Perforated Dispersion Member for Crude Oil Blending
Solution Overview
Problem
Current crude oil blending systems using static mixers face high pressure drops when handling high viscosity oils, requiring significant energy and often necessitating recirculation of mixed oils to achieve effective mixing.
Innovation Solution
The development of an unconventional static mixer design with a perforated dispersion member that extrudes heavy crude oil into lighter crude oil, reducing pressure drop and facilitating mixing through increased surface contact area, potentially supplemented by a second mixer downstream for homogenization, and a measuring station for quality control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional static mixers are used for blending heavy viscous crude oil with lighter crude oil, then mixing is achieved, but pressure drop becomes unacceptably large
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy crude oil flow is segmented into multiple parallel streams by dividing the injection into several ports arranged around the pipe circumference. This segmentation reduces the velocity and pressure requirements for each individual jet, thereby reducing the overall pressure drop while maintaining effective mixing through distributed injection points
Solution Approach 2:
The mixer employs different injection strategies at different locations: heavy crude is injected through multiple ports at specific angles relative to the lighter crude flow, creating localized mixing zones. The injection velocity and angle are optimized locally at each port to achieve effective blending without requiring high overall pressure
2Reliability
If dynamic mixers are used instead of static mixers, then mixing effectiveness improves, but device complexity and energy requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mixer is designed as a static device that utilizes the kinetic energy and flow dynamics of the crude oil streams themselves to achieve mixing. The lighter crude flows through the pipe while heavy crude is injected through ports, and the natural flow patterns, turbulence, and momentum exchange between the streams provide the mixing action without requiring external mechanical components
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces dynamic mechanical mixing components (such as rotating elements, impellers, or moving parts found in dynamic mixers) with a static structural design. Mixing is achieved through fluid mechanical principles including jet injection, turbulence generation, and flow pattern control rather than mechanical agitation
3Reliability
If heavy crude oil is injected at high velocity to achieve mixing, then mixing effectiveness improves, but pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the heavy crude injection into multiple ports, the required injection velocity at each port is reduced compared to a single-port system. The segmentation allows the mixing function to be distributed across multiple lower-velocity jets, reducing the pressure penalty associated with high-velocity injection while maintaining overall mixing effectiveness through the cumulative effect of multiple injection points
Solution Approach 2:
The injection ports are arranged in specific angular positions around the pipe circumference, introducing a spatial dimension to the mixing process. This angular distribution creates a three-dimensional mixing pattern that enhances blending effectiveness without requiring increased injection velocity, thereby reducing pressure loss
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
This approach allows for efficient blending of heavy and light crude oils with lower pressure loss, enabling effective mixing without recirculation and ensuring desired mixture properties, while maintaining a simple and cost-effective design.
Implementation Method 1
a second oil fluid of greater viscosity and/or density than the first oil fluid is introduced into a second flow channel defined by a sidewall of a dispersion member having an upstream imperforate portion and a downstream perforated portion, such that the second fluid is extruded through the perforated portion
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A
AI summary
This application includes mixing devices, methods, and systems in which a second fluid can be introduced through a second flow channel (62) to a dispersion member for extrusion through a perforated portion (66) of a dispersion member into a first flow channel (26) for mixing with a first fluid. In some of the present mixing devices, methods, and systems, the second flow channel is substantially perpendicular to the first flow channel, and/or the perforated portion is disposed on a downstream portion of the dispersion member.