Method And Apparatus For Combustion Of Oil

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the combustion of oil produced by an oil well including a self-supporting boom connected to an oil well platform, the boom having a burner for atomizing oil to be burned and for mixing it with a gaseous atomizing medium and/or water for improving combustion. Water may be mixed or atomized with the gaseous atomizing medium and oil prior to burning and/or the water may be injected into the burning oil.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the combustion of crude oil. The apparatus extends outwardly from the side of an offshore platform.

It is frequently necessary in the course of drilling and testing offshore wells to dispose of large quantities of oil produced during these operations. The oil may be temporarily stored in tanks upon the platform, but eventually the oil must be either shipped to shore, poured in the ocean, or disposed of in some other manner. As is well known, oil poured upon the surface of the ocean causes great ecological damage, and there are now many State and Federal regulations prohibiting such dumping of oil. To carry oil ashore by a tanker is difficult or impossible when weather is unfavorable. Also, the crude oil may be polluted and have no economic value, and thus present additional problems for the disposal of the oil on land.

Attempts have been made (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,565,562 and 3,632,287) to overcome the oil disposal problem, but none of these attempts have resulted in the unique advantages of the method and apparatus of the present invention.

THE INVENTION

A method and apparatus for the combustion of crude oil produced by an oil well including a self-supporting boom connected to an oil well platform, the boom having a burner for atomizing oil to be burned and for mixing the oil with a gaseous atomizing medium and/or water for improving combustion of the oil.

IN THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 - is a side view of the apparatus of the present invention mounted on an oil well platform;

FIG. 2 - is a top view of the upstream boom;

FIG. 3 - is a side view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 - is a top view of the downstream boom and the burner;

FIG. 5 - is a side view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 - is a perspective, partly sectional view of the burner support and the portion of the boom which is attached thereto;

FIG. 7 - is a partly sectional view taken along lines 7--7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 - is a partly sectional view taken along lines 8--8 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 9 - is a partly sectional view taken along lines 9--9 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 10 - is an end view of the burner;

FIG. 11 - is a partly sectional side view of the burner of the present invention;

FIG. 12 - is a sectional view of the end of the burner of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 - is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the burner of the present invention;

FIG. 14 - is a partly sectional side view of an embodiment of the present invention employing a combustion furnace; and

FIG. 15 - is an end view taken along lines 15--15 of FIG. 14.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus of the present invention is seen in FIG. 1 mounted on an offshore oil well platform 21 surrounded by water 22. The apparatus is preferably pivotally connected to the floor of the platform 21 by a pin 47, most clearly shown in FIG. 6, which connects the boom generally designated by numeral 20 to the burner support generally designated by number 66. By making pin 47 the only means of connection between boom 20 and support 66, boom 20 is thereby permitted to pivot about pin 47 and to be swung out of the way ehen desired, e.g., when a tugboat or tanker ties up to the platform. Boom 20 may be rigidly connected to platform 21 by welding boom 20 to support 66 or by any other means well known in the art, but it is highly preferred that boom 20 be pivotally connected to platform 21.

Boom 20 has mounted at the end thereof burner 23 through which oil is forced prior to ignition. The longitudinal or horizontal members of the boom are preferably made up of conduits 31 and 32 which carry the oil and gaseous atomizing medium to burner 23, thereby greatly reducing the weight of boom 20 and permitting it to extend for great length, i.e., from up to about 100 feet or more over the edge of platform 21 without the necessity of support from cranes, cables, or other supporting means. However, if the boom 20 need not be self-supporting and weight is not critical, the horizontal members may be structural steel or the equivalent conventional structural material well known in the art. Oil may be conveyed to the burner 23 by any conventional means, such as solid or flexible piping.

Boom 20 consists of two sections designated generally by the numerals 24 and 25. Boom 24 will hereinafter be referred to as the upstream boom and boom 25 will hereinafter be referred to as the downstream boom.

Upstream boom 24 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The upper longitudinal or horizontal support members of upstream boom 24 are pipes or conduits 32 which carry a gaseous atomizing medium to burner 23. The gaseous atomizing medium may comprise air, steam, natural gas, or the like, or mixtures thereof, although air is preferred. The lower longitudinal support members are preferably pipes or conduits 31 which carry oil to the burner 23. In FIG. 7 is shown an end view of boom 24 where it can be seen that two oil pipes 31--31 lay side by side at the bottom of the beam. Pipes 32 and 31 are connected by braces 38 which form acute angles with conduits 31 and 32, and by vertical braces 39 near the ends thereof. Boom 24 contains a walkway 27 on the top thereof having guard rail 29 and a hand rope 28. Directly beneath the walkway 27 are waterlines 34--34 for conducting water to the vicinity of the burner.

Boom 24 has at one end thereof a generally triangular-shaped metal plate 51, which is seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 6. Plate 51 has two ribs 52--52 which add strength and rigidity to the plate. The plate is rigidly fastened to conduits 32 by welding or any other suitable means known in the art. The plate is also connected to vertical brace 54, which brace is in turn connected to conduits 31 by bracket 60. Plate 51 has a flange 56 located at the top of vertical brace 54 and connected to braces 52 which has hole 57 therein for receipt of pin 47. Also located vertically below hole 57 and aligned therewith are holes 58 in plate 51 and hole 59 in bracket 60. Holes 57, 58 and 59 receive pin 47 to thereby connect boom 20 to platform 21. Boom 24 also has flexible hoses 63 connected to waterlines 34, which hoses are in turn connected to a water supply (not shown) on platform 21. The flexible connections allow the boom to be pivoted on pin 47.

As previously stated, boom 24 is connected to burner support 66 by pin 47, as can be seen most clearly in FIG. 6. The burner support 66 includes three base members 68 set approximately 45.degree. apart and securely fixed to the floor of the platform by any means well known in the art, such as welding, bolting, and the like. The members 68 are maintained in space relationship by braces 77. Extending upward from base members 68 are three vertical supports 70 and three braces 72 which extend from the ends of base members 68 at an acute angle up to the tops of vertical support 70 to which they are connected by welding, or the like. Two braces 76 are located between vertical support 70. Extending outwardly from the intersections of vertical support 70 and braces 72 are three horizontal braces 74 which are connected at their ends to sleeve bracket 50. Bracket 50 contains a sleeve 49 for receipt of pin 47. Directly below sleeve 49 and aligned therewith is sleeve 49a which is contained in base members 68 at their intersection for receipt of the lower end of pin 47.

Thus to attach boom 20 to burner support 66, the boom is swung into place by a crane or similar device, holes 56, 58 and 59 are aligned with sleeves 49 and 49a, and pin 47 is inserted. The crane cables may then be removed and the boom will be self-supporting, even when a crew member walks out on the walkway to light the burner.

Downstream boom 25 is shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5. Boom section 25 is similar to 24 in that oil conduits 31 from the bottom longitudinal structural members in the same manner as they do in boom 24. Located at the end of boom 25 are burners 23--23. A front view of the burners 23 is shown in FIG. 10, and a detailed view of the burner itself is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

Burners 23--23 contain a water tube 40 in the general shape of a hexagon which surrounds the burner. The water tubes 40 are connected to the burners 23 by braces 41. The water tube 40 is connected to water conduits 34 by flexible conduits 35, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Water tubes 40 have nozzles 42 and 43 connected thereto for spraying water. Noxxles 42, as can be see in FIG. 10 spray water at a right angle to the burners 23 thereby providing a shield of water which keeps a great amount of heat from flowing back to the platform. In FIG. 8 can be seen a cross-section of the water tube 40 showing it to be hollow, and showing a nozzle 42 mounted thereon with a water passageway 42a therein.

A series of nozzles 43 and 44 are located along the sides of the hexagon which are closest together, as can be seen in FIG. 10. FIG. 9 shows a detailed view of these nozzles. It is clear from FIG. 9 that the nozzles 43 inject water in the general direction of the burners 23 and the nozzles 44 spray water backwards toward boom 25. It has been discovered that by injecting water into the flames coming from burners 23, as is done by nozzles 43, the oil is burned much more efficiently and with much less smoke. The water sprayed backwards onto the platform by nozzles 44 helps prevent any overheating of the platform which may occur in the immediate vicinity of burners 23--23.

AS can be seen in FIGS. 5, 10, and 11, curved oil conduits 31a--31a connect oil conduits 31--31 to burners 23--23. Burners 23--23 can be seen in FIGS. 11 and 12 to include a relatively thick, disc-shaped plate 79, which forms the downstream end of the burner head. A tubular member 82 is attached to disc 79 by threads 95, or by any other conventional means. The upstream end 81a of the tubular member 81 is connected to gaseous atomizing medium conduit 32 by welding or any other means well known in the art. A sleeve 83 embraces conduit 32 and joins the peripheral portion of plate 79. Plate 79 is held against sleeve 83 by nut 98 which is attached to sleeve 83 by threads 97. The upstream end portion of sleeve 83 joins the perimeter of conduit 32, as indicated at 85. Sleeve 83 is of greater diameter than tubular members 81 and conduit 32, and an annular space 87 is provided around the periphery of tubular member 81 and conduit 32. Conduit 31a is connected to sleeve 83 for the purpose of admitting crude oil to the annular space 87.

A plurality of ports 89 are formed in the plate 79 through which the gaseous atomizing medium may escape. The openings 91 are of larger diameter than the ports 89. Apertures 93, which are equal in number to the discharge openings 91, provide communication between annular space 87 and discharge openings 91. The gaseous atomizing medium excaping through the openings 91 serves to draw oil from the annular space 87 into the respective discharge openings and to break the crude oil into small droplets and propel it through the openings 91.

In FIG. 13 is shown the most preferred burner 26 which may be used interchangeably with burner in the apparatus of the present invention. Burner 26 differs from burner 23 primarily in that water is injected into the stream of oil and gaseous atomizing medium prior to the ignition of the mixture. The introduction of water into the mixture greatly increases combustion efficiency and drastically reduces the amount of smoke produced from the burning of the crude oil. Although water is preferred, liquid oxygen, or mixtures of liquid oxygen and water, or the like, can be used.

Burner 26 includes a relatively thick, disc-shaped plate 110 which forms the downstream end of the burner head. Tubular member 100, which is connected to conduit 32 by welding or the like, is threadably connected to disc 110, although tubular member 100, and the other members described hereinafter, may be connected in any suitable manner such as welding, or the like. A first sleeve 102 embraces the forward portion of tubular member 100 and conduit 32. Sleeve 102 is threadably connected to plate 110. The upstream end portion of sleeve 102 joins the perimeter of tubular member 32 as indicated at 103. Sleeve 102 is of a greater diameter than tubular member 100 and conduit 32 and annular space 104 is provided around the periphery of tubular member 100 and conduit 32. Conduit 31a is connected to sleeve 102 for the purpose of admitting crude oil into the annular space 104.

Plate 110 is forced against second sleeve 106 by nut 119, which nut is threadably attached to sleeve 106. The upstream end portion of sleeve 106 joins the perimeter of first sleeve 102, as indicated at 107. Sleeve 106 is of greater diameter than sleeve 102 and an annular space 108 is provided around the periphery of sleeve 102. Conduit fitting 109 mounted on sleeve 106 is for the purpose of admitting water to the annular space 108. Waterlines (not shown) similar to waterlines 34 and 35 may be used to provide a water supply to burner 26.

A plurality of ports 112 are formed in plate 110 through which the gaseous atomizing medium may escape. These ports 112 preferably have their axes aligned with the axes of discharge openings 114. The openings 114 are of larger diameter than the ports 112. Apertures 118, which are equal in number to the discharge openings 114, provide communication between the annular space 104 and the discharge openings 114. Apertures 116, which equal in number to the discharge openings 114, provide communication between the annular space 108 and the discharge openings 114. The gaseous atomizing medium escaping through the openings 114 serves to draw oil from the annular space 104 and water from the annular space 108 into the respective discharge openings to break the crude oil and water into small droplets and propel it through the openings 114.

In FIGS. 14 and 15 is shown another preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein a combustion furnace generally indicated by the numeral 121 is placed over burner 23 (or over burner 26) replacing water tube 40 shown in FIG. 10. This combustion furnace has a venturi-like effect in that air is drawn into the upstream end of furnace 121, as shown by arrows 122, to aid in the combustion of the crude oil mixture. This furnace has been found to greatly improve the efficiency of combustion and to greatly decrease the amount of smoke released upon combustion. As seen in FIGS. 14 and 15, furnace 121 is connected to burner 23 by brackets 127--127. Brackets 127--127 are connected to the furnace 121 by braces 129. Furnace 121 may be moved upstream or downstream on burner 23 to achieve maximum efficiency of the burn by means of brackets 127--127. Furnace 121 has a water ring 123 thereon having nozzles 125 for spraying water in a direction indicated by the arrows 130, although nozzles 125 can be oriented outwardly at a suitable angle with respect to the furnace axis so as to spray the water into a screen performing the desired protection rearwardly of the furnace 121. Water is supplied to water ring 123 through conduit 35. Oil is supplied to burner 23 (or burner 26) by conduit 31a. The water being sprayed from nozzles 125 promotes efficiency of clean combustion in the same manner as previously described. The arrow 131 indicates the flow of gaseous atomizing medium into burner 23, and arrows 132 indicate the outline of the cone of burning oil.

The shape of furnace 121 is important in achieving maximum air flow through the furnace to maximize combustion efficiency. In FIG. 14, the diameter of the upstream end of furnace 121 is indicated by notation D.sub.1 and the diameters of the downstream end of furnace 121 is indicated by the notation D.sub.3. The diameter of the constructed portion of the furnace is indicated by the notation D.sub.2. The horizontal distance between D.sub.1 and D.sub.2 is indicated by the notation L.sub.1, and the horizontal distance between D.sub.2 and D.sub.3 is indicated by the notation L.sub.2. Preferably, the ratio D.sub.1 :D.sub.3 ranges from about 1.0:1.1 to about 1.0:0.9. The ratio D.sub.1 :D.sub.2 preferably may vary from about 1.1:1.0 to about 1.4:1.0. The most preferred range of D.sub.1 :D.sub.2 is from about 1.2:1.0 to about 1.3:1.0. The ratio L.sub.2 :L.sub.1 preferably varies from about 3:1 to about 9:1, most preferably, from about 5:1 to about 7:1.

The pressures under which the gaseous atomizing medium, crude oil and water or liquid oxygen is supplied to both embodiments of the burner of the present invention can be adjusted or varied to achieve maximum combustion efficiency.

While the invention has been described with reference to the particular structural features and methods of operation, it will be appareciated that changes may be made in the overall organization as well as in the component. Such modification and others may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the combustion of crude oil, comprising:

a. boom means connected to an oil well platform;

b. burner means connected to said boom means, said burner means having means for atomizing said crude oil and mixing said crude oil with a gaseous atomizing medium to improve combustion;

c. conduit means for supplying said crude oil to said burner means; and

d. conduit means for supplying said gaseous atomizing medium to said burner means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said boom means is pivotally connected to said platform means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said boom means is pivotally connected to said platform means by pivot pin means.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said pivot pin means is slidably received in burner support means, said burner support means being connected to said platform means.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said burner support means comprises base member means connected to said platform means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said burner suppot means comprises vertical support means extending upward from said base member means, said vertical support means being connected at their upper ends to bracket means.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said boom means is self-supporting.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said boom means is rigidly connected to said platform means.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said boom means comprises upper longitudinal support member means and lower longitudinal support member means.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said upper and said lower longitudinal support member means are adapted to convey fluids to said burner means.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said upper and said lower longitudinal support member means are metal pipe means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said fluid conveyed by said upper longitudinal support member means comprises a gaseous atomizing medium.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said fluid conveyed by said lower longitudinal support member means is crude oil.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said upper longitudinal support member means is connected to said lower longitudinal support member means by metal brace means.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said brace means forms acute angles with said upper and said lower longitudinal support member means.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said boom means is generally triangular in cross-section.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein boom means has conduit means attached thereto for conveying water to said burner means.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said burner means is connected to the end of said boom means opposite the end of said boom means which is connected to said platform means.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said burner means comprises:

i. burner head means including

A. first tubular member means into which a gaseous atomizing medium is supplied, and

B. second tubular member means providing a closed annular space about said first tubular member means into which crude oil is supplied, and

ii. nozzle means connected to the downstream ends of said first and second tubular member means for mixing said gaseous atomizing medium with said crude oil to atomize said crude oil.

20. The burner of claim 19 wherein said nozzle means include plate means closing the downstream end of said first tubular member means and said annular space, ports in said plate for the discharge of said gaseous atomizing medium, said plate having discharge openings aligned with said ports and said plate having apertures therein providing communication between said annular space and said discharge ports whereby crude oil is atomized by said gaseous atomizing medium as it is discharged from said nozzle.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said burner means contains water tube means surrounding said burner means containing a series of nozzle means for providing a shield of water around said burner means.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein at least one of said nozzle means injects water into the atomized crude oil which is discharged from said burner means.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said burner means comprises:

i. burner head means including

A. first tubular member means into which a gaseous atomizing medium is supplied,

B. second tubular member means providing a first closed annular space about said first tubular member means into which crude oil is supplied,

C. third tubular member means providing a second closed annular space about said second tubular member means into which water is supplied, and

ii. nozzle means connected to the downstream ends of said first, second and third tubular member means for mixing said gaseous atomizing medium and water with said crude oil.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein liquid oxygen is supplied to said second annular space.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said nozzle means includes a plate means closing the downstream end of said first tubular member means, said first annular space, and said second annular space, ports in said plate for the discharge of said gaseous atomizing medium, discharge openings in said plate aligned with said ports, said plate having apertures providing communication between said first annular space and said discharge openings and between said second annular space and said discharge openings, whereby said crude oil and water is atomized by said gaseous atomizing medium as it is discharged from said nozzle means.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said burner means contains water tube means surrounding said burner means containing a series of nozzle means for providing a shield of water around said burner means.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein at least one of said nozzle means injects water into the atomized crude oil which is discharged from said burner means.

28. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein combustion furnace means surrounds said burner means.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said combustion furnace means has water ring means located on the downstream end thereof.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said combustion furnace means is generally circular in cross-section.

31. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said combustion furnace has a longitudinal axis aligned with said burner means.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the ratio of the diameter D.sub.1 of the upstream end of said combustion furnace to the diameter D.sub.3 of the downstream end of said combustion furnace ranges from about 1.0:1.1 to about 1.0:0.9.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the ratio of the diameter D.sub.1 of the upstream end of said combustion furnace to the cross-sectional diameter D.sub.2 of said combustion furance at a horizontal distance L.sub.1 from said upstream end of said combustion furnace varies from about 1.1:1.0 to about 1.4:1.0.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the ratio of the distance L.sub.2 of the cross-sectional diameter D.sub.2 from the downstream end of said combustion furnace to the distance L.sub.1 of the cross-sectional diameter D.sub.2 from the upstream end of said combustion furance ranges from about 3:1 to about 9:1.

35. A burner assembly for the combustion of crude oil comprising burner head means including

A. first tubular member means into which a gaseous atomizing medium is supplied,

B. second tubular member means providing a first closed annular space about said first tubular member means into which crude oil is supplied;

C. third tubular member means providing a second closed annular space about said second tubular means into which water is supplied, and

D. nozzle means connected to the downstream ends of first, second and third tubular member means for mixing said gaseous atomizing medium and water with said crude oil.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein liquid oxygen is supplied to said annular space provided about said second tubular member means.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said nozzle means includes a plate means closing the downstream end of said first tubular member means, said first annular space and said second annular space, ports in said plate for the discharge of said gaseous medium, discharge openings in said plate aligned with said ports and said plate having apertures providing communication between said first annular space and said discharge openings and between said second annular space and said discharge openings whereby said crude oil is atomized by said gaseous atomizing medium as it is discharged from said nozzle means.

38. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said burner assembly includes water tube means surrounding said burner head means containing a series of nozzle means for providing a shield of water around said burner head means.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein at least one of said nozzle means injects water into the atomized crude oil which is discharged from said burner head means.

40. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein combustion furnace means surrounds said burner head means.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said combustion furnace has water ring means located on the downstream end thereof.

42. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said combustion furnace means is generally circular in cross-section

43. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said combustion furnace has a longitudinal axis aligned with said burner means.

44. A method for the combustion of crude oil, comprising:

a. conveying crude oil and a gaseous atomizing medium through boom means connected to an oil well platform means connected to said boom means,

b. mixing said crude oil with said gaseous atomizing medium in said burner means to atomize said crude oil, and

c. providing a water shield around said burner means to shield said boom means from the heat resulting from the combustion of said crude oil.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein water is mixed with said crude oil and said gaseous atomizing medium in said burner means prior to combustion.

46. The method of claim 44 wherein said liquid oxygen is mixed with said crude oil and said gaseous atomizing medium in said burner means prior to combustion.

47. The method of claim 44 wherein a draft of air is provided to said burner means by a placing a combustion furnace over said burner means.