Vertical Compact Flotation Unit with Spiral Fins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies for treating polymer flooding produced water and petroleum refining waste water are inefficient and prone to blockages, with limited compactness and high bubble utilization inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A vertical compact flotation unit with air stripping enhanced shallow sedimentation effect of spiral fins, which includes a tank, swirling inner cylinder, oil receiving structure, swirl breaking structure, sedimentation separation components, and a center cylinder, designed to enhance bubble utilization and compactness through cooperative separation processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a compact flotation unit is used to improve space utilization and separation efficiency, then the treatment compactness and separation efficiency are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separation mechanisms (flotation, sedimentation, and swirl breaking) into a single integrated device. The inner flotation chamber, outer flotation chamber, and sedimentation chamber are merged into one compact unit with shared components, achieving high separation efficiency while controlling device complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested structure where the inner flotation chamber is positioned within the outer flotation chamber, and the sedimentation chamber is integrated into the lower portion. This nesting arrangement maximizes space utilization and achieves compact design while maintaining multiple separation functions.
2Productivity
If an agglomerated layer is formed to enhance oil droplet separation, then the separation efficiency is improved, but the reliability decreases due to blockage risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the agglomerated layer from being a permanent fixed structure and transforms it into a temporary, removable component. The layer can be easily removed through the cleaning mechanism, preventing blockage accumulation and ensuring continuous reliable operation while maintaining high separation efficiency during the separation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a mechanism to periodically discard the agglomerated layer that forms during operation. The cleaning system removes accumulated material from the separation surfaces, allowing the device to maintain its separation efficiency over extended periods and preventing reliability degradation from blockages.
3Device complexity
If bubbles are injected directly into the flotation tank to achieve air flotation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the bubble utilization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-mixing air with water in the gas-liquid mixing chamber before injection into the flotation tank. This pre-mixing process creates fine bubbles that are more effectively utilized during flotation, improving bubble utilization efficiency while maintaining relatively simple device structure through the integrated mixing chamber.
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 unit achieves effective oil-water separation with high bubble utilization and compact structure, preventing blockages and improving the efficiency of treating oily waste water, particularly in offshore oilfield applications.
Implementation Method 1
oily waste water mixed with bubbles tangentially enters the inner flotation cavity to form swirling flow. The centrifugal force generated by swirling motion increases the probability of collision, contact and adhesion between bubbles released from dissolved gas water and oil droplets in waste water
Implementation Method 2
the oil droplets adhered to the bubbles continuously rise to the top of the inner flotation chamber under the action of buoyancy
Implementation Method 3
vertical compact flotation unit with air stripping enhanced shallow sedimentation effect of spiral fins
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a vertical compact flotation unit with air stripping enhanced shallow sedimentation effect of spiral fins, and relates to the technical field of complicated treatment of oily waste water such as oil field polymer flooding produced water so as to give consideration to bubble utilization rate, operation energy consumption, structure compactness and installation and maintenance cost. The equipment includes a tank, an oil receiving structure, a swirling inner cylinder, a swirl breaking structure, sedimentation separation components and a center cylinder. An exhaust port is formed in the top of the tank, a slag discharge port is formed in the bottom of the tank, the side surface of the tank is provided with an oil spill port, a water outlet pipe and a water inlet pipe, and the water inlet pipe is tangentially connected with the swirling inner cylinder.