Method of cyclonic separation of a flow of multi-phase fluid

Abstract

A method of separating a flow of multi-phase fluid includes directing the flow through the inlet opening of an enclosed tubular body comprising a tubular sidewall with opposed end walls, one or more axial outlet apertures formed through the end walls, and one or more radial outlet apertures formed through the tubular sidewall at locations spaced from the inlet opening. The method also includes directing the flow of multi-phase fluid onto one or more swirl plates positioned between the inlet opening and the outlet apertures, with the swirl plates having angled surfaces configured to impart a cyclonic motion to the flow so as to initiate separation of the constituents of the multi-phase. The method further includes directing the gas constituent axially outward through the axial outlet aperture and directing the oil constituent and the water constituent radially outward from the tubular body through the one or more radial outlet apertures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of separating a flow of multi-phase fluid including at least a gas constituent, an oil constituent, and a water constituent, the method comprising:
 directing the flow of multi-phase fluid through an inlet opening of an enclosed tubular body, the tubular body comprising a tubular sidewall with opposed end walls centered about a longitudinal axis, the tubular body also including at least one axial outlet aperture formed through the opposed end walls and at least one radial outlet aperture formed through the tubular sidewall at a location spaced from the inlet opening;   directing the flow of multi-phase fluid onto at least one swirl plate positioned within the tubular body between the inlet opening and the at least one axial outlet aperture and the at least one radial outlet aperture, the at least one swirl plate having angled surfaces configured to impart a cyclonic motion of the flow of multi-phase fluid within the tubular body so as to initiate separation of the constituents of the multi-phase fluid within the tubular body:   directing at least a majority portion of the gas constituent axially outward from the tubular body through the at least one axial outlet aperture; and   directing at least a majority portion of the oil constituent and at least a majority portion of the water constituent radially outward from the tubular body through the at least one radial outlet aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein directing the at least a majority portion of the oil constituent and the at least a majority portion of the water constituent radially outward from the tubular body further comprises:
 directing a majority portion of the water constituent radially outward through a first radial aperture proximate an end wall that includes the at least one axial outlet aperture; and   directing a majority portion of the oil constituent radially outward through a second radial aperture spaced from the opposed end wall.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a center of the first radial aperture is in angular alignment, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body, with a center of the second radial aperture. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first radial aperture and the second radial aperture are substantially circular. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising directing at least a majority portion of a solids constituent included in the flow of multi-phase fluid out of the tubular body in a radially outward and downward direction through at least one elongate aperture formed through a bottom portion of the tubular body. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising splitting the flow of multi-phase fluid into a first stream and a second stream upon entry of the flow of multi-phase fluid into the tubular body through the inlet opening, the first stream and the second stream being directed in opposite directions along the longitudinal axis of the tubular body to the opposed end walls. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 ,
 wherein splitting the flow of multi-phase fluid into a first stream and a second stream further comprises directing the flow of multi-phase fluid onto a forward edge of a splitter plate located within the tubular body of the cyclonic separator, and   wherein directing the flow of multi-phase fluid onto the at least one swirl plate further comprises directing the first stream and the second stream onto swirl plates located downstream and on opposite sides of the splitter plate.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the inlet opening further comprises a radial inlet aperture formed through a center portion of the tubular sidewall and equally spaced between the opposed end walls, and   wherein the splitter plate is located at the center portion of the tubular sidewall and aligned with the inlet opening.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein directing the at least a majority portion of the gas constituent axially outward from the tubular body further comprises directing a majority portion of the gas constituent of the first stream and the second stream axially outward through axial apertures formed through each of the opposed end walls. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein directing at least a majority portion of the oil constituent and at least a majority portion of the water constituent radially outward from the tubular body further comprises directing a majority portion of the oil constituent and a majority portion of the water constituent radially outward through a first radial aperture proximate each opposed end wall and a second radial aperture adjacent each first radial aperture to form opposing pairs of first and second radial apertures. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling an average velocity of the flow of multi-phase fluid so as to be maintained above a minimum inlet velocity for imparting the cyclonic motion within the tubular body. 
     
     
         12 . A method for initiating the separation of constituents of a flow of multi-phase fluid including a gas constituent, an oil constituent, a water constituent, and a solids constituent, the method comprising:
 directing the flow of multi-phase fluid through an inlet opening of an enclosed tubular body, the tubular body comprising a tubular sidewall with opposed end walls centered about a longitudinal axis, the tubular body including an inlet opening, at least one axial outlet aperture formed through the opposed end walls, at least one radial outlet aperture formed through the tubular sidewall at a location spaced from the inlet opening, and at least one elongate aperture formed through a bottom portion of the tubular body;   directing the flow of multi-phase fluid onto at least one swirl plate positioned within the tubular body between the inlet opening and the at least one axial outlet aperture and the at least one radial outlet aperture, the at least one swirl plate having angled surfaces configured to impart a cyclonic motion of the flow of multi-phase fluid within the tubular body so as to initiate separation of the constituents of the multi-phase fluid within the tubular body:   directing at least a majority portion of the gas constituent axially outward from the tubular body through the at least one axial outlet aperture;   directing at least a majority portion of the oil constituent and at least a majority portion of the water constituent radially outward from the tubular body through the at least one radial outlet aperture; and   directing at least a majority portion of the solids constituent included radially outward and downward direction from the tubular body through the at least one elongate aperture formed through a bottom portion of the tubular body.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising splitting the flow of multi-phase fluid into a first stream and a second stream upon entry of the flow of multi-phase fluid into the tubular body through the inlet opening, the first stream and the second stream being directed in opposite directions along the longitudinal axis of the tubular body to the opposed end walls. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein splitting the flow of multi-phase fluid into a first stream and a second stream further comprises directing the flow of multi-phase fluid onto a forward edge of a splitter plate located within the tubular body of the cyclonic separator, and   wherein directing the flow of multi-phase fluid onto the at least one swirl plate further comprises directing the first stream and the second stream onto swirl plates located downstream and on opposite sides of the splitter plate.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the inlet opening further comprises a radial inlet aperture formed through a center portion of the tubular sidewall and equally spaced between the opposed end walls, and   wherein the splitter plate is located at the center portion of the tubular sidewall and aligned with the inlet opening.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein directing the at least a majority portion of the gas constituent axially outward from the tubular body further comprises directing a majority portion of the gas constituent of the first stream and the second stream axially outward through axial apertures formed through each of the opposed end walls. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein directing at least a majority portion of the oil constituent and at least a majority portion of the water constituent radially outward from the tubular body further comprises directing a majority portion of the oil constituent and a majority portion of the water constituent radially outward through a first radial aperture proximate each opposed end wall and a second radial aperture adjacent each first radial aperture to form opposing pairs of first and second radial apertures. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising controlling an average velocity of the flow of multi-phase fluid so as to be maintained above a minimum inlet velocity for imparting the cyclonic motion within the tubular body. 
     
     
         19 . A method of separating the constituents of the flow of multi-phase fluid comprising the method of  claim 12  and further comprising collecting each of the majority portion of the gas constituent, the majority portion of the oil constituent, the majority portion of the water constituent, and the majority portion of the solids constituent within an elongate separator vessel having an inlet end, a discharge end opposite the inlet end, and separator sidewalls extending between the inlet end and the discharge end,
 wherein the separator vessel is partially filled with a bulk fluid so as to define a fluid level of the bulk fluid and a head space above the bulk fluid, 
 wherein the tubular body is positioned within the separator vessel proximate the inlet end of the separator vessel and above the fluid level of the bulk fluid, and 
 wherein the majority portion of the gas constituent is configured to flow directly into the head space of the separator vessel, the majority portion of the oil constituent and the majority portion of the water constituent are configured to flow toward an inlet end cap of the separator vessel, and the majority portion of the solids constituent is configured to flow downwards into the bulk fluid contained within the separator vessel. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 ,
 wherein the separator vessel includes a separator longitudinal axis defining a horizontal centerline plane and a vertical centerline plane, and   wherein a longitudinal axis of the tubular body is orientated substantially perpendicular to the vertical centerline plane of the separator vessel and substantially parallel with and spaced above the horizontal centerline plane of the separator vessel.