Conoco Inc.

Consolidation Coal Company

Ahmed A El-Saie

Jeffrey L Beck

David W Campbell

A combination borehole drilling apparatus and a separator for receiving a three phase gas, liquid and solid mixture, from the borehole, and venting the gas, separating the liquid from the solid, collecting and discharging the solid and recycling the liquid to the borehole drilling apparatus.

Method and apparatus for drilling and separating

A separator having a plurality of vertically stacked cylindrical separation stages, with provision for removal of the gas from the liquids and solids at an intake separator stage and removal of the liquid from the solids in subsequent stages. Each separator stage has a filter screen for separating the liquid from the solid with progressively offset openings in each filter screen to pass the solid to the next stage. A wiper in each stage rakes the solid across the screen to facilitate solid-liquid separation. The liquid passes through the screen in the intake separation stage and onto a conical plate and out a plurality of openings in the side of the separator. The openings of each stage are interconnected to a lowermost reservoir stage having a central opening for disposal of the liquid. The opening in the screen in the last stage is above an auger which collects the solids for disposal.

Rotary separator

A continuous separation apparatus having a plurality of separation chambers in a continuously rotating block between fixed end plates. The axis of the chambers, preferably cylinders, is parallel to the axis of rotation of the block, wherein the end plates are provided with stationary inlet and discharge ports which overlap openings in the cylinders as the cylinders rotate so that cylinders are constantly being filled by forcing a free-floating piston to one end of the cylinder, cylinder contents are separated by hydraulically forcing the piston toward the fill end of the cylinder where the liquid is removed through screen means at the fill end of the cylinder and solid contents evacuated through an end plate port. The cylinder block continues rotation to permit a constant flow into the apparatus, a continuous removal of separated fluid and a constant separated solids flow from the apparatus.

Rotating continuous separation system

Slurries containing solid liquids and gases are continuously separated into individual components utilizing a revolving vanes on an eccentric axis. The vanes are of a flexible material which revolve sufficiently slowly that in sequence gas escapes through an overhead mesh, water is separated through a lower mesh and solids exit through a lower opening. The slurry input is from the axis plane overhead of the axis and input rate is balanced with gas, water and solids output.

Revolving separator

An apparatus for multiple injection of slurry from a plurality of mine faces or other slurry sources into a slurry line comprises a unique method and apparatus for connecting each slurry injection point to the main slurry line by using a vortex junction apparatus. The vortex junction apparatus provides a means for passing the slurry from one junction point to the next junction point and at the same time provides a means for merging slurry from each injection point into the main slurry line. The junction apparatus also provides a source of water for each injection point, thus eliminating the need for a separate source of water. One embodiment provides for a junction where the main and branch slurry lines are at nearly the same pressure while a second embodiment provides for a junction where the branch slurry line is at a substantially lower pressure than the main slurry line.

Injection of solids into a high pressure slurry stream

An apparatus combines streams from different pipelines having different flow rates, concentrations, and pressure. The junction comprises a directed vortex formed by a conically-shaped enclosure having a closed base with one pipeline inlet through the base at the axis of the cone. Another higher pressure inlet is positioned on the periphery of the cone near the base and at a tangent to the covered cross-section at the point of entry. The high pressure inlet is also at an angle to the cross-section and directed toward the outlet at the apex of the cone. A fluid dewatering apparatus may be attached to the outlet to maintain a predetermined concentration in the case where one or more inlets contain a slurry.

Multipoint slurry injection junction

An apparatus for multiple injection of slurry from a plurality of mine faces into a slurry line comprises a unique method and apparatus for connecting each slurry injection point to the main slurry line by using a vortex junction apparatus. The vortex junction apparatus provides a means for passing the slurry from one junction point to the next junction point and at the same time provides a means for merging slurry from each injection point into the main slurry line. The junction apparatus also provides a source of water for each injection point, thus eliminating the need for a separate source of water. One embodiment provides for a junction where the main and branch slurry lines are at nearly the same pressure while a second embodiment provides for a junction where the branch slurry line is at a substantially lower pressure than the main slurry line.

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Venetia, PA, United States of America

Ahmed A El-Saie