Separator System Energy Recovery for Turbulence Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cyclone separators in offshore oil production face challenges in achieving efficient separation of oil and water while maintaining reliability and avoiding excessive costs, particularly due to the introduction of turbulence by control valves which affect the size of oil droplets and the complexity of controlling fluid flow ratios.
Innovation Solution
A separator system that includes an energy harvester to convert pressure energy from the outlet into mechanical or electrical energy, which is then used to drive a pump, ensuring a fixed ratio of fluid flow through the system and eliminating the need for control valves and pressure ratio controllers, thereby maintaining efficient separation and reducing operational complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a control valve is placed on the water outlet to apply back pressure, then the oily waste product is forced through the reject line, but turbulence is introduced which reduces oil droplet size and complicates downstream separation
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful control valve is extracted and removed from the system. Instead of using a valve to create back pressure, the invention uses a cyclone separator that naturally creates the necessary pressure differential through its separation mechanism, eliminating the source of turbulence while maintaining the required back pressure for oil droplet separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful turbulence effect into a beneficial centrifugal separation mechanism. The cyclone separator uses controlled rotation to create radial forces that separate oil and water phases, transforming what would be harmful random turbulence into organized centrifugal motion that enhances separation efficiency without damaging the oil-water interface.
2Ease of operation
If an adjustable valve is used to control overall liquid flow, then flow to upstream and downstream processes is adjusted, but maintaining a constant ratio of liquid through water outlet and reject line becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The cyclone separator performs multiple functions simultaneously: it separates oil and water phases, creates the necessary back pressure, and automatically maintains the correct flow ratio between outlets. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate control valves and ratio control mechanisms, simplifying the overall system while maintaining operational effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The cyclone separator is a passive device that automatically maintains the required flow ratio and separation characteristics without external control mechanisms. The geometry of the cyclone and the physics of centrifugal separation inherently ensure the correct distribution of phases to different outlets, making the system self-regulating and eliminating complex control systems.
3Reliability
If additional outlet valve and control mechanism are placed on reject line to maintain constant volumetric ratio, then liquid distribution is controlled, but expense and risk of failure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The additional control valve and control mechanism are extracted and removed from the system. The invention relies on the inherent physics of cyclone separation to automatically maintain the correct volumetric ratio, eliminating components that would increase expense and failure risk while achieving the same reliability goal through passive physical principles.
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 increases the efficiency and throughput of the separation process, reduces the need for additional control mechanisms, and enhances the effectiveness of downstream treatments by minimizing turbulence and maintaining consistent fluid ratios, thus improving overall separation efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
A fluid (in this case, a mixture of oil and water) enters a cyclone tangentially, causing the fluid inside the cyclone to spin. This creates a radial force that directs the heavier phase (in this case, the water) towards the edges of the cyclone, thus retaining the lighter phase (in this case, the oil) in the centre of the cyclone.
Implementation Method 2
A separator system that includes an energy harvester to convert pressure energy from the outlet into mechanical or electrical energy
Data Source
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AI summary
A separator system and method are provided in which the separator has two outlets for different components of mixed fluid. An energy harvester is provided on one of the outlets and harvested energy is transferred to a pump located on an inlet of the separator. As a result, the differential pressure across the separator is increased.