UK Patent Application
9 GB 2436 370 1s A
(2)
(49) Date of A Publication 26.09.2007
(21) Application No: 0605834: (51) INT CL
F450 1/00 (2008 01) 01D 171028 2005 01)
(22) Date of Filing 24.03.2008, Bo1D 19100 2008.01) E218 43/34(2008.01)
(62) UKCL (Edition x)
(7) Applicants): GSH HEA
‘Opus Maxim Limited
(incorporated inthe United Kingdom) (66) Documents Cited
‘Ashcombe Court, Woolsack Way, EP 0437028 A us 6537458.
Godalming, GU7 1LO, United Kingdom an iueranreeraa
(72) tevertor(): (68) Field of Search
David Matthew Connolly UK OL (Editon x) GH
Mark David Haywood INT CL BO1D, BO, E218, F150
Other: EPODOC, OPTICS, WPI
(74) Agent andlor Address for Service:
Zeta Dynamics Lid
Zeta House, Daish Way, Newport,
Isle of Wight PO30 5X4, United Kingdom
(64) Abstract Tile: Horizontal calming battle for smoothing fluld flow
(57). The calming battle smooths liquid and gas flows. It
consists of parallel horizontal beams which help to
control turbulent flow typically created in an cll and gas
‘separator inlet device. The design means that itis able
to.cope with a large range of flow rates, downstream
turbulence and shear is further minimised, can cope
well with stoshing, requires litle to no maintenance or
spare parts, has no moving parts and does not suffer
{rom clogging like other similar devices. tis particularly
Useful in the oll and gas industry where turbulent flows
ean lead to ineficiencies in two and three phase
‘separator vessels. The arrangement has a singular
layer of baffles forthe quid phase but is double layered
for the gas phase.
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Horizontal Calming Baffle
The calming baffle has been primarily developed for the smoothing of liquid and gas
flow for use within two and three phase separation vessels in the oil and gas industry.
The horizontal baffle assembly can be fitted shortly after the inlet device in a
separator to complete the inlet-processing zone.
Vanes have been seen in many industrial applications as useful for redirecting fluid
flow. Typically the leading edge of a vane will be used in a gas or liquid stream to
redirect the flow so that the stream will follow the surface of the vane. The shape of
the vane redirects the flow downstream or to the trailing edge of the vane. From here
the flow direction is governed by the characteristics of the trailing edge. In the oil and
gas industry perforated plates are commonly used. Typically the flow is forced
through holes in the perforated plate
The bulk liquids from an inlet device fall under gravity through a space within the
inlet-processing zone, into a region bounded by the horizontally mounted distribution
baffles. The purpose of the distribution baffle is to quieten the liquid flow prior to its
entry into the liquid / liquid separation region, thus maximising liquid / liquid
separation and suppressing the liquid surface turbulence particularly reducing the
velocities in the horizontal plane. The horizontal baffle provides a high degree of
surface control of the gas / oil interface, giving both secondary smoothing and flow
distribution to the liquid flow. Its format has been developed in house using
laboratory and computational experiments.
The horizontal baffle is a fully cross sectional assembly. As such, the baffle can play
an extremely important part in also enhancing the gas distribution through the
separator, minimising mal-distribution on the downstream demisting equipment, thus
maximising gas / liquid separation. The separation efficiency is maximised because
the bafile takes away the incoming momentum of the flow reducing the turbulence
further downstream improving the laminar flow characteristics. By providing bulk
degassing in the inlet processing zone of the separator there is also a positive effect on
foam reduction, by removing the bulk of the primary cause of foam, i.e. gas in the oil.
The calming baffle assists in promoting rapid foam drainage back into the liquid.
The calming or re-distribution baffle is quite different in performance, both in
stationary and dynamic (sloshing) situations compared with other “industry standard
baffles” such as perforated plates. During sloshing the liquid will not travel back up
the vessel due to the arrangement of the baffle thus reducing the risk of disturbing the
inlet distribution, The calming baffles are comprised of two sets of horizontal beams
with varying aspect ratios, depending upon the application, giving a much lower
pressure drop in comparison, even when the aspect ratio or NFA (Net Free Area) is
the same. There is a lower pressure drop in the calming baffle as opposed to the
perforated plate due to the lack of sharp orifices. Perforated type bafiles have a
tendency to suffer from clogging. Due to its large openings the distribution baffle
does not suffer from solid blocking and as such is ideal for any “dirty” duties.
The essential features of the baffle are the horizontal beams which each contain two
90° bends and three significant outer faces (those more exposed to the flow). The
larger of these faces is the middle side which opposes the oncoming flow. Thearrangement has a singular layer of baffles for the liquid phase but is double layered
for the gas phase. As each beam is made of just one piece of material then there is no
need for attachment apart from to the supports thus making the structure more secure
and more resistant to erosion. The horizontal beams are supported and held in place
using thinner vertical beams behind. Typically the baffle covers the height and width
of a vessel but removing some of the beams due to current internals in the separator
will not significantly reduce the performance of the device. The construction of the
baffle is typically stainless steel although any other suitable metal could be used.
The baffle contains no moving parts and has no set maximum and minimum energy
boundaries allowing the baffle to perform well under large and small velocities. As
the construction has no moving parts there is little wear occurring and no need for
‘maintenance or spare parts.Introduction to Drawings
‘The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to
figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings. In the figures | refers to the horizontal
beams height and 2 to the horizontal beams width.
Figure | shows an isometric view of the calming baffle. The horizontal beams height
will change slightly depending on the height of the vessel while the beam width
remains fairly consistent. The distance between the beams depends on the conditions
of the particular vessel but the area that is contained within the liquid section of the
vessel should typically have a 50% open area while that contained in the gas zone
should typically have a 22% open area. Both of these open areas are dependent and
change depending on vessel flow conditions.
Figure 2 shows a side view of the calming baffle. The 90° angle can be clearly seen in
item 1. The device forces fluid to travel through a parallel set of vanes and in a set
direction.
Figure 3 shows a side view of the flow acting on a horizontal calming baffle. The
theoretical flow is incoming at an angle and the baffle arrangement is altering the
direction.Claims
eu ANE S
Calming of liquid and gas zones.
Improves laminar flow characteristics.
The process will not suffer from clogging.
‘The design requires no spare parts and/or maintenance within it operating life
The baffle has no moving parts.
The process remains unaffected for a range of operating conditions.
Large open area to reduce shear.
The process prevents large amounts of backwash e.g. due to sloshing.Application No: GB0605934.9
Claims searched: -
Examiner: Jobn Twin
Date of search: 8 September 2006
Patents Act 1977: Search Report under Section 17
Documents considered to be relevant:
(Category]Relevant | Identity of document and passage or figure of particular relevance
Ho claims
x 1 | US 6537458 A
(Shell Oil) - see eg figs.4, 5
x 1 | EP 0437028 A
(Babcock & Wilcox) - see eg figs.1-4
x 1 | US 4235425 A
(Foster Wheeler Energy) - see eg fig.3
A - | us 4078477
(BBC Brown Boveri) - see eg figs.1-4
Categories:
X Document indicating lack of novel or inventive
step
YY Document indicating lack of inventive step if
‘comined with one or more other documents of
same category.
& Member ofthe same patent family
Field of Search:
GH
BOID; BOIS; E21B; FISD
EPODOC, OPTICS, WPI
‘Worldwide search of patent documents classified in the following areas of the IPC
Document mdlcating technological background andor state
of the at
Document published on or ater the declared priority date but
before the fling date of this invention.
Patent document published on or after, but with priority date
air than, the filing date of this application.
Search of GB, EP, WO & US patent documents classified inthe following areas of the UKC™ :
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