CYCLONIC LIQUID DEGASSING SEPARATOR AND METHOD FOR DEGASSING A FLUID MIXTURE

摘要

A method and cyclonic separator are disclosed for degassing a fluid mixture comprising a carrier liquid and gaseous and/or vaporizable components, wherein: the fluid mixture is accelerated in a throat section (6, 21) of a vortex tube (1, 20) such that the static pressure of the fluid mixture is decreased and vaporizable components evaporate into a gaseous phase and the fluid mixture flows as a substantially homogeneously dispersed gas-liquid mixture through the throat section; the accelerated fluid mixture is induced to swirl within a tubular mid section of the vortex tube such that the fluid mixture is separated by centrifugal forces into a degassed liquid fraction and a gas enriched fraction; the degassed liquid fraction is induced to flow into a annular liquid outlet conduit (4, 21); and the gas enriched fraction is induced to flow into a central gas outlet conduit (3, 24). An advantage of inducing the fluid mixture to flow as a substantially homogeneously dispersed gas-liquid mixture through the throat section is that the velocity of sound in such a mixture is low, thereby increasing the Mach number and the pressure reduction in the throat section and enhancing evaporation of gas bubbles in the mixture.