Abstract:
A compact cyclonic separator is described which can handle mixtures of solids, liquids and gases in one vessel and provide continuous separation. The invention operates by providing tangential flow into a vertical cylindrical tube and utilizing the tangential flow and gravity to separate into a gas stream, a clean liquids stream, and a solid rich slurry mixture. Several embodiments for controlling the flow of the solid rich slurry mixture are described.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional Ser. No. 60/645,718, filed Jan. 21, 2005 by the present inventor. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This instant invention relates to the separation of gases, liquids and solids in various processes. More particularly it takes gasified slurries and helps separate them into their major components. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The petroleum, chemical, and cement industries, among others, often require the transport of slurries (solid rich liquids) as part of their process handling. For instance, in the oil and gas drilling industry, mixtures coming from the well in the drilling process must be processed for study, and or reuse. Because such mixtures often contain gas also, separation of the liquids, gases and solids is often required. Then, each phase is further processed as needed. The separation can involve devices such as separators, ‘gas busters’, hydrocyclones and shakers. The combination of several vessels and the piping, valves, and control schemes to keep them all working together, can be expensive in terms of both money and space requirements. 
     There is a need then for a better solution, a more compact, less expensive step for separation of these phases. 
     SUMMARY 
     The needs discussed above are addressed by the instant invention. One aspect of the instant invention is an apparatus for separating a mixture of solids, liquids, and gases including at least a vertical cylindrical tube; a tangential inlet for the mixture at an inlet location between the top and the bottom of the vertical cylindrical tube; a top exit point from the vertical cylindrical tube for transporting gases; a centralized vertical pipe that extends from the bottom of the vertical cylindrical tube to a point below the top exit point; a first bottom exit point for transporting liquids from the vertical cylindrical tube in communication with the centralized vertical pipe; and a second bottom exit point for draining solid rich slurry mixtures from the vertical cylindrical tube, the second bottom exit point being offset from center of the vertical cylindrical tube. 
     Another aspect of the instant invention is a similar apparatus in which the flow of the solid rich slurry mixture from the annulus area between the outer vertical cylindrical tube and the centralized vertical pipe is controlled by an inflatable element/packer that expands or contracts in that same annulus area based on hydraulic or pneumatic means. 
     Another aspect of the invention is a similar apparatus in which the flow of solid rich slurry mixture from the annulus area between the outer cylindrical tube and the centralized vertical pipe is controlled by an annulus valve that is a sealing means with sealing elements that seal to the bottom edge of the outer cylindrical tube with vertical movement from a hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, or manual pump system below or attached to the sealing means. 
     Another aspect of the invention is an apparatus to keep the solid rich slurry mixture from plugging the lower part of the vertical cylindrical tube using ribs, fins or spirals attached to the outer surface of the centralized vertical pipe coupled with vertical movement of the centralized vertical pipe. 
     Another aspect of the invention is an apparatus to keep the solid rich slurry mixture from plugging the lower part of the vertical tube using spiraled fins, ridges, or ribs on the outer surface of the centralized vertical pipe coupled with rotational movement. 
     Another aspect of the invention is an apparatus to keep the solid rich slurry mixture from plugging the lower part of the vertical tube using blades on the top surface of the bottom sealing means coupled with rotational movement of the bottom sealing means. 
     The invention also includes a method for separating a mixture of solids, liquids, and gases including at least the steps of feeding the mixture into a cylindrical vessel at a tangential angle; withdrawing clean liquids from a first bottom point of the cylindrical vessel; withdrawing a solids rich slurry from a second bottom point bottom of the cylindrical vessel; and withdrawing a gas stream from a top point of the cylindrical vessel. 
     To insure that a clear and complete explanation is given to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention specific examples will be given involving applying the invention to a specific configuration of a gas-liquid-solid separator. It should be understood though that the inventive concept could apply to various modifications of such separator systems and the specific examples are not intended to limit the inventive concept to the example application. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side cross-section view of the separator of the instant invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top cross section view of the separator of the instant invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a different top cross section view of the separator of the instant invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side cross-section view of another embodiment of the separator of the instant invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a side cross-section view of another embodiment of the separator of the instant invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a side cross-section view of another embodiment of the separator of the instant invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a vertical compact gas-liquids-solids separator of the instant invention, shown generally by the numeral  10 . It is important to note in this figure and the remaining figures that the actual height to diameter ratio of cylindrical tube  14  may be different than shown here but was shown in this manner to provide clarity to the mechanisms involved. In addition the walls of cylindrical tube  14  can be parallel or non-parallel. The mixture to be separated, which can have solids, liquids, and gases, enters the inlet leg  12  that intersects the side of vertical cylindrical tube  14  tangentially causing the mixture from the inlet leg to swirl in vertical cylindrical tube  14 . The angle  11  of inlet leg  12  from the horizontal can vary. A preferred angle is between 20 and 40 degrees and more preferably between 27 and 31 degrees. The tangential nature of the flow can be envisioned also by looking ahead to  FIG. 3  in which the inlet leg  12  is shown from above (B - - - B′ cross section) vertical cylindrical tube  14 . This additional centrifugal force caused from the swirling action causes the gases, liquids and solids to separate laterally by their density and particle size while gravity then causes separation in the vertical direction, also by the same factors. Returning to  FIG. 1 , gases will move to the center and up, through exit line  16 , liquids will move out and down relative to the gases and pass through interior vertical pipe  20 , and the heavier solid particles  18  will progress to the outside edge of vertical cylindrical tube  14  and will then move downward along that same outer edge and below the clean liquids. 
     Gas exits out at a point at the top of the separator into line  16  with rate, level, and pressure regulated by control valve  17 . A centralized vertical pipe  20  extending upward from a point at the bottom of the separator and ending below the established liquids level, allows cleaner (ie, less solids laden) fluids to exit the cyclonic separator with rate, level, and pressure regulated by control valve  26 . A cap  19  is suspended above vertical pipe  20  by a structure that readily allows fluids to flow under the cap into tube  20 . This structure could be a screen material or simple support struts. Due to the centrifugal forces, the solid rich slurry mixture continues down the annulus area between the outer wall of  14  and this interior centralized vertical pipe  20  to exit at the bottom of the separator through an exit point into line  22 . The exit lines  22 , 32  can have controlling valves  24 , 26  to control flow rate and liquid—solid levels. These control valves can be operated/controlled manually or with an automated central processor/monitor which will monitor tube  14  level, pressure, rates of gas, clean fluids and solids-rich mixture, solids-rich mixture density and other factors. 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  are both cross-section views of vertical cylindrical tube  14  at two different cross-sections.  FIG. 2 , shown generally as  30  is a cross section depiction of the separator in  FIG. 1  at the A-A′ cross-section showing the centralized vertical pipe point  20  and the corresponding clean fluid exit pipe  32 .  FIG. 3 , shown generally as  40 , is a cross section depiction of the separator in  FIG. 1  at the B-B′ cross-section showing tangential inlet  12 . Tangential inlet  12  can be configured to input the gas-liquid-solid mixture in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise manner. Both figures also show the solids rich exit pipe  22 . 
       FIG. 4 , shown generally as the numeral  50 , is similar to  FIG. 1  but shows an alternate method for control of the flow of the solid rich slurry mixture. In this method, an inflatable element/packer  52 , within the annulus of vertical cylindrical tube  14  and around centralized vertical pipe  20  for the clean fluid, is used to control the flow rate/exit rate of the solid rich slurry mixture by expanding or contracting to open or close the gap shown at  57 . This inflatable control method also helps prevent plugging of solids in the bottom of the separator, since it can be fully opened to allow the pressure differential within the separator to dislodge solids. A protective mesh  56  (steel or otherwise harder material than the elastomer elements of the packer) can cover the elastomer material to prevent erosive wear of the inflatable element A hydraulic or pneumatic pump (not shown) connected via line  58  to a reservoir and control valve  62  is needed to set and adjust inflatable element/packer  52  to control flow rate. The additional valve  24  shown in this figure on the exit line is added only for additional safety and is not strictly needed. 
       FIG. 5 , shown generally by the numeral  80  is similar to  FIG. 4  but shows another embodiment for the solid rich slurry mixture flow control. In this embodiment a hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, or manual motor, not shown but illustrated as movement arrow  82 , moves a bottom sealing means  86  up or down to create a seal between sealing means  86  and a bottom ring  88  around vertical cylindrical tube  14 , thereby controlling the opening for and the flow rate of the solid rich slurry mixture. The sealing means  86  could be configured in several ways—a flat plate is a preferred embodiment. The shapes and angles of these elements shown are somewhat arbitrary and a number of configurations are possible for this embodiment. This bottom sealing means  86  has an upper and outer elastomer element  90  for sealing. This elastomer element encounters and meets and seals to the lower end of the vertical cylindrical tube  14  at bottom ring  88 . This contact can be at some angle to maximize contact area. The clean fluid&#39;s centralized vertical pipe  20  is sealed to sealing means  86  to prevent leakage but can move independent of this sealing means  86  or it can be directly connected to sealing means  86  and move (vertical or rotational) with it. The bottom exit pipe  32  is connected to the interior centralized vertical pipe  20  at swivel point  92 . The swivel  92  allows rotation of centralized vertical pipe  20  and provides a connection to stationary exit pipe  32 . 
     This bottom sealing means  86  and/or the vertical centralized pipe  20 , (either together, connected or separately and independently) can also rotate, as shown by rotational arrow  83 , by electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic means. With optional spiraled fins, ridges, or ribs  84  on the outside of the vertical centralized tube, and connected to the bottom sealing means, this rotating action will help grind and/or auger the solids down and out of tube  14 , preventing plugging. The possible combination of both actions (rotational and vertical movements) can help prevent solids buildup and plugging. A seal of some method and rating must exist where the bottom sealing means  86  and the centralized vertical pipe  20  meets. This seal allows rotational or vertical movement between  86  and  20  as stated earlier. 
       FIG. 6 , shown generally by the numeral  100  is similar to  FIG. 5  but shows another embodiment for the solid rich slurry mixture flow control. Again the bottom sealing means can rotate, as shown by rotational arrow  83 , and/or stroke as shown by arrow  82 , either by electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic means. In this embodiment paddles or blades  85  extend up from the sealing means into the annulus and rotate with sealing means  86 , and can aid in keeping the solids mixture fluid and moving. Again, movement, either rotational or vertical between sealing means  86  and centralized vertical pipe  20  can be connected or independent. 
     While one (or more) embodiment(s) of this invention has (have) been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described above, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the essence of this invention. All such modifications or variations are believed to be within the sphere and scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.