Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Exxonmobil Technology and Engineering Company

Edward J Grave

Norman K Yeh

J Tim Cullinane

Stephanie A Freeman

John Timothy Cullinane

P Scott Northrop

Paul Scott Northrop

Tracy Alan Fowler

Shwetha Ramkumar

Juan C Juarez

Scott M Whitney

Michael D Olson

Adam S Bymaster

Narasimhan Sundaram

Robert D Denton

Jaime A Valencia

Nicholas F Urbanski

Per-Reidar Larnholm

Xiaolei Yin

Paul Lawrence Tanaka

Frederik Albert Lammers

Vikram Singh

Srinivas N Moorkanikkara

Tom Meekhof

Chien-Chiang Chen

Andrew P Steinhauser

Antonious J A M Hendriks

P Scott Northdrop

Kamran Ahmed Gul

Noman K Yeh

Frederick A Lammers

Antonius Jam Hendriks

Antonius JAM Hendriks

John T Cullinane

A fractionation system for removing heavy hydrocarbons in a gas stream. A stripping section receives a predominantly liquid phase of the feed gas stream. A co-current contacting system receives a predominantly vapor phase of the feed gas stream. The co-current contacting system includes a compact contacting bundle disposed within a vessel and including a plurality of substantially parallel contacting units, each of the plurality of contacting units having a droplet generator, a mass transfer section, and a separation system. Each droplet generator generates droplets from a liquid disperses the droplets into a gas stream. Each mass transfer section provides a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase. Each separation system separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase such that the concentration of heavy hydrocarbons in the vapor phase is lower than in the liquid phase.

Fractionation system using bundled compact co-current contacting systems

A fractionation system for removing heavy hydrocarbons in a gas stream. A stripping section receives a predominantly liquid phase of a feed gas stream. First and second co-current contacting systems are located in-line within a pipe. The first co-current contacting system receives a predominantly vapor phase of the feed gas stream. Each co-current contacting system includes a co-current contactor and a separation system. Each co-current contactor includes a droplet generator and a mass transfer section. The droplet generator generates droplets from a liquid and disperses the droplets into a gas stream. The mass transfer section provides a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase. The separation system separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase.

Fractionation system using compact co-current contacting systems

A co-current contactor for separating components in a fluid stream, the co-current contactor comprising a first inlet configured to receive the fluid stream proximate to a first end of the co-current contactor, a second inlet configured to receive a solvent proximate the first end of the co-current contactor, and a mass transfer section configured to receive the fluid stream and the solvent and to provide a mixed, two-phase flow, wherein the mass transfer section comprises a surface feature along an inner surface of the mass transfer section configured to reduce film flow along an inner wall of the mass transfer section, and wherein the surface feature comprises at least one of a hydrophobic surface, a superhydrophobic surface, a porous wall surface, and a nonlinear surface irregularity extending radially inward or radially outward along the inner surface of the mass transfer section.

Inner surface features for co-current contractors

The disclosure includes a method, comprising passing a fluid into a co-current contactor, passing a solvent into the co-current contactor, dividing the solvent into solvent droplets having a first average droplet size, placing the fluid in contact with the solvent droplets to create a combined stream, coalescing at least a portion of the solvent droplets to create solvent droplets having a second average droplet size, wherein the second average droplet size is greater than the first average droplet size, and separating the fluid and the solvent.

Coalescer for co-current contactors

Coalescer for co-current contractors

A method for decontaminating a contaminated fluid stream, comprising receiving the contaminated fluid stream, distributing the contaminated fluid stream substantially equally across a plurality of separation units sharing a unitary pressure boundary, receiving a solvent stream, and co-currently contacting the contaminated fluid stream with the solvent stream in the plurality of separation units.

Separating impurities from a fluid stream using multiple co-current contactors

A vertically oriented co-current contacting system and methods for separating impurities from a gas stream including a vertically oriented co-current contactor (VOCC) located in-line within a pipe, a vertically oriented mixer (VOM) including an annular support ring configured to maintain the VOM within the pipe, a number of radial blades configured to allow a liquid stream to flow into the VOM, and a central gas entry cone configured to allow a gas stream to flow through a hollow section within the VOM, a vertically oriented mass transfer section downstream of the VOM. The VOM and the vertically oriented mass transfer section provide for efficient incorporation of liquid droplets including impurities from the gas stream formed from the liquid stream into the gas stream. The vertically oriented co-current contacting system also includes a separation system configured to remove the liquid droplets.

Separating impurities from a gas stream using a vertically oriented co-current contacting system

A co-current contacting system is described herein. The co-current contacting system includes a co-current contactor located in-line within a pipe. The co-current contactor includes an annular support ring configured to maintain the co-current contactor within the pipe and a number of radial blades configured to allow a liquid stream to flow into the co-current contactor. The co-current contacts also includes a central gas entry cone configured to allow a gas stream to flow through a hollow section within the co-current contactor, wherein the co-current contactor provides for efficient incorporation of liquid droplets formed from the liquid stream into the gas stream. The co-current contacting system also includes a separation system configured to remove the liquid droplets from the gas stream.

Contacting a gas stream with a liquid stream

A method of emulsion extraction and processing from an oil/water separator, comprising detecting an emulsion parameter, passing an emulsion stream out of the separator, combining the emulsion stream with a water stream exiting the separator to create a diluted emulsion, dynamically adjusting a dilution of the diluted emulsion based at least in part on the emulsion parameter, and separating the diluted emulsion into an underflow stream comprising substantially water and a reject stream comprising substantially oil.

Emulsion extraction and processing from an oil/water separator

An apparatus is disclosed for maintaining constant fluid pressure and equalized fluid flow among a plurality of downcomer lines through which liquid from a tower is directed. A substantially annular fluid distribution belt is disposed at the circumference of the tower. The fluid distribution belt collects liquid from the tower. At least two outlets direct liquid from the fluid distribution belt out of the tower and into a corresponding number of downcomer lines disposed external to the tower.

Liquid collection system

Systems and methods are provided for reducing maldistribution of liquids and vapors in packed towers. An exemplary separation system includes a separation tower including at least two packed beds, and a vapor redistribution plate disposed between two sequentially disposed packed beds, wherein the vapor redistribution plate is configured to mix a vapor from a lower packed bed before introducing the vapor into an upper packed bed.

Decreasing maldistribution in separation towers

The present disclosure provides a method for separating a feed stream in a distillation tower. The method may include forming solids in a controlled freeze zone section of the distillation tower; emitting radiation from a first radiation source in the controlled freeze zone section while the controlled freeze zone section forms no solids; detecting radiation emitted by the first radiation source as a first radiation level; detecting radiation emitted by the first radiation source as a second radiation level after detecting the first radiation level; and determining whether the solids adhered to at least one of on and around a first mechanical component included in the controlled freeze zone section based on the first radiation level and the second radiation level.

Method and device for separating a feed stream using radiation detectors

A system and method for enhancing separation of a denser phase liquid from a lighter phase liquid within a multiphase stream. In one example, a cyclonic coalescer has a tubular housing and a plurality of coaxial flow chambers extending in the axial direction of the housing. A swirling element is associated with each of the plurality of coaxial flow chambers. The swirling elements are constructed and arranged to impart a tangential velocity of the stream flowing through the associated flow chamber.

System and method to treat a multiphase stream

The present techniques are directed to a method for removing entrained liquid hydrocarbons in a countercurrent contact separator to produce a lean hydrocarbons gas. The method includes introducing a gas stream into an inlet of the countercurrent contact separator and flowing the gas stream through a bulk separator to capture a portion of the entrained liquid hydrocarbons. The method includes flowing the gas stream through a plurality of cyclone bundles, where the plurality of cyclone bundles are located in risers to capture a remaining fraction of the entrained liquid hydrocarbons. The method includes flowing the captured entrained liquids downward into a drain line countercurrent to the gas stream. The method includes removing the captured entrained liquids through a bottom outlet of the countercurrent contact separator. The method includes removing the lean hydrocarbons gas through a top outlet of the countercurrent contact separator.

System and methods for removing entrained liquids

A system and method for separation of liquids and gases within a multiphase fluid are provided herein. The method includes flowing a multiphase fluid into a number of divisions within a multiphase separation system, wherein the divisions are configured to lower a velocity of the multiphase fluid. The method also includes separating the multiphase fluid among a number of lower pipes and a number of upper pipes, wherein each lower pipe includes an expansion zone configured to lower a pressure within the lower pipe to allow entrained liquids to drain from a corresponding upper pipe via a downcomer.

Growing community of inventors

Spring, TX, United States of America

Edward J Grave