Multi-Stage Gas Separator Flow Restriction
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing downhole gas separators face inefficiencies in separating liquids from gases due to fluid flow restrictions caused by shaft couplings, leading to suboptimal performance and increased risk of cavitation or vapor lock in submersible pumping systems.
Innovation Solution
A multi-stage gas separator design featuring a rotatable shaft with multiple separation stages, each comprising a rotor, diffuser, and crossover, along with an outer housing providing separate discharge ports for gas removal, minimizing fluid flow restrictions and enhancing separation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple gas separators are connected in tandem to improve gas removal, then gas separation performance improves, but fluid flow restriction increases due to shaft couplings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separation stages within a single gas separator housing, eliminating the need for separate separators connected by shaft couplings. Each stage includes its own rotor, diffuser, and crossover, but they are integrated into one unit, thereby maintaining gas separation performance while removing the flow restrictions caused by inter-separator couplings.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas separator is divided into multiple independent separation stages, each capable of separating gas from liquid. This segmentation allows efficient gas removal at each stage without requiring physical connections between separate separators, thus avoiding shaft coupling restrictions while achieving enhanced gas separation.
2Reliability
If multiple gas separators are connected in tandem, then overall gas removal improves, but cavitation risk increases due to flow disturbances
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating multiple separation stages within a single continuous housing without shaft couplings, the patent eliminates flow disturbances that would otherwise cause cavitation. The seamless internal flow path from one stage to the next prevents the flow separation and pressure drops associated with external couplings, thereby reducing cavitation risk while maintaining high gas removal efficiency.
3Reliability
If shaft couplings are used to connect multiple separators, then multi-stage separation is achieved, but fluid flow disturbance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separation stages into a single integrated unit where the housing continuously connects all stages without shaft couplings. This integration eliminates the flow disturbances generated by couplings while preserving the multi-stage separation capability, as each stage maintains its functional independence through internal design.
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 multi-stage design effectively separates gases from liquids with reduced fluid flow resistance, improving the overall gas removal efficiency and preventing cavitation or vapor lock in downhole pumping systems.
Implementation Method 1
The agitator is typically configured as a rotary paddle that imparts centrifugal force to the wellbore fluid. As the wellbore fluid passes through the agitator, heavier components, such as oil and water, are carried to the outer edge of the agitator blade, while lighter components, such as gas, remain close to the center of the agitator.
Data Source
AI summary
A gas separator is configured to separate gas from a two-phase fluid. The gas separator includes a rotatable shaft, a plurality of separation stages and an outer housing. Each of the plurality of separation stages includes a rotor connected to the rotatable shaft, a diffuser downstream from the rotor and a crossover downstream from the diffuser. Each crossover is configured to remove gas from its respective separation stage. The outer housing includes a separate group of discharge ports for each separation stage to permit the removal of gas from each separation stage.