Spiral Gas Separator with Rounded Walls for Downhole Turbulence Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing downhole gas separators are inefficient in removing gas from mixed hydrocarbon fluids, leading to reduced pump performance and potential damage due to turbulent flow and gas absorption, which affects the operation of pumps like progressing cavity and electric submersible pumps.
Innovation Solution
A gas separator apparatus with a housing containing an elongate channel defining a spiral path with rounded walls, a mixing chamber to break up clumps, and separate outlet ports for gas-depleted and liquid-depleted portions, ensuring minimal turbulence and effective separation of gas and liquid phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional gas separators are used to remove gas from mixed hydrocarbon fluids, then gas removal is achieved, but turbulent flow occurs reducing separation efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs curved walls and rounded corners throughout the separator housing and internal components. The curved inlet walls, rounded separator elements, and curved outlet passages eliminate sharp angles that would create turbulence. This spheroidality principle smooths fluid flow paths, maintaining laminar flow conditions that enhance gas-liquid separation efficiency while preventing flow instability.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator is divided into distinct functional zones: an inlet region with curved walls for flow conditioning, a central separation region with spiral-shaped separator elements, and an outlet region with separate gas and liquid discharge paths. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally, with the spiral separators creating controlled circulation patterns that enhance phase separation without causing turbulence.
2Productivity
If gas is present in the fluid being pumped, then pumping can proceed, but pump performance reduces and damage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The separator performs gas removal upstream of the pump, preliminarily conditioning the fluid before it reaches the pumping equipment. By eliminating gas content in advance through the spiral separation process, the fluid presented to the pump is gas-free, preventing cavitation, overheating, and mechanical damage that would otherwise occur during pump operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the natural tendency of gas and liquid phases to separate under centrifugal forces generated by the spiral flow pattern. What would normally be a harmful effect (gas presence causing pump damage) is converted into a beneficial separation mechanism, where the gas-liquid density difference and centrifugal forces work together to automatically divide the phases, with gas rising to the center and liquid moving outward to the pump inlet.
3Productivity
If separation efficiency is increased, then gas removal improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral-shaped separator elements serve multiple functions simultaneously: they generate centrifugal forces for phase separation, create controlled circulation patterns, provide flow direction control, and act as structural support within the housing. This multi-functionality achieves high separation efficiency without requiring additional separate components, maintaining structural simplicity while maximizing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator design allows the fluid itself to perform the separation work through its own kinetic energy and density differences. The spiral flow pattern naturally directs gas to the center and liquid to the periphery without requiring external mechanical inputs or complex control mechanisms. The system uses the inherent properties of the two-phase flow to achieve separation, eliminating the need for additional energy-consuming devices or complex automation.
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 solution enables efficient separation of gas and liquid phases, reducing turbulence and enhancing the operation of downhole pumps by maintaining distinct flow patterns, thus improving the efficiency of gas removal and preventing pump damage.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one elongate channel defining a spiral path through the housing and acting to separate the fluid flowing through the channel into a gas-depleted outer portion and a liquid-depleted inner portion
Implementation Method 2
rounded walls enabling the fluid flowing through the channel to flow substantially free of turbulent flow
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for separating components of a fluid containing liquid and gas comprises a housing having at least one elongate channel. Each channel has an inlet end, an outlet end and rounded walls enabling the fluid flowing through the channel to flow substantially free of turbulent flow. Each channel defines a spiral path through the housing and acts to separate the fluid flowing through the channel into a gas-depleted outer portion and a liquid-depleted inner portion. The apparatus includes a liquid outlet port for the gas-depleted outer portion and a gas outlet port for the liquid-depleted inner portion. The housing may include a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the inlet end of the channel. The mixing chamber may include a surface the fluid impacts against. The apparatus may include a chamber at the outlet end of the channel. The chamber may have a gas outlet port closer to the outlet end of the channel than the liquid outlet port.