Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TEM File no. 150.21
TITLE: M~DIFIED CONDENSATIO~i ASSEMBLY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present inv~:ntion relates to condensation units for condensing
vapours generally associated with the petroleum and other industries.
E3ACKGROUND OF' THE INVENTION
Many industrial and commercial processes create vapourized liquids,
particularly hot vapours, which must be condensed into a cooler liquid form
for
storage and eventual disposal or treatment. in the petroleum industry, for
instance, a glycol/water vapour mixture is created at dehydration ("dehy")
facilities which should not be released into the atmosphere to avoid pollution
of
the environment. One accepted method of dealing with the glycollwater vapour
is to run the hot vapour through a series of underground pipes to cool and
condense the vapour into liquid form, and then to pass the liquid into an
underground storage tank. Another accepted method is to run the vapour
through an aboveground aerial cooler, or piping having cooling fins, and then
passing the condensed liquid into an underground storage facility to avoid
freezing of the liquid. These underground storage tanks suffer from several
deficiencies, as set out in applicant°s Canadian Patent no. 2,196,941.
Likewise,
the piping creates its owr~ problems. Large lengths of required piping fakes
up
valuable space at facilities, is difficult and costly to install and maintain,
and is
prone to leakage. Some leaks might not be detected, thereby contaminating the
surrounding soil.
The applicant has previously proposed a solution to the abovre-noted
problems by providing a dual c~ntainment condensation assembly, as set out in
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applicant's Canadian Latent Application no. 2,274,251 and US Latent no.
6,381,979. However, in certain applications where an existing storage tank is
still suitable for continued use, it would be desireable to provide a novel
stand-
alone condensation unit 'which may be connected remotely to an existing
storage
tank, or alternately may be retro-fitted thereunto. it would also be
desireable to
further reduce manufacturing time, material usage. and costs, as well as
facilitate
convenient worker access and coating application to the interior portions of
the
unit by providing a simplified design with an relatively unobstructed interior
which
continues to effectively promote relatively rapid condensation of the vapour.
In
yet another version, the novel condensation unit should be capable of being
made integral with a storage tank, where incoming vapour may optionally be
first
introduced into the starage tank.
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SUMMARY OF THE PF21~SEI~T INVENTION
Hence, in one aspect the invention provides an apparatus for urging
condensation of a vapour comprising
a condensation unit having a generally cylindrical peripheral wall portion
defining an open central chamber, said peripheral wall extending
circumferentially in a sinusoidal pattern to define a plurality of
circumferentially
spaced cooling chambers extending radially outwardly from said central chamber
for facilitating heat transfer with the ambient,
a roof portion capping said wall portion,
a floor portion beneath said wall portion having an outlet iFor liquid
condensed in said unit, and
an inlet for introducing vapour into said central chamber, wherein said
introduced vapour has unobstructed access to said cooling channbers to
promote condensation of said vapor into a liquid.
In one aspect the condensation unit is located remotely from a; storage
Tank, whether above or below ground.
In another aspect the condensation unit is mounted directly ~~nto the
storage tank. Where the condensation unit and storage tank are integral, the
vapour may optionally be first introduced into thE: storage tank and allowed
to
migrate to the condensation unit to increase condensation capacity.
In yet another aspect, an exterior peripherGsl cooling jacket surrounds the
wall portion of the condensation unit to receive and retain a cooling medium,
such as water or other suitable fluid, for added condensing effectiveness.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTIQN CAF THE DRA1IVING FIGURES
Embodimenfis of the invention will now be described, by way of example
only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a transparent elevational view of a condensation unit according
to a first embodiment of ~:he present invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the unit of fig.1;
Figure 3 shows an optional cooling jacket located peripherally about the
condensation unit of fig.l;
Figure 4 is a plan view of the unit of fig.1 with the cooling jacket of fig.3;
Figure 5 is a transparent elevational view of a second embodiment of the
unit of the present irwention, including the optional cooling jacket ; and
Figure 6 is a plan view of the unit of fig.5 and the optional cooling jacket.
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EiViRODIIVIENTrS
A condensation apparatus, or unit, according to a first embodiment of the
present invention is indicated by reference numeral 10 in figs. 1 ~ 2. lr~
general,
the unit is configured to receive a fluid at a vapour inlet '12 and to urge
the fluid to
separate into gas and liquid components, the liquid component being deposited
by gravity through a liquid outlet 14 and stored 'sr~ a storage tank 50 for
future
disposal or treatment as required. The storage tank may be of the type shown
and described in applicant's Canadian Patent no. 2,186,941 or lJS Patent no.
5,971,009 for a "Dual Containment Assembly".
The condensation unit of the present invention is designed sucf~~ that the
storage tank may be situated remotely with a pipe or like means therebetween
for liquid communication, by gravity or with the aid of a pump or like
mechanical
means, between the outlet 14 and the inlet of the storage tank. Alternately,
the
condensation unit may be placed adjacent to the storage tank, preferably atop
the storage tank roof (indicated by dashed line 50 in fig. 1) using
strategically
placed supports 52 or other suitable structural arrangement placed on or about
the storage tank. In such case the outlet 14 may be joined directly to the
storage
tank's vent or inlet 54 for direct liquid transfer. The condensation unit's
outlet 14
also serves another purpose in this configuration, namely that of receiving
fluid
from the storage tank°s vent 54 for condensing into liquid in the
condensation
unit. For illustrative purposes, the fluid in this instance will be a
vaporized liquid
which may contain some condensed liquids ervcountered in the petroleum
industry, such as vapours from a dehydration unit downstream of a wellhead.
Referring now in more detail to the condensation unit 10, the vapour
entering through the inlet 12 is introduced into a large central space or
chamber
16 created by the unit's sinusoidaily shaped peripheral wall 20. The
peripheral
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wall forms a gear-like appearance in plan view to increase the condensation
unit's inner surface area 26 avaiiable for contact with the vapour, and
therefore
to provide greater cooling capabilities and aglow a larger quantity of
vapourized
liquid to be treated (i.e. condensed) in a given period than a standard tank
with
just a cylindrical outer profile. The "teeth°' of the gear-like shape
are formed by
radially extending sidewall segments 28 of the peripheral wall to create a
series
of cooling chambers 30 open to the central space 16 but closed to the ambient.
The vapour entering the open space 15 is not directed in any particular
direction
as there is no second wall inwardly spaced from the peripheral wall as in
applicant's earlier designs (see tJS Patent 6,381,979). Rather, the introduced
vapour is able to move unimpeded about the open chamber 16 and inl:o any of
the cooling chambers 80 where the vapour may contact the ample inner surface
area 26 of the sidewall segments 28 created by the sinusoidal shaped
peripheral
wall. The heat of the vapour is transferred from the cooling chambers to the
relatively cooler ambient through the peripheral wall, serving to cool the
condensation unit and promote liquid condensation within.
The chamber is capped at the upper end of the peripheral wall 20 by a
roof plate member 22 (in the form of a generally fiat, circular plate) and on
the
opposed lower end by a similar floor plate member 24. The wall, roof and floor
should be of a structurally strong material which allows heat transfer
therethrough and is liquid impervious. Good results should be had using
metallic
materials, such as corrosion resistant electro-plated or coated steel, with
suitable
strength and heat-transfer properties, as in applicant's earlier condensing
assembly design.
Condensed liquid which falls to the floor 24~ should drain into the
floor°s
liquid outlet 14. To promote drainage to the outlet, some or all of the floor
may
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be sloped toward the outlet, such as the portion 24a beneath the central
chamber. The condensation unit does not require heating andlor insulation to
prevent the contents from freezing as the heat from the incoming vapour should
be sufficient to prevent freezing of condensed liquid as it travels to the
outlet 14.
As the vapour tends to rise to the roof, a roof vent 32 extends downwardly
through the chamber and has an opening just above the floor 24 to avoid
premature escape of vapour and to increase vapour retention time in the unit.
A
strike plate 34 serves to partially obstruct vapour entrance into the vent's
opening. Vapour contacting the strike plate 34 will have a tendency to
condense
and fall to the floor.
The unit has several other notable features, including: a hinged manway
36 is provided in the roof for access into the unit; an additional or spare
capped
connection 38 is provided in the roof to allow introduction of fluid from a
source
other than the ones feeding the inlets 12, 14; an auxiliary vent 39 to allow
for
over-pressure and vacuum protection equipment mounting; and, a nuimber of
exterior vent holes 40 are spaced circumferentialfy about the roof in each
"trough" of the sinusoidally shaped peripheral wall 20 to provide a means of
escape far any hot air ~Nhich might otherwise get trapped beneath 'the roof
between the cooling chambers.
An option in warmer climates, or where excessively hot incoming vapours
are expected, is to place one or more cooling coils 42 inside the chamber 16.
The coils may be situated jest beneath the roof 22 as shown. A refrigerant or
other suitable fluid is passed through the tubing from outside the
condensation
unit 10 (through coil connections 44~ to cool off and condense any vapour in
the
vicinity of the cooling coils within the chamber 16.
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A further option is to surround the peripheral wall 20 of the condensation
unit with a circumferentiai cooling jacket 46 as shown in figs. 3 and 4. The
cooling jacket forms a fluid tight seal with a radially extending portion ov
the floor
plate 24 so as to receive and a cooling medium, such as water or other
suitable
fluid, for added condensing effectiveness. The jacket may extend up a portion
of the vertical extent of the peripheral wall, or along the entire height as
shown in
the figures, as required for particular applications or climates. The top of
the
jacket should be closed with the condensation unit (as shown), although it may
be open if desired for a particular application. The roof vent holes 40 should
be
omitted when the jacket is provided. Cooling jacket inletsloutlets 48 should
be
provided at suitable locations to fill or drain the jGicket, or to allow for
circulation
of the cooling medium.
Referring now to figs. 5 and 6, a second embodiment of the unit (indicated
by 110) is shown which is adapted to be mounted directly onto a storage tank
50.
The same reference numerals are used for the same or substantially similar
components to the first embodiment. In this second embodiment the supports
52 (of fig.1) are omitted and instead the condensation unit 110 rests directly
on
the storage tank 50. The condensation unit may be retro-fitted thereon in this
manner, or alternately manufactured integrally with the storage tank such that
the condensation unit°s floor 124 is integral with the storage
tank°s roof. In any
event, an advantage of this version is that a large portion of the floor 124
is
omitted to provide a circular central opening 125. The opening 126 provides
unobstructed two-way fluid flow, namely for condensed liquid to drop from the
condensation unit into the storage tank, and for vapour from the storage tank
to
rise into the condensation unit. The floor 124 may be sloped toward the
opening
126 to direct fluid flow thereto. The opening also allows easier access from
the
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condensation unit into the storage tank for maintenance personnel (which enter
the assembly through the manway 36~. The opening '126 may be fitted with a
removable cover plate having a liquid outlet to the tank, however this option
is
not preferred.
The vapour inlet 12 to the condensation unit may be provided with an
optional extension 113 through the floor 124 to direct incoming vapour into
the
top end of the storage tank 50. This option provides several advantages,
including: the relatively hot incoming vapour heats the storage tank and helps
prevent ice build-up, thus reducing or eliminating the need for excessive
additional heating of the storage tank; and, some of the vapour is first
condensed to liquid directly in the relatively cooler storage tank before i~:
finds its
way through the opening 126 into the condensation unit 110. Hence, this
version
of the combined condensation unit and storage tank assembly should be
capable of handling are increased volume of vapour relative to the first
embodiment.
This version of the condensation unit may also be fitted with the optional
cooling jacket 46 described earlier. However, in this version the jacket may
rest
either on a peripheral extension of the floor plate 124 c,r along an edge of
the
roof 22 of the storage tank as shown.
In typical use, vapourized liquid enters through the inlet 12 into the open
central chamber 16. A small portion of the vapour should condense
imrryediately
on the sidewall segments 25 of the first cooling chamber 30a which houses the
inlet 12 at the "crest" of thae sinusoidal peripheral v~rall 20. The remaining
vapour
is retained within the condensation unit and condE:nses as it moves toward the
other cooling chambers 3 0 and is cooled by, or otherwise comes into contact
with, the inner surface 26 of the peripheral wall 20. The condensed liquid
falls to
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the floor 24 and is directed by gravity to the outlet 14 din the first
embodiment)
and eventually into the storage tank. In the second embodiment the condensed
vapour flows directly to the storage tank through the shared central opening
126.
Also, in the second embodiment the vapour may optionally be initially
introduced
into the storage tank, from where some or all of the introduced vapour will
migrate to the condensation unit 110 through the opening 126 for further
condensation as described above for unit 10.
1t will be appreciated that although eight cooling chambers 30 are shown
for the preferred emboc9iments, the number may be varied as required for
particular applications to continue to provide effective condensation.
Some of the many advantages of the present design should now be
apparent. By omitting interior walls and baff9es, the condensation unit of the
present invention reduces manufacturing time and material usage, and thus
reduces the per unit cost of each unit. The relatively large unobstructed
interior
space of the condensation unit facilitates worker access to, and coating of,
the
interior portions of the unit during constructions and later for any needed
maintenance and inspectian. A simplified design also reduces potential
manufacturing errors. nAeanwhile, the novel condensation unit continues to
effectively promote relatively rapid condensation of the vapour.
The above description is intended in an illustrative rather than a restrictive
sense and variations to the specific configurations described may be ap~rarent
to
skilled persons in adapting the present invention tc specific application;;.
Such
variations are intended to farm part of the present invention insofar as they
are
within the spirit and scope of the claims below. For instance, it will be
appreciated that the condensation unit 10 may also be advantageously mounted,
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or otherwise connected, to an underground storage tank with an accessible
inlet
54, or to other types of above-ground storage tanks.
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