Stacked Separator Tank with Pressure Control for Oil Gas Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current separator tanks require multiple units and complex installations to achieve low oil and gas levels in water discharge, which are inefficient and costly, especially in offshore oil fields, and do not effectively utilize pressure control to minimize water flow with oil.
Innovation Solution
A separator tank design featuring two or more units stacked within a single cylindrical tank, with interconnected outlets and pressure control devices to manage pressure differentials, allowing for efficient oil and gas removal and simplified installation by minimizing pressure drop and flow resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate separator tanks are used to achieve low oil and gas levels in water discharge, then purification effectiveness is improved, but installation complexity and required area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separator tank units into a single integrated separator tank structure. The tank contains multiple separation chambers with shared walls, allowing multiple purification stages to occur within one device rather than requiring separate tanks. This merging approach maintains the purification effectiveness of multiple stages while significantly reducing installation complexity and required space.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator tank units are arranged in a nested or stacked configuration within the single tank structure. Each separation chamber is positioned vertically or horizontally adjacent to others, sharing common walls and structures. This nesting approach allows multiple functional units to coexist in a compact arrangement, achieving high purification effectiveness without proportionally increasing the external dimensions or installation complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate separator tanks are used to achieve low oil and gas levels in water discharge, then purification effectiveness is improved, but the number of components and required area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separator tank units into a single integrated structure, reducing the total number of discrete components. Shared walls, common inlet/outlet systems, and integrated support structures eliminate the need for separate tanks and their associated mounting hardware. This approach maintains multi-stage purification effectiveness while significantly reducing the quantity of components that need to be procured, installed, and maintained.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional separator tank design is used, then oil and gas separation is achieved, but pressure drop and flow resistance are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the local flow characteristics within each separation chamber to reduce overall pressure drop. The inlet guide vanes are specifically designed to create controlled vortex flow patterns that enhance separation efficiency locally without creating excessive resistance. The outlet positioning and chamber geometry are optimized to maintain smooth flow transitions, minimizing energy losses while achieving effective oil and gas separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved inlet guide vanes and optimized chamber geometries to reduce flow resistance. The curved surfaces guide fluid flow smoothly through the separation chambers, avoiding sharp angles and abrupt transitions that would increase turbulence and pressure drop. This aerodynamic shaping maintains separation performance while reducing the energy penalty associated with flow resistance.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate separator tanks are used, then purification effectiveness is improved, but installation cost especially in offshore oil fields increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separator tank units into a single integrated device that can be manufactured as one complete assembly. This merging approach allows the entire multi-stage purification system to be built and tested at the manufacturing site, then transported as a single unit to offshore locations. This eliminates the need for complex on-site assembly of multiple separate tanks, significantly reducing installation costs and logistical complexity in remote offshore environments where installation work is expensive and weather-dependent.
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 design enhances oil removal efficiency, reduces water flow with oil, and simplifies installation by reducing the number of components and required area, while maintaining precise control over pressure and flow rates, leading to improved water purification and reduced operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
the separator tank comprises at least one pressure control device for controlling the pressure downstream of the first outlets for oil and gas so that during operation of the separator tank the pressure at the first outlets is lower than the pressure at the second outlets
Implementation Method 2
an inner annular wall for dividing a vortex flow outside the inner annular wall from a flow inside the inner annular wall during operation of the separator tank
Implementation Method 3
an inlet guide vane surrounding the inner annular body... allowing fluid to flow tangentially into the separator tank unit
Implementation Method 4
an inner annular wall for dividing a vortex flow outside the inner annular wall from a flow inside the inner annular wall
Data Source
AI summary
A separator tank (1) for separating oil and gas from water, and comprising separator tank units (2, 2′, 2″) arranged on top of one another within an annular enclosure (4). An inlet pipe (14) is connected with the inlet for fluid in a first of the at least two separator tank units. A second outlet (9) in the first separator tank unit (2) is connected with the inlet (7) for fluid in a second of the at least two separator tank units (2′). A pressure control device controls the pressure downstream of the first outlets for oil and gas (8) so that the pressure at the first outlets (8) is lower than the pressure at the water outlet (26) on the separator tank.