Vortex Separator for Passive Well Fluid Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wellhead sampling systems face challenges in separating liquid and gas phases in multiphase flows, particularly at low production flow rates, due to insufficient pressure differential, making it difficult to collect reliable liquid-only samples from subsea wells.
Innovation Solution
A passively-driven vortex separator system that creates a pressure differential using a vortex chamber and venturi device to separate multiphase flows into gas and liquid phases, reducing the pressure required for sampling and eliminating the need for electric or hydraulic power, suitable for high and low gas fractions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a flow device such as a venturi or orifice plate is used to generate pressure differential, then the pressure differential is proportional to production flow, but at low production flow rates the pressure differential becomes insufficient to retain liquid samples
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the sampling function into two distinct components: a vortex separator that handles multiphase separation, and a venturi device that generates pressure differential specifically for sample retention. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its function independently, solving the contradiction by ensuring liquid samples are retained even at low flow rates through the dedicated venturi pressure differential mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The vortex separator acts as an intermediary device between the multiphase flow and the sampling system. It pre-separates the liquid and gas phases before the sample reaches the venturi, allowing the venturi to focus solely on generating sufficient pressure differential for liquid sample retention without being burdened by gas-liquid separation at low flow rates.
2Reliability
If a high pressure differential is used to retain liquid samples in gas suspension, then liquid samples can be retained, but the turbulence and velocity requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the functions of sample retention and phase separation into distinct components. The vortex separator handles phase separation through controlled turbulence, while the venturi device provides the pressure differential for sample retention with minimized velocity requirements. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing reliable sample retention without requiring excessively high velocities throughout the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
High velocity and turbulence are localized specifically to the vortex separator where they are needed for effective phase separation. The venturi device operates at lower velocities, optimizing for pressure differential generation and sample retention. This local quality approach resolves the contradiction by applying high velocity only where necessary rather than throughout the entire sampling system.
3Reliability
If conventional sampling systems are used at subsea locations, then samples can be collected from the wellhead, but dispersed and mist flow regimes make liquid-gas separation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the complex separation task into two specialized stages: the vortex separator handles the difficult liquid-gas separation in dispersed and mist flow regimes, while the venturi device handles sample retention. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by making each component specialized for its function, improving reliability without requiring a single overly complex device to handle all aspects of subsea sampling.
Solution Approach 2:
The vortex separator serves as an intermediary that pre-processes the multiphase flow by separating liquid and gas phases before the sample enters the retention system. This intermediary function simplifies the overall separation difficulty by handling the challenging dispersed and mist flow separation in a dedicated component, making the rest of the sampling system simpler and more reliable.
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
Effectively separates liquid and gas phases with reduced pressure loss and operational power requirements, enabling reliable sampling across varying flow rates and gas fractions without the need for external power sources.
Implementation Method 1
A passively-driven vortex separator system that creates a pressure differential using a vortex chamber and venturi device to separate multiphase flows into gas and liquid phases
Implementation Method 2
A passively-driven vortex separator system that creates a pressure differential using a vortex chamber and venturi device
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and system for passively sampling production fluid from a well is presented. The passive sampling device is used to split two-phase flow and provide a driving pressure differential for a sampling system. Flow through sampling systems require a low pressure differential to be utilized to take a liquid sample, so that the sample retained remains isobaric. When performed in two-phase flow, the pressure differential needs to be relatively high, potentially yielding a non-isobaric sample. By separating out the liquid content of the flow, a low driving pressure is allowed to be used. Thus, this keeps the sample isobaric at a wide range of production flow rates.