US3352090A - Liquid-gas separator - Google Patents

Liquid-gas separator Download PDF

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Publication number
US3352090A
US3352090A US568551A US56855166A US3352090A US 3352090 A US3352090 A US 3352090A US 568551 A US568551 A US 568551A US 56855166 A US56855166 A US 56855166A US 3352090 A US3352090 A US 3352090A
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United States
Prior art keywords
cup
tube
gas
central tube
conduit
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US568551A
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English (en)
Inventor
Stillebroer Cornelis
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Shell USA Inc
Original Assignee
Shell Oil Co
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Filing date
Publication date
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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/34—Arrangements for separating materials produced by the well
    • E21B43/38—Arrangements for separating materials produced by the well in the well

Definitions

  • FIG. 1 A first figure.
  • FIG. I2 is a diagrammatic representation of FIG. I2
  • This invention relates to a gas anchor for separating liquid and gas from a liquid/ gas mixture which is produced from a subsurface formation into a well penetrating into the formation.
  • the principal aim of the present invention is to provide a gas anchor which has an extremely high separation effect.
  • a pump In order to pass the produced liquid (such as oil) from the bottom of the well to the surface a pump is often employed near the bottom of the well, the pump having its outlet end in communication with a production tube extending to the surface.
  • the liquid to be introduced into the pump should be as free as possible from gas bubbles.
  • the inlet end of the pump communicates with a gas anchor which separates the gas and the liquid which are introduced into the well in the form of a mixture.
  • the liquid separated by the gas anchor is guided to the pump inlet and hence to the top of the well and the gas separated from the mixture by the gas anchor flows directly through the annular space around the production tubing to the surface.
  • One of the simplest forms of gas anchor is of the cuptype, which comprises a plurality of generally cup-shaped members or cups each arranged around a central tube and spaced substantially equidistant from each other along this tube. The mixture of gas and liquid is supplied to the cups. The inside of each cup communicates with the interior of the central tube via openings arranged in the wall of this tube for passing liquid which is as free as possible from gas bubbles from the cups into the tube and thence to the inlet of the pump.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a gas anchor for separating gas and liquid out of a gas-liquid mixture.
  • a further object is to provide a gas anchor capable of handling a gas-liquid mixture, which may contain foreign particles, without clogging the anchor.
  • a still further object is to provide a gas anchor capable of handling a gas-liquid mixture containing particles while maintaining a high separation efli-ciency.
  • a gas anchor for separating gas and liquid comprises a central tube around which a plurality of cups are arranged at substantially equal distances between each other, each cup being provided with pressure drop control means in the form of at least one flow resistant conduit, one end of which is positioned within the cup near the lower part thereof, and the end of which is in communication with the interior of the central tube.
  • FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of part of a gas anchor according to the invention.
  • FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section of part of an alter native construction of a gas anchor according to the invention.
  • FIGURE 4 is a cross section taken along section IVIV;
  • FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal section of another modified construction of the gas anchor
  • FIGURE 6 is a cross section taken along section VI-VI;
  • FIGURE 7 is a cross section of an alternative of the construction according to FIGURE 5;
  • FIGURE -8 is a longitudinal cross section of a further alternative construction of the gas anchor
  • FIGURE 9 is a cross section taken along section IXIX;
  • FIGURE 10 is a longitudinal section of an alternative construction of the gas anchor according to FIGURE 8.
  • FIGURE 11 is a longitudinal section of part of a gas anchor according to the invention, wherein the wall of the central tube is formed by parts of the cups;
  • FIGURE 12 is a longitudinal section of part of a gas anchor according to the invention wherein the wall of the conduit of each cup is formed by the wall of the central tube and by the cylindrical extension of the cup; and,
  • FIGURE 13 is a cross section taken along section XIII-XIII in FIGURE 12.
  • the cup 1 as shown in FIGURE 1 is of the frustoconical type and is provided at its lower end with a cylindrical extension 2 fitting around the central tube 3.
  • the cup 1 is supported by the central tube 3 by connectmg the extension 2 to the tube in a suitable manner, e.g., by brazing or welding.
  • a further reinforcement is obtained by strips 4 which are connected to the outer rim of the cup 1 and to the rims of the other (not shown) cups which are arranged below cup 1 at substantially equal distances between each other. These connections between the strips 4 and the cups 1 may be obtained, e.g., by welding. Any number of strips 4 may be used, provided that the passage for the liquid so as to enter the cup 1 is not seriously hampered.
  • the cup 1 in FIGURE 1 is provided with pressure drop control means in the form of flow resistant conduit formed by a pipe 5 having a circular cross-section.
  • One end of this pipe communicates with the interior of the central tube 3.
  • the end 6 of this pipe 5 is preferably sealinglypassed through an opening arranged in the wall of this tube, and connected thereto, e.g., by welding or brazing.
  • the other end 7 of the pipe 5 is positioned near the lower part of the interior of the cup 1. If desired, this end 7 or any other part of the pipe 5 may be connected to the cup 1.
  • the pipe 5' makes nearly a full turn around the central tube 3.
  • the invention is limited neither to the number of turns nor to the shape of the pipe 5 as shown in FIGURE 2 and in FIGURE 1 as will be seen from the other constructions as shown in FIG- URES 3-13.
  • the flow resistant conduit must have a wildcient length to insure a dynamic pressure drop between the cup 1 and the central discharge tube 3. This length may vary with each application but in any event the conduit has a length greater than the diameter of the tube 3.
  • the cross-sectional area of the conduit must be'great enough to permit passage of foreign particles carried by the liquid as will be described later.
  • each central tube 3 are preferably provided with connecting means (not shown), such as screwthreads arranged on the outer surface of the tube.
  • connecting means such as screwthreads arranged on the outer surface of the tube.
  • the inlet of the well pump does not necessarily need to be connected to the top of the central tube, or to the top of the uppermost of the string of central tubes of the gas anchor according to the invention.
  • a suction tube which at the top communicates with the suction side of the well pump, may be arranged within the central tube 3, in such away that the lower open end of the suction tube is preferably located below the lowermost conduit. It will be clear that the annulus between the suction tube and the central tube is sealed near the top of the central tube.
  • FIGURE 3 shows part of a gas anchor in which a pipe 8 is folded over the rim 9 of the cup 10.
  • End 11 of pipe 8 is positioned near the lowest part of the interior of the cup 10, while the end 12 thereof passes through an opening provided in the cylindrical extension 13 arranged at the lower end of the frusto-conical cup 10.
  • the cup-pipe combination can be slid over the central tube 14 until the open end 12 of the pipe coincides with the opening 15 arranged in the wall of the central tube 14. In this position the cup is connected to the tube 14, e.g., by brazing or welding the extension 13 to the tube 14.
  • connection of the extension 13 to the central tube 14 need not be absolutely liquid tight, since any liquid passing through a short circuit formed between the interior of the cup 10 and the opening will promptly be plugged by dirt or other foreign matter which is drawn thereinto.
  • the pipe 8 may be connected at any desired spot to the wall of the cup 10 such as by welding or brazing, and that the legs of the folded pipe 8 need not be arranged in a common plane.
  • the bend in the pipe 8 does not need to extend beyond the rim 9 of the cup 10. If desired, this rim 9 may be provided with a recess (not shown) in which the bend of pipe 8 is arranged.
  • FIGURE 7 An alternative of the construction according to FIG- URE 5 is shown in FIGURE 7.
  • the pipe 22 is spirally wound so as to form a cup, which is connected to the central tube 23 by brazing or weld-ing the innermost winding thereof to the wall of this tube.
  • the one end of this tube opens into the bottom of the cup formed thereby, whereas the other end is bent inwardly and welded or. brazed to the central tube 23 at the part of the wall surrounding an opening 24.
  • the windings of the pipe 22 may be mutually sealed, e.g., by brazing them together.
  • the innermost winding of the pipe 22 is preferably connected to the central tube, such as by brazing or welding.
  • the cup 25 as shown in FIGURE 8 is conically shaped and provided at its lower end wit-h a cylindrical extension 26 which may slide over the central tube 27 so as to bring the cup 25 in the desired position.
  • a conduit 28 arranged to communicate between the interior of the cup 25 and the interior of the central tube 27, is formed between the lower part of the inner wall of the cup 25, an annular plate 29 and part of the outer wall of the tube 27.
  • One side of the conduit 28 communicates with the lower part of the cup 25 via the opening 30 provided in the annular plate 29, while the other side communicates with the interior of the central tube 27 via the opening 31 provided in the wall of this tube 27.
  • a short circuit between the two openings 30 and 31 is prevented by a closure plate 32.
  • Welds and/ or brazings are arranged at suitable places, firstly so as to form a unit comprising the cup 25, the annular plate 29 and the closure plate 32, and secondly to connect this unit to the tube 27 such that the plate 32 is arranged between the openings 30 and 31.
  • FIGURE 10 An alternative of the construction according to FIG- URE 8 is shown in FIGURE 10.
  • the extension 26 is further extended and forms at the lower end an annular cover 29' which closes the upper side of the conduit 28 of a lower arranged cup.
  • Openings 30, 31 and closure plate 32 are arranged in the same manner as indicated in the FIGURES 8 and 9.
  • the cups can .be stacked together and do not need to be welded to the central tube 27.
  • suitable markings and/ or locking means are arranged on the cups so as to align the closure plates 32.
  • a locking means or marker may be arranged on the lowermost cup and the central tube 27 so as to locate the closure plates 32 correctly with respect to the openings 31 in the tube 27.
  • the cups may be mutually welded or brazed at their contact areas. In another manner, the cups may be held together by strips 4 in the manner as indicated in FIGURE 1.
  • the central tube is formed by the tubular extensions 33 of the cups 34.
  • the pipes 35 are arranged within the central tube and are each at one end thereof connected to the lowest part of a tubular extension 33.
  • the cups are formed to a common unit by welding or brazing (or connecting them in another manner known per se) to strips 36. It will be appreciated, that although in the embodiment shown the pipes 35 are arranged in a downward direction with respect to the end thereof communicating with the interior of the cups, they may also, without departing from the scope of the invention, be arranged in an upward direction, or any other direction (e.g., in a horizontal plane).
  • each conduit 37 is partly formed by a channel 38 arranged in an extension 39 of a cup 40.
  • This channel 38 is preferably pressed or rolled into the extension 39.
  • a separation plate 41 is arranged in the channel 38 in a, suitable manner,
  • Cross channel 42 may be of semi-cylindrical shape and welded or brazed to the cup 40, the extension 39 and the channel 38 after the required parts thereof have been removed, e.g., by milling.
  • the central tubes thereof are at the upper and lower ends provided with connecting means suitable to connect such central tube either to another central tube, or to connect the top of a central tube to the lower end of a well pump, or to connect the lower end of a central tube to a closing cap.
  • connecting means suitable to connect such central tube either to another central tube, or to connect the top of a central tube to the lower end of a well pump, or to connect the lower end of a central tube to a closing cap.
  • the operation of the gas anchors according to the invention is as follows. At least one length of a central tube provided with cups and conduits according to the invention is coupled to the lower end of a well pump, and the lower end of the central tube or string of central tubes is closed by a suitable closing cap.
  • the gas anchor together with the well pump is then introduced into the well and consequently lowered therein in a manner known per se through the casing which is cemented in the well.
  • the pump After the pump has arrived on its seat near the bottom of the well, it can be actuated and a liquid/ gas mixture will flow out of the formation, and enter into the annular space between the casing and the gas anchor. When the mixture flows upward, the direction of the mixture is reversed when passing into a cup.
  • the excellent separating action of the gas anchor according to the invention results from the fact that due to the high resistance to flow through the conduits arranged between the interior of the central tube and the cups, the pressure drop along these conduits, during operation of the anchor, will always be in the direction of the interior of the central tube.
  • the hydrostatic pressure difference would at low dynamic pressure drops along the conduits between the cups and the tube (which may occur when the cross-sectional area of the conduits is too great and/ or the length of the conduits is too small to create the required flow resistance to the fluid passing through the tubes), result in a flow of fluid out of the tube and into the cups at the lower part of the gas anchor.
  • This flow of fluid out of the central tube at the lower part of the gas anchor would automatically be compensated by an increase in the flow of fluid into the tube at the upper part of the gas anchor, and the increased flow would decrease the separation efiiciency.
  • a sufficiently high dynamic pressure drop along the conduits results in a pressure drop which will always be in the direction of the tube, notwithstanding the differences in hydrostatic pressure occurring between the fluid columns inside and outside the central tube.
  • the invention is not limited to conduits having a particular cross-sectional shape provided that the distance between the walls of the conduit is sufiiciently great to allow the foreign material present in the well to pass therethrough without clogging or plugging the passage.
  • the length of the conduits will be chosen so as to obtain a required pressure drop along the conduit for a given cross section of the conduit and a given throughput of liquid.
  • the conduits need not necessarily be of the same length.
  • the pressure difference in the fluid columns inside and outside the central tube varies over the height thereof due to the difference in specific gravity of the fluid (which is a function of the amount of gas present in the fluid). If it is desired to obtain an equal throughput of fluid through allthe conduits, the upper conduits will have to be longer than the lower conduits of the gas anchor. Applying different cross sectional areas in the conduits for the same purpose is not advised, since this increases the possibility of plugging of the conduits.
  • the number of cups applied per gas anchor depends on the required fluid flow through each conduit to reach the required pressure drop across the length thereof, and on the capacity of the Well pump cooperating with the gas anchor. Adding more cups will decrease the efliciency of a gas anchor/pump combination since then the fluid velocity and consequently the pressure drop in each conduit will decrease, which would increase the pressure inside the central tube such, that the pressure inside the lower part of this tube would become greater than the pressure outside the tube at the same level, which would result in a flow of fluid out of the central tube.
  • the material used for the various components of the gas anchor according to the invention is preferably metal.
  • the components are preferably connected together, where required, by brazing or welding.
  • metal pipes instead of using metal pipes as conduits between the cups and the central tube, use may also be made in the constructions according to FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 4 and 11 of flexible pipes (e.g., rubber or plastic pipes), which are coupled to the cups and central tube by short metal coupling pipes welded to the cups and the central tube.
  • the highest separation efl'iciency of the gas anchors according to the invention will be obtained if the end of the conduits communicating with the interior of the cups is arranged as low as possible within the cups.
  • the level at which the other end of the conduits communicates with the central tube can be chosen at will.
  • the shape of the cup does not form part of the invention. Any shape may be used,
  • a gas anchor for separating gas and liquid, comprising a central liquid discharge tube, a plurality of substantially cup-shaped members arranged about said tube at substantially equal distances between each other, each cup being provided with pressure-drop control means in the form of at least one flow resistant conduit, said conduit having a length greater than the diameter of said discharge tube to assure a dynamic pressure drop between said cup and the interior of said tube and a cross-sectional area of a sufficient size to permit passage of foreign particles entrapped in said liquid, one end of said conduit terminating within the cup near the lower part thereof, and the other end of said conduit in communication with the interior of said central tube.
  • a gas anchor according to claim 3 wherein said cups are formed with co-axial tubular extensions which form the central tube, and the lower end of each extension is provided with an opening which communicates with one end of said conduit.
  • a gas anchor according to claim 1 in which the conduit is defined by the inner wall of the cup, the outer wall of the central tube and an annular plate arranged within the cup, and said anchor further includes a separation plate mounted within said conduit, an opening in the annular plate at one side of said separation plate, and a second opening in the wall of the central tube at the other side of the separation plate.
  • a gas anchor according to claim 1 wherein said cup is formed with a co-axial depending cylindrical portion, said conduit is defined by the outer wall of the central tube and the inner wall of the cylindrical portion of said cup, and said anchor further includes a separation plate mounted within said conduit, a second conduit communicating between the first conduit at one side of the separation plate and the lower part of the cup, and an opening in the wall of the central tube at the other side of the separation plate.

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
  • Supply Devices, Intensifiers, Converters, And Telemotors (AREA)
US568551A 1965-08-09 1966-07-28 Liquid-gas separator Expired - Lifetime US3352090A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB34096/65A GB1064336A (en) 1965-08-09 1965-08-09 Gas anchor

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US3352090A true US3352090A (en) 1967-11-14

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US (1) US3352090A (de)
DE (1) DE1243125B (de)
GB (1) GB1064336A (de)
NL (1) NL6611117A (de)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4515608A (en) * 1982-03-04 1985-05-07 Shell Oil Company Multi-chamber gas anchor
US5314529A (en) * 1993-09-13 1994-05-24 Tilton Donald E Entrained droplet separator
US20040163369A1 (en) * 2001-05-25 2004-08-26 Lombana Jorge L. Separator for fluids and solids
DE102011014750A1 (de) * 2011-03-22 2012-09-27 Klaus Volkamer Vorrichtung zur Umsetzung und Separation von Phasen
US20210187415A1 (en) * 2019-12-20 2021-06-24 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. Device for bubble removal from viscous fluid
US20220199380A1 (en) * 2019-06-25 2022-06-23 Applied Materials, Inc. High efficiency trap for particle collection in a vacuum foreline

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1006739A (en) * 1964-03-11 1965-10-06 Shell Int Research Gas anchor

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1220808B (de) * 1964-03-11 1966-07-14 Shell Int Research Gasanker

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1006739A (en) * 1964-03-11 1965-10-06 Shell Int Research Gas anchor

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4515608A (en) * 1982-03-04 1985-05-07 Shell Oil Company Multi-chamber gas anchor
US5314529A (en) * 1993-09-13 1994-05-24 Tilton Donald E Entrained droplet separator
US20040163369A1 (en) * 2001-05-25 2004-08-26 Lombana Jorge L. Separator for fluids and solids
US6981995B2 (en) * 2001-05-25 2006-01-03 Lombana Jorge L Separator for fluids and solids
DE102011014750A1 (de) * 2011-03-22 2012-09-27 Klaus Volkamer Vorrichtung zur Umsetzung und Separation von Phasen
US20220199380A1 (en) * 2019-06-25 2022-06-23 Applied Materials, Inc. High efficiency trap for particle collection in a vacuum foreline
US20210187415A1 (en) * 2019-12-20 2021-06-24 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. Device for bubble removal from viscous fluid
US11918938B2 (en) * 2019-12-20 2024-03-05 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. Device for bubble removal from viscous fluid

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1243125B (de) 1967-06-29
NL6611117A (de) 1967-02-10
GB1064336A (en) 1967-04-05

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