GB2401559A

GB2401559A - A degassing device for separating liquid and gas from a mixture

Info

Publication number: GB2401559A
Application number: GB0310816A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ross Lamond Colquhoun
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-05-10
Filing date: 2003-05-10
Publication date: 2004-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 2023-05-10
Also published as: GB0310816D0; GB2401559B

Abstract

A degasser comprising a main body having an inlet for a gas-liquid mixture which flows from the inlet under gravity over a weir 7 and into a reservoir 10 for degassed liquid, the level of which is controlled by a flotation device 11 and discrete outlets for the separated liquid 4 and gas 17, the gas and liquid being separated by pressure reduction occurring within the body and the gas outlet being in the form of a vacuum, preferably venturi, device 5. A ball-valve may be provided in the gas outlet to prevent unwanted discharge of liquid from the gas outlet and to prevent entry of gas into the body via the gas outlet. The floatation device may serve to close off the gas outlet in the event of there being an excess of liquid in the reservoir.

Description

2401559 The GAS X-TRAK-TOR The invention relates to a Degasser to extract

trapped gases in a moving fluid. This device will be called the GAS XTRAK-TOR.

Degassers are well known devices to extract gas trapped in a fluid when the gas is unwanted. The Degassers may be operational on a static fluids such as Laboratory fluids or on flowing fluid such as the Degassers used while Drilling for Oil and Gas.

Degassers can vary in size from the small such as the laboratory model to large such as the Degassers used while Drilling for Oil and Gas.

The GAS X-TRAC-TOR Degassers will handle flowing fluids and is capable of being manufactured in smaller dimensions.

According to the present invention there is provided a Degasser of a smaller size designed to condition a flowing fluid. It is estimated that this device will be less than 500mm long although larger units could be developed. The GAS X-TRAK-TOR has been developed for fluids that are being drawn through the unit by means of the suction side of a pump such as a diaphragm pump rather than being pumped into the unit by the positive discharge of a pump such as a centrifugal pump or a diaphragm pump. As the fluid is drawn thought the GAS X-TRAK-TOR it is under negative pressure and this would tend to release any gas trapped in the fluid. This release is reinforced by altering the flow pattern of the fluid from flow in a pipe such as a circular pipe to a thin flow spread over a larger area. An additional mechanism to reinforce this release is to divert the flow over a weir or an edge which will help to force out the remaining gas trapped in the fluid. Once the Gas is released by the reduced pressure and altered flow pattern it is discharged to the atmosphere by means of a Vacuum device such as that operating on the Venturi or similar principal to be called the Venturi device. To prevent the fluid from being drawn out of the GAS X-TRAK-TOR by the Venturi device or air being drawn into the GAS X-TRAK-TOR by the pump suction a ball will be located below the Venturi device which will seat on one of two places to seal the flowing fluid from either unwanted suction of the atmosphere or to prevent suction of air into the fluid. In the case of the Venturi device vacuum being greater than the pump suction and drawing fluid to the Venturi device the movement of the ball will be helped by it floating on the fluid prior to sealing the orifice. To prevent unwanted atmospheric air being drawn into the GAS X-TRAK-TOR the ball can rest on a seat to prevent the entry of this air if the Venturi type suction can not balance the pump suction and its down movement will be aided by gravity. This process of closing either orifice will be continually repeated as balance is reached.

To prevent unwanted Gas from above the fluid level entering the main Pumping device a float will lie on the top of the fluid before the final discharge point which will go up and down with the fluid level and unblock or block the final discharge to prevent this Gas entering the Pump.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective the GAS X-TRAK-TOR Figure 2 show the flow patterns of a fluid through the GAS X- TRAK-TOR and the flotation device Figure 3 shows the air evacuation device with the non return ball in three operational positions.

Referring to Figure 1 The GAS X-TRAK-TOR comprises of an air tight body 1 with an inlet 2 and an outlet 3 the precise locations of which are optional. The fluid 4 is drawn thought the device by applying suction at the outlet 3 and it is fed by the suction at the inlet 2 with the fluid entering the GA X-TRAK-TOR at the inlet.

The released gas will be evacuated to the atmosphere by the Venturi device 5 which is mounted on the Venturi Safety device 6 Referring to Figure 2 the flow pattern of this fluid 4 is spread by the diverter plate 7 which can act as a weir in the instance that all the diverter perforations are blocked with a space 8 between the top of the device and the diverter will allowing this to happen. The fluid flow 4 continues until it cascades over the weir 9 and flows into a reservoir of fluid 10 which is then drawn from the outlet 3 by a pump. Any gas released from the fluid will be drawn into the atmosphere by means of an extraction device such as a device working on the Venturi or similar effect 5 which is mounted above the Venturi Safety device 6. The direction 17 of Air flow at the Venturi device is shown. A float 11 on the Fluid in the reservoir will prevent unwanted gas from above the fluid exiting the GAS X-TRAK-TOR.

Referring to Figure 3 the Venturi safety device 6 has a ball 14 which can block the orifice at the discharge exit 15 or the orifice at the Gas Flow 16. Example A shows the pull from the pump suction 13 and the pull from the Venturi device 12 to be in balance. Example B shows the pull from the pump suction 13 to be greater than the pull from the Venturi device 12. Example C shows the pull from the Venturi device 12 is greater than the pull from the pump suction 13 with the movement of the ball helped by being floated by the fluid 4 to the orifice.

Claims

A Degasser called a GAS X-TRAK-TOR comprises of a main body with an inlet and an outlet for a fluid flow being drawn by suction into the GAS X-TRAKTOR which is spread over the width of the body by means of a diverter which alters the flow pattern to a thin and wide flow and flows over a weir to a pool or reservoir of fluid whose level is controlled by a floatation device and which a Vacuum device such as a Venturi type device helps entrained gas to escape to the atmosphere.
2 A Degasser called a GAS X-TRAK-TOR as claimed in claimed 1 wherein a ball will seat on seats located below the Venturi device to control the flow to the Venturi device to prevent unwanted discharge of the fluid or unwanted entry of atmospheric air through the Venturi device or its orifice.
3 A Degasser called a GAS X-TRAK-TOR as claimed in claimed 1 and claim 2 wherein a float at the discharge end will rise and fall with the fluid level and prevent gas above the fluid level leaving the GAS X-TRAK-TOR and entering the pump suction.
4 A Degasser called a GAS X-TRAK-TOR as claimed in claimed 1 and claim 2 and claim 3 wherein the suction and discharge can be positioned as required to adapt to the installation.