AU607406B2 - Cyclone separator - Google Patents

Description

WORLD INTE& alPRo R RTY AN rI International ureau

PCT

INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (51) International Patent Classification 4 B04C 5/081 (11) International Publication Number: WO 87/ 02275 l(43) International Publication Date: 23 April 1987 (23.04.87) (21) International Application Number: PCT/AU86/00313 (22) International Filing Date: 21 October 1986 (21.10.86) (81) Designated States: AU, GB, NO, US.

Published With international search report.

(31) Priority Application Number: PH 2990 (32) Priority Date: 21 October 1985 (21.10.85) (33) Priority Country: AU SEC-?N 34(4)(a) DIRECTION SEE FOLIO. 10._ e NAME DIRECTED COroco >pD<cIQI rclsc. fFl Goo I(Roa8 F Fo&-o^ T< 15451 8 /86 Thomas [GB/GB]; 7 Court Close, Bitterne, Southampton, Hampshire COLMAN, Derek, Alan [GB/ GB]; 21 Knoll Road, Fleet, Hampshire (GB).

(74) Agents: SMEETON, Anthony, R. et al.; Davies Collison, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne,-VIC 3000

(AU).

X 0,J,P 11 JUN 1987 5 MAY 1987 PATENT OFfICE This document contains ne amendments made undE-r Section 49 and is correct for printing.

(54) Title: CYCLONE SEPARATOR 14 610 2 (57) Abstract A cyclone separator comprising an elongated separating chamber having a longitudinal axis of symmetry between opposite first and second ends (6 and the separating chamber being of greater cross-sectional dimension at the first end than at the second end. The separating chamber has an overflow outlet and at least one underflow outlet (9) and at least one feed inlet (10) proximate to the first end and disposed in a plane containing a secondary axis which extends from the longitudinal axis in a direction normal thereto. In one form of the invention, the profile of the separating chamber is at least in part of generally exponential form and in another form it is at least in part of cubic form.

.i -i -1- 1 CYCLONE SEPARATOR 2 3 This invention relates generally to cyclone separators for 4 separating multi-phase mixtures such as, for example, oil/water mixtures.

6 7 Early work in connection with cyclone separators of this 8 type is described in United States Patent 4,237,006 where 9 certain dimensional relationships between various portions 10 of a cyclone separator are described. The present applicant

S.

S. 11 has also conducted extensive investigations in this area and a 12 reference should be made to applicant's many patents and 0:00 13 patent applications relating to cyclone separators.

C. r* 14 15 Initial investigations in this area indicated that for good 16 separation efficiency in cyclone separators and, in 17 particular, to those suited for fluid/fluid applications, it 18 was necessary to define a cyclone separator in the terms 19 given in the aforementioned US Patent and the applicant's o0e0 20 other patents and applications in this field.

21 22 Significant research has since been carried out and it has S 23 now been found that the criteria important to cyclone 24 separators design, in particular relating to mixtures such as oil/water mixtures, are the three dimensional shear 26 planes and stagnation flows.

27 28 Thus, it is an object of the preseiit invention to provide a 29 cyclone separator which is arranged so to minimize or avoid high shear planes and stagnation flows.

31 32 Basically, it has been found that this can be achieved by 33 the use of gradual changes of section which leads to 34 improved phase separation and reduced energy consumption.

36 According to the present invention there is provided a 37 cyclone separator comprising elements, designed, sized and 3 R, 38 900809, dbwspe. 011,cyclone spe,1 1 -L i LLi-" -I 2 1 arranged for treating a mixture of liquids for separating a 2 more dense component from a less dense component thereof, 3 the separator comprising: 4 an elongate separating chamber having a longitudinal 6 axis of symmetry between opposite first and second ends, the 7 separating chamber being of greater cross-sectional 8 dimension at the first end than at the second end, the 9 separating chamber having an overflow outlet and at least one underflow outlet: and 11 12 at least one tangentially directed feed inlet which is 990 13 proximate to the first end and disposed in a plane 14 containing a secondary axis which extends from the too 15 longitudinal axis in a direction normal thereto, 16 characterized in that the profile of said separating chamber 17 is at least in part of generally cubic form.

18 19 The separator is particularly, but not exclusively, ge 20 advantageous for separating oil/water mixtures.

S21 22 In one preferred form, the profile meets the following 23 requirement: 24 2 5 r(mm) 28-[z(2z 2 x 10 6 +5] 1 3 26 27 where r radius of the separating chamber 28 29 z the distance along the longitudinal axis of the separator taken from a point in the plane of the inlet or 31 from a point spaced downstream of the plane of the inlet.

32 33 Preferably, the overflow outlet is at the first end and the 34 underflow outlet is at the second end.

36 The separating chamber may include a swirl chamber section 37 at the upstream end thereof the swirl chamber section being i r1 38 7 900809,dbwspe.O11,cyclone.spe,2 ~1 3 1 in one form substantially cylindrical in cross-section.

2 3 An embodiment will be hereinafter described by way of 4 example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation showing the 6 general form of the cyclone separator of the invention.

4 11 13 14 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 26 27 Figure 1 shows the basic components of a cyclone separator and includes an elongated separating chamber 2 having a longitudinal axis of symmetry 4 between opposite first and second ends 6 and 7. The separating chamber 2 is of greater cross-section dimension at the first end than at the second end, and has an overflow outlet 8 at the first end and at least one underflow outlet 9 at the second end.

At least one tangentially directed feed inlet 10 is arranged proximate to the first end 6 and disposed in a plane containing a secondary axis [4 which extends from the longitudinal axis in a direction normal thereto.

A distinct swirl chamber section which may be cylindrical in cross-section may be provided at the first end of the separating chamber.

According to the invention, the profile of the separating chamber is cubic in form.

Example 31 32 33 34 36 7 37 S38 Testing was carried out on a cyclone separator the profile of which was of generally cubic form meeting the following requirement: r(mm) 28 [z(2z 2 x 10 -6 ,1/3 where z is a measurement taken from a point 15mm downstream of the plane of the inlet.

900809,dbwspe.O11,cyclone.spe,3 I -4 The flow rate Qi at the inlet was 100/mmn. The temperature of the mixture was between 17.5 to 20-C. The mixture was forties crude oil in fresh water. An involute type entry was used and two sizes of inlet droplet tested, they being one of 35amand the other 5l.' The results are set out in the following table: Geometry Inlet efficiencv)I of Taper Geometry ~,=35pm 514mix Cubic 1 8883 .963 9 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 36 37

Claims (5)

1. A cyclone separator comprising elements, designed sized and arranged for treating a mixture of liquids for separating a more dense component from a less dense component thereof, the separator comprising: an elongated separating chamber having a longitudinal axis of symmetry between opposite first and second ends, the separating chamber being of greater cross-sectional dimension at the first end that at the second end, the separating chamber having an overflow outlet and at least one underflow outlet; and at least one tangentially directed feed inlet proximate to the first end and disposed in a plane containing a secondary axis which extends from the longitudinal axis in a direction normal thereto, characterized in that the profile of said separating chamber is at least in part of generally cubic form.

2. A cyclone separator according to claim 1 characterized in that said profile meets the following requirement: 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 S* 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 21 21 S22 23 24 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 36 37 i '-38 0 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 r(mm) 28 [z(2z 2 106 1/3 x 10 5)] k I i a a F where r radius of the separating chamber z the distance along the longitudinal axis of the separator taken from a point in the plane of the inlet or from a point spaced downstream of the plane of the inlet.

3. A cyclone separator according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that said overflow outlet is at said first end and said underflow outlet is at said second end.

4. A cyclone separator according to any preceding claim characterised by said separating chamber including a swirl chamber section at the upstream end thereof. >1 900809, dbwspe.011, cyclone. spe, 6 A cyclone separator according to claim 4- characterized in that said swirl chamber section is substantially cylindrical in cross-section.

6. A cyclone separator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing. 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 15 s 16 17 18 19 S. 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 36 -T 37 DATED this 9th day of August, 1990. CONOCO SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC. By its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON 900809,dbwspe.O11cyclone.spe.6