Pressure Separator with Cavitation and Backflush
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating contaminated fluids from petroleum and gas well drilling, mining, and industrial operations are inefficient and costly, relying on disposable filters that are labor-intensive, environmentally hazardous, and unable to handle the wide range of contaminants effectively, leading to environmental and health risks.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a pressure separation apparatus that creates hydrodynamic cavitation conditions to separate suspended and dissolved contaminants, employing reusable filter media and a novel separator design to enhance particle kinetics and filtration efficiency, allowing for the separation of contaminants down to sizes below one micron, and includes additional treatment stages for further purification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If disposable filters are used to remove contaminants from fluids, then contamination removal is achieved, but labor intensity increases and environmental hazard increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers and reuses the filter medium through a backflush system that reverses flow direction to remove accumulated contaminants, allowing the same filter to be used repeatedly instead of disposable filters, thereby reducing labor for filter replacement and environmental hazard from waste filters
Solution Approach 2:
The filter medium performs self-cleaning through the backflush mechanism where reversed flow automatically removes contaminants from the filter surface, eliminating the need for manual cleaning operations and reducing labor intensity
2Reliability
If disposable filters are used to remove contaminants from fluids, then contamination removal is achieved, but environmental hazard increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers and reuses the filter medium through a backflush system that reverses flow direction to remove accumulated contaminants, allowing the same filter to be used repeatedly instead of disposable filters, thereby reducing labor for filter replacement and environmental hazard from waste filters
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful accumulation of contaminants on disposable filters into a beneficial self-cleaning process where the backflush mechanism uses the accumulated contaminant load to drive the cleaning action, transforming the waste problem into the solution
3Reliability
If traditional filtration methods are used, then suspended particles are removed, but dissolved contaminants remain and treatment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters by creating hydrodynamic cavitation conditions through high-velocity flow and pressure differentials, which transforms the filtration mechanism from simple physical blocking to enhanced particle kinetics and cavitation-driven separation, enabling removal of dissolved contaminants in addition to suspended particles
Solution Approach 2:
The system generates mechanical vibration and cavitation effects through high-velocity fluid flow and pressure fluctuations, which enhance the separation of both suspended and dissolved contaminants through particle kinetics and cavitation-induced detachment from filter surfaces
4Productivity
If filter media is used to separate contaminants, then separation efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the filter medium to perform multiple functions simultaneously: physical filtration of suspended particles, enhanced separation through cavitation effects, and self-cleaning capability, eliminating the need for separate systems for each function and reducing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the filtration function with the cavitation generation function by designing the filter medium and flow conditions to produce hydrodynamic cavitation as an inherent part of the filtration process, rather than requiring separate cavitation generation equipment
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 system efficiently removes contaminants, reducing the need for disposable filters, lowering treatment costs, and enabling safe discharge or reuse of treated fluids, while meeting environmental standards, and can be easily transported and installed near the source of contamination.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure separation apparatus which can also create and facilitate hydrodynamic cavitation conditions within the fluid
Implementation Method 2
employing reusable filter media and a novel separator design to enhance particle kinetics and filtration efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for separating particles and dissolved matter from an untreated fluid stream. Specifically, the present invention includes a first pressure source which transports untreated fluid or contaminated aqueous fluid into a separator annulus with a filter element disposed therein. The untreated fluid is placed under appropriate pressure sufficient to produce turbulent flow, increased particle kinetics and/or cavitation allowing the desired fluid to penetrate and pass into and through the filter media. The treated fluid is then transported to a collection tank. The contaminant matter retained by the filter media may be removed by the nearly instantaneous reverse pressurization of the separator annulus by a second pressure source thereby removing the contaminant particles away from contact with the filter media, and which may then be transported to a waste collection tank or a separator for further treatment.