Adaptive Oil Draining in Through-Flow Settling Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Continuous through-flow settling vessels used in gas and oil exploration face challenges in handling peak volumes from slug flows, leading to potential overflow and the need for increased vessel volume, which is costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an oil draining means capable of controllably draining the oil phase upstream of the weir, allowing for adaptive volume adjustment to accommodate slug flows without increasing the vessel's overall size, combined with controlling the liquid level through the inlet and outlets to maintain optimal separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vessel volume is increased to accommodate peak volumes from slug flows, then overflow is prevented, but the vessel size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting the approach of a slug flow before it enters the vessel and提前 lowering the liquid level by draining oil through the additional outlet. This creates pre-prepared free volume to receive the incoming slug flow, preventing overflow without requiring increased vessel volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The vessel uses its own internal resources (the additional outlet below the weir) to create adaptive volume management. By utilizing the existing structural feature (outlet below weir) for dynamic volume adjustment, the system serves itself to handle slug flows without external intervention or structural expansion.
2Productivity
If the liquid level is maintained at the threshold value (HLL) during normal operation, then separation efficiency is optimized, but the vessel cannot accommodate slug flows without shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static liquid level maintenance to dynamic level adjustment. The liquid level is continuously adapted based on real-time detection of slug flow conditions, allowing the system to maintain optimal separation during normal operation and accommodate slug flows when needed, rather than being constrained by a fixed threshold level.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring for slug flow conditions and adjusting the liquid level accordingly. When a slug flow is detected or anticipated, the control system activates the additional outlet to lower the liquid level, creating a feedback loop that maintains both separation efficiency and slug flow accommodation capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If an additional outlet below the weir is incorporated, then adaptive volume control is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The additional outlet below the weir serves multiple functions: it acts as a normal oil outlet during steady-state operation and as an emergency drainage path during slug flow events. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving adaptive volume control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables adaptive separation of mixtures, preventing overflow during slug flows without the need for a larger vessel volume, ensuring continuous operation and efficient phase separation.
Implementation Method 1
a weir downstream of the water outlet and upstream of the oil outlet, which weir functions as a barrier to the liquid phase which comprises a water phase and an oil phase which are separated from each other by settling
Data Source
AI summary
A continuous through-flow settling vessel for adaptive separation of a mixture from gas and/or oil exploration or production, said mixture comprising a varying mixture of liquid and gaseous phases, wherein the vessel is provided with: an inlet for a mixture, and a gas outlet, a water outlet and an oil outlet, the outlets being provided distant from the inlet, and the oil outlet being downstream of the water outlet, a weir downstream of the water outlet and upstream of the oil outlet, which weir functions as a barrier to a free through-flow in the vessel of the liquid phase which comprises a water phase and an oil phase, which phases are separated from each other by settling, the weir having a height lower than the gas outlet, and wherein the vessel is additionally provided with:—an oil draining means capable of controllably draining oil phase from the vessel upstream of the weir, said means being provided at a level below the weir height and above the water phase that is present during operation of the vessel. Method of adaptive separation of a mixture from gas and/or oil exploration or production, said mixture comprising a varying mixture of liquid and gaseous phases, wherein the mixture is introduced into a continuous through-flow settling vessel.