Patent ID: 8851110
Filing Date: 2014-10-07
Classification: F17D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A flow dividing device for a multi-phase fluid that comprises a first component having a first density and a second component having a second density that is greater than the first density, the dividing device comprising: a feed conduit having a uniform diameter between a feed end and a discharge end with a plurality of distribution conduits fluidly coupled to the discharge end; wherein the distribution conduits are arranged symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis of the feed conduit, and wherein the feed conduit is substantially vertically oriented and coupled to the distribution conduits, and further wherein an upstream section of the distribution conduits is coaxial with the feed conduit so as to form an impacting tee or impacting wye; a flow redistribution element fluidly coupled to or integrally formed from the feed conduit in a position upstream of the discharge conduit and configured to induce tangential momentum along the longitudinal axis of the feed conduit to the multi-phase fluid to thereby preferentially force at least some of the second component to an inner wall of the feed conduit and to thereby produce a substantially equal phase distribution into the distribution conduits via rotational motion of the multi-phase fluid; and wherein the flow redistribution element comprises at least two helically shaped vanes with at least one helical turn of the vane.