As a further improvement of this utility model, pressure gauges are provided on both the inverted U-shaped pipe and the liquid outlet pipe. The liquid outlet pipe is supported and fixed on the skid-mounted base by a pipe bracket. A second vent valve is provided on the top horizontal pipe section of the inverted U-shaped pipe, and a liquid outlet valve is provided on the liquid outlet pipe.
[0016] As a further improvement of this utility model, the liquid outlet valve is an electric valve.
[0017] As a further improvement of this utility model, the inner filter screen of the secondary filter is inserted obliquely into the pipe, and a quick-opening blind plate is provided. It also has filter screens with different mesh sizes, and the particle size range of the filtered sand is 10-50μm.
[0018] As a further improvement of this utility model, the filter element axis of the secondary filter forms an angle of 30 to 60° with the direction of liquid flow in the pipeline.
[0019] As a further improvement of this utility model, the skid-mounted base is provided with a base plate and lifting lugs.
[0020] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:
[0021] This utility model has the advantages of integrated functions, skid-mounted design, continuous and intermittent operation modes, and strong process applicability. Attached Figure Description
[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and desanding device for oilfield surfaces according to this utility model;
[0023] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Top view of the inlet pipe of the cyclone separator;
[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Top view of the connection structure of the medium sand water storage tank.
[0025] In the picture:
[0026] 1. Skid-mounted base; 2. Hydrocyclone separator; 2a. First cone section; 2b. Bottom valve; 2c. Inlet pipe; 3. Sand and water storage tank; 3a. First vent valve; 3b. Inlet pipe; 3c. Sand discharge valve; 4. Secondary filter; 4a. Quick-opening blind flange; 4b. Filter screen; 5. Outlet pipe; 6. Sand discharge pipe; 7. Pipe support; 8. Hydrocyclone separator support; 9. Inverted U-shaped pipe; 10. Outlet valve; 11. Second vent valve; 12. Inlet valve; 13. Pressure gauge. Detailed Implementation
[0027] 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, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.
[0028] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:
[0029] like Figures 1-3As shown, this utility model provides a high-efficiency hydrocyclone separator for desanding in oilfields, comprising: a movable skid-mounted base 1 and a hydrocyclone separator 2, a sand-water storage tank 3, and a secondary filter 4 installed on the skid-mounted base; the hydrocyclone separator 2 is provided with an inlet pipe 2c for oilfield produced fluid, and the bottom sand-water separated by the hydrocyclone separator 2 is connected to the sand inlet of the sand-water storage tank 3 through a sand-water outlet pipe, and the sand-water storage tank 3 is provided with a sand discharge pipe 6 and a water inlet pipe 3b; the supernatant separated by the hydrocyclone separator 2 is connected to the water inlet of the secondary filter 4 through an inverted U-shaped pipe 9, and the outlet of the secondary filter 4 is connected to an outlet pipe 5, the outlet of the outlet pipe 5 being lower than that of the secondary filter 4.
[0030] Specifically:
[0031] The hydrocyclone separator 2 of this invention has an upper straight cylindrical section and a lower first conical section 2a connected to each other. An inlet pipe 2c is connected to the first straight cylindrical section and is equipped with an inlet valve 12. The first conical section 2a is mounted on a skid-mounted base 1 via a hydrocyclone separator support 8. The bottom of the first conical section 2a is connected to the sand inlet at the top of the sand-water storage tank 3 below via a sand-water outlet pipe, which is equipped with a bottom valve 2b. In use, the hydrocyclone separator 2 can separate sand particles with a diameter >80μm depending on the inlet flow rate, with a solid separation efficiency ≥95%. Water and sand are discharged from the bottom to the sand-water storage tank 3, and the supernatant enters a secondary filter 4 through an inverted U-shaped pipe 9 for secondary filtration before being discharged.
[0032] Furthermore, the inlet pipe 2c is inserted obliquely downwards into the first straight section, and the liquid outlet of the inlet pipe 2c tangentially enters the hydrocyclone 2 to form a swirling flow within the hydrocyclone 2; that is, in the top view, the axis of the inlet pipe is parallel to the transverse diameter line passing through the center of the circle and is spaced at a predetermined distance, such as... Figure 2 As shown. Furthermore, the inlet pipe 2c has an angle of 28°, a pipe diameter of DN50, an inlet flow velocity of 3-5 m / s, and an inlet valve 12 that is a manual or electric regulating valve (opening degree adjustable from 0 to 100%) to adapt to different flow conditions.
[0033] Furthermore, the hydrocyclone separator 2 adopts a cylindrical + conical swirling chamber. The cone angle of the first conical section 2a is 15-30°. The hydrocyclone separator 2 is made of carbon steel with an internal anti-corrosion coating. The anti-corrosion coating material is epoxy resin, fiberglass, etc., to reduce flow resistance. Even further, the hydrocyclone separator 2 has a throughput capacity of 200 m³ / h; operating pressure: 0.5 MPa (inlet), 0.4 MPa (outlet); applicable conditions: crude oil produced fluid with sand content ≤5% and water content 40-90%; the cylindrical diameter of the hydrocyclone separator 2 is 300 mm, the cone bottom angle is 20°, and the material is carbon steel with an internal epoxy resin coating; the diameter of the sand outlet pipe is DN40.
[0034] The sand-water storage tank 3 of this utility model has an upper second straight cylindrical section and a lower second conical section connected to each other. A water inlet pipe 3b is provided above the second conical section, and a sand discharge pipe 6 is connected to the bottom of the second conical section. The sand-water storage tank 3 is fixed to the bottom of the hydrocyclone 2 by the inner leg in the middle of the hydrocyclone support 8. The tail end of the sand discharge pipe 6 is supported and fixed on the skid base 1 by the pipe bracket 7. A sand discharge valve 3c is provided on the sand discharge pipe 6, a water inlet valve is provided on the water inlet pipe 3b, and a first vent valve 3a is provided on the cover at the top of the second straight cylindrical section.
[0035] Furthermore, the inlet pipe 3b is horizontally or obliquely upward inserted into the second straight section, and the liquid outlet of the inlet pipe enters the sand-water storage tank tangentially to form a swirling flush within the sand-water storage tank 3; that is, in the top view direction, the axis of the inlet pipe 3b is parallel to the transverse diameter line passing through the center of the circle and is spaced at a predetermined distance, such as... Figure 3 As shown.
[0036] Furthermore, the volume of the sand-water storage tank 3 is 0.2-0.5 m3, the cone angle of the second cone section is 15-30°, the material is carbon steel with an internal anti-corrosion coating, the material of the anti-corrosion coating is epoxy resin, fiberglass, etc., and the solids and water are discharged periodically or continuously from the sand discharge pipe 6. The sand discharge valve 3c is equipped with manual and remote control functions to reduce on-site operation. Furthermore, the cylindrical diameter of the sand-water storage tank 3 is 300 mm, the volume is 40 L, the bottom cone angle is 30°, the carbon steel is internally coated with epoxy resin, and the sand and water are continuously discharged from the sand discharge pipe (6) with a diameter of DN40.
[0037] Both the inverted U-shaped pipe 9 and the outlet pipe 5 of this utility model are equipped with pressure gauges 13. The pressure gauges 13 are linked with one or more of the inlet valve, foot valve, sand discharge valve, water inlet valve, and outlet valve to achieve intelligent pressure monitoring and valve linkage control. Among them, the inlet valve, foot valve, sand discharge valve, water inlet valve, and outlet valve are manual ball valves, gate valves, and butterfly valves, respectively, and are equipped with electric actuators, enabling remote control. The response time is ≤2s, and the protection level is IP67. The outlet pipe 5 is supported and fixed on the skid-mounted base 1 by the pipe bracket 7. The top horizontal pipe section of the inverted U-shaped pipe 9 is equipped with a second vent valve 11, and the outlet pipe 5 is equipped with an outlet valve 10.
[0038] Furthermore, the secondary filter 4 is inserted obliquely into the pipeline, equipped with a quick-opening blind flange 4a, and contains filter screens 4b with different mesh sizes. The filter screen 4b of the secondary filter 4 is a replaceable perforated plate structure, with the filter screen and filter effectively fitting together. The number and area of the perforations meet the flow requirements. The material is selected from carbon steel or stainless steel, and the mesh size is selected according to the effect of the hydrocyclone separator, ranging from 20 to 80. The particle size of the filtered sand ranges from 10 to 50 μm. The filter element axis forms an angle of 30 to 60° with the liquid flow direction in the pipeline. Differential pressure monitoring: pressure gauges are installed before and after the filter screen, with remote transmission function and a range of 0 to 1 MPa.
[0039] The skid-mounted base 1 of this utility model integrates all components and has reserved lifting interfaces and pipe flange interfaces. The entire equipment is welded and installed on a steel base (dimensions 1.5m × 1.5m × 1.7m). A patterned steel plate is installed at the bottom to facilitate rainwater drainage. A base plate and lifting lugs are provided for easy lifting and transportation. This utility model's high-efficiency hydrocyclone separator and sand removal device has the following advantages:
[0040] 1. Effectively removes sand, reducing the impact on subsequent equipment; removes ≥95% of sand particles ≥80μm; supports continuous / intermittent operation mode switching.
[0041] 2. Adaptive production mode: Continuous / intermittent operation is achieved through the automatic control program of valve groups and skid-mounted equipment, adapting to the complex production and operation conditions of the oilfield;
[0042] 3. Fully skid-mounted integrated: Modular design and manufacturing reduce installation complexity and on-site installation workload.
[0043] 4. Automatic sand removal and backwashing reduce manual intervention.
[0044] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Various modifications and variations can be made to this utility model by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model.
Claims
1. A high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and desanding device for oilfield surfaces, characterized in that, include: A movable skid-mounted base and a hydrocyclone separator, a sand-water storage tank, and a secondary filter mounted on the skid-mounted base; The hydrocyclone separator is equipped with an inlet pipe for oilfield produced fluid; The bottom sand and water separated by the hydrocyclone separator are connected to the sand and water inlet of the sand and water storage tank through the sand and water outlet pipe. The sand and water storage tank is equipped with a sand discharge pipe and a water inlet pipe. The supernatant separated by the hydrocyclone separator is connected to the inlet of the secondary filter through an inverted U-shaped pipe, and an outlet pipe is connected to the outlet of the secondary filter.
2. The high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and desanding device for oilfield surfaces as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The hydrocyclone separator has an upper straight cylindrical section and a lower first conical section connected to each other. The inlet pipe is connected to the first straight cylindrical section and is equipped with an inlet valve. The first conical section is mounted on the skid-mounted base via a hydrocyclone separator support. The bottom of the first conical section is connected to the sand inlet at the top of the sand and water storage tank below via a sand outlet pipe. The sand outlet pipe is equipped with a bottom valve.
3. The high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and desanding device for oilfield surfaces as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The sand-water storage tank has an upper second straight cylindrical section and a lower second conical section connected to each other. The water inlet pipe is provided above the second conical section, and the bottom of the second conical section is connected to a sand discharge pipe. The sand-water storage tank is fixed directly below the hydrocyclone separator by the inner support leg in the middle of the hydrocyclone separator support. The tail end of the sand discharge pipe is supported and fixed on the skid-mounted base by the pipe bracket. The sand discharge pipe is provided with a sand discharge valve, the water inlet pipe is provided with a water inlet valve, and the top cover of the second straight cylindrical section is provided with a first vent valve.
4. The high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and desanding device for oilfield surfaces as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The liquid inlet pipe is inserted obliquely downward on the first straight section, and the water inlet pipe is inserted horizontally or obliquely upward on the second straight section. The liquid outlet of the liquid inlet pipe enters the hydrocyclone separator tangentially, and the liquid outlet of the water inlet pipe enters the sand-water storage tank tangentially.
5. The high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and desanding device for oilfield surfaces as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The liquid inlet valve, bottom valve, sand discharge valve, and water inlet valve are all electric valves.
6. The high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and desanding device for oilfield surfaces as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Pressure gauges are installed on both the inverted U-shaped pipe and the liquid outlet pipe. The liquid outlet pipe is supported and fixed on the skid-mounted base by a pipe bracket. A second vent valve is installed on the top horizontal pipe section of the inverted U-shaped pipe, and a liquid outlet valve is installed on the liquid outlet pipe.
7. The high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and desanding device for oilfield surfaces as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The outlet valve is an electric valve.
8. The high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and desanding device for oilfield surfaces as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The inner filter screen of the secondary filter is inserted obliquely into the pipe, and a quick-opening blind plate is provided. It has filter screens with different mesh sizes, and the particle size range of the filtered sand is 10-50μm.
9. The high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and desanding device for oilfield surfaces as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The filter element axis of the secondary filter forms an angle of 30° to 60° with the direction of liquid flow in the pipeline.
10. The high-efficiency hydrocyclone separation and desanding device for oilfield surfaces as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The skid-mounted base is equipped with a base plate and lifting lugs.