Compact Flotation Unit Downward Spiral Channel
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing compact flotation units face inefficiencies in separating hydrocarbons from water due to gas being trapped within the vortex zone, leading to suboptimal separation performance without additional guiding mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A compact flotation unit design featuring a cylindrical vertical tank with an upper and lower compartment, utilizing a downward spiral shaped channel with co-current gas injection and a mixing element to enhance fluid velocity and mixing, maintaining high helical velocity and promoting improved separation in the cyclone section.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gas is injected into the vortex zone for hydrocarbon separation, then separation efficiency is improved, but gas becomes trapped in the vortex zone leading to suboptimal separation performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the gas injection function from the vortex zone by introducing a separate downward spiral shaped channel that bypasses the vortex zone. Gas is injected into the fluid stream in this dedicated channel rather than directly into the vortex zone, preventing gas trapping while maintaining separation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the flotation unit into distinct functional zones: an upper compartment with vortex zone for hydrocarbon separation, and a downward spiral shaped channel for gas injection and fluid mixing. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between separation efficiency and gas trapping.
2Reliability
If additional guiding mechanisms are added to improve gas separation, then separation performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the gas injection function with the fluid flow path by using the downward spiral shaped channel as both the gas injection conduit and the fluid mixing channel. This integration achieves improved separation performance without adding separate guiding mechanisms, thus avoiding increased device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The downward spiral shaped channel serves multiple functions: it guides fluid flow from the upper to lower compartment, provides a pathway for gas injection, creates co-current flow for enhanced mixing, and maintains helical velocity. This multi-functionality improves separation performance without requiring additional specialized components.
3Speed
If downward spiral shaped channel with co-current gas injection is used, then helical velocity is maintained or increased, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a downward spiral shaped channel with curved geometry to maintain and enhance helical velocity. The spiral curvature naturally guides the fluid in a helical path, and co-current gas injection within this curved channel amplifies the helical motion without requiring additional mechanical components or complex control systems.
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
The solution increases the efficiency of hydrocarbon separation by maintaining or increasing helical velocity, enhancing mixing, and ensuring effective separation of gas bubbles from the fluid, thereby improving the overall separation process without increasing the unit's size.
Implementation Method 1
maintaining or increasing helical velocity
Implementation Method 2
downward spiral shaped channel provides for fluid communication
Implementation Method 3
gas is mixed with the produced water where the gas 'adheres' to the hydrocarbons and thereby assist the separation thereof in a cyclone
Implementation Method 4
co-current gas injection and a mixing element to enhance fluid velocity and mixing
Implementation Method 5
enhancing mixing
Implementation Method 6
separation in the cyclone section
Implementation Method 7
separating gas bubbles from the fluid
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~4
Figure 5a~7
AI summary
A compact flotation unit comprising an essential cylindrical vertical tank (1) with an upper compartment (12), a lower compartment (14) and at least one barrier element (20), wherein the tank in the upper compartment comprises at least one tangential feed inlet (11,11') and a first reject outlet (15), wherein the tank in the lower compartment comprises a second reject outlet (30) and a cleaned fluid outlet is disclosed (16). The at least one barrier element comprises a downward spiral shaped channel (22) with a channel inlet opening (21) in the upper compartment, and a channel outlet opening (23) in the lower compartment, wherein the downward spiral shaped channel provides for fluid communication between the upper compartment and the lower compartment.