Apparatus and System for a Vortex Three Port Container
A three port vortex container to collect liquid samples from the production flow line of an oil reservoir. The device includes a three port vortex container used to separate the gas and liquid phases from a multiphase production flow. Multiphase flow is received by the container, inducing a vortex where the gas and liquid phases are separated due to their varying densities. The device further includes a sampling system where a pressurizing device is used to create a pressure differential across the sampling circuit, directing a fluid flow into the three vortex container. The liquid flow is then directed into a sampling container.
1 . A vortex container for separating an inputted multiphase fluid flow including a more dense phase and a less dense phase, including:
a container with an internal volume including a curved inner surface;
an inlet port configured to input the multiphase fluid flow into the internal volume of the container, the inlet port including a central axis angled to input the multiphase fluid flow tangentially to the inner surface of the container;
a less dense phase outlet port configured to output a separated less dense phase flow, located at the top of the container;
a more dense phase outlet port configured to output a more dense phase flow, located below the intersection between the inlet port's central axis and the container's longitudinal axis; and
where the angle of the inlet port is configured to cause the inputted multiphase flow to form a vortex such that the more dense phase separates from the less dense phase along the inner surface of the container due to the relative densities of the phases.
2 . The vortex container of claim 1 , wherein the internal volume of the container is cylindrical.
3 . The vortex container of claim 1 , wherein the central axis of the inlet port is disposed at an angle relative to the container's central axis.
4 . The vortex container of claim 1 , where in the more dense phase of the multiphase fluid flow includes a liquid.
5 . The vortex container of claims 1 , where the less dense phase of the multiphase fluid flow includes a gas.
6 . The vortex container of claim 1 where the inlet port is angled toward the more dense phase outlet port.
7 . The vortex chamber of claim 1 where the inlet port is angled approximately perpendicular to the container's central axis.
8 . The vortex container of claim 1 , wherein the less dense phase outlet port is disposed coaxially with the container's central axis.
9 . A system for sampling a multiphase stream, including:
a pipe carrying a multiphase fluid flow;
a vortex container for separating an inputted multiphase fluid flow including a more dense phase and a less dense phase, including:
a container with an internal volume including a curved inner surface;
an inlet port configured to input the multiphase fluid flow into the internal volume of the container, the inlet port including a central axis angled to the inner surface of the container;
a less dense phase outlet port configured to output a separated less dense phase flow, located at the top of the container;
a more dense phase outlet port configured to output a more dense phase flow, located below the intersection between the inlet port's central axis and the container's longitudinal axis; and
where the angle of the inlet port is configured to cause the inputted multiphase flow to form a vortex such that the more dense phase separates from the less dense phase along the inner surface of the container due to the relative densities of the phases;
a less dense phase flow pipe coupled to the less dense phase outlet port and receiving the separated less dense phase flow; and
a more dense phase flow pipe coupled to the more dense phase outlet port and receiving the separated more dense phase flow.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the internal volume of the container is cylindrical.
11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the central axis of the vortex container's inlet port is disposed at an angle relative to the container's central axis.
12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein sampling a multiphase fluid stream further includes a sampling container to collect sampled fluids, coupled to the more dense phase flow pipe.
13 . The system of claim 9 , further including a pressurization device coupled to the inlet flow pipe to create a pressure differential across the sampling system.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the pressurization device is a pump.
15 . The system of claim 9 where the inlet port is angled toward the more dense phase outlet port.
15 . The system of claim 9 where the inlet port is angled approximately perpendicular to the container's central axis.
17 . The system of claim 9 where the less dense phase outlet port is disposed coaxially with the container's central axis.
18 . The system of claim 9 where the multiphase fluid is production fluid from an oil or gas well.
19 . The system of claim 18 where the oil or gas well is a subsea well and the system is located subsea.