Process for Separating One or More Solids from Water Miscible Fluids and an Apparatus Therefor

Abstract

This invention relates to a process for removing solid matter from process liquids that are miscible with water. A brine made from water and dissolved salt and which is more dense than the process liquid is placed underneath and in contact with the mixture of process liquid and solid matter. The particles and pieces of solid matter move from the process liquid and then through the brine. In so doing the process liquid that is carried with the solid matter is displaced by the more dense brine.

1 . A process to separate at least a portion of solid matter from a mixture including a process liquid that is substantially miscible with water and the solid matter, the method comprising
 a) placing the mixture of process liquid and solid matter into a reservoir;   b) introducing beneath the mixture a second water miscible liquid having a density greater than the density of the process liquid and allowing at least a portion of the solid matter and any process liquid bound thereto to move through at least a portion of the second water miscible liquid; and   wherein the passage of the portion of solid matter through the portion of second water miscible liquid displaces at least a portion of the less dense process liquid bound to the portion of the solid matter.   
     
     
         2 . A process to separate at least a portion of solid matter from a mixture including a process liquid that is substantially miscible with water and the solid matter, the method comprising
 a) placing the mixture of process liquid and solid matter into a reservoir;   b) introducing beneath the mixture a second water miscible liquid having a density greater than the density of the process liquid and allowing at least a portion of the second water miscible liquid to move upwards through at least a portion of the mixture of solid matter and process liquid and   
       wherein the passage of the portion of second water miscible liquid through the portion of the mixture of process liquid and solid matter displaces at least a portion of the less dense process liquid bound to the portion of the solid matter. 
     
     
         3 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  which further comprises removing the solid matter having at least a portion of the process liquid displaced therefrom, from the second water miscible liquid. 
     
     
         4 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the second water miscible liquid is water that contains a quantity of dissolved salt such that its density is greater than that of the process liquid. 
     
     
         5 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the process liquid comprises one or more glycols, one or more alcohols, one or more amines, and/or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The process as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the one or more glycols are selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol and/or diethylene glycol. 
     
     
         7 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein one or more mechanical devices assist the movement of the solid matter through the second water miscible liquid. 
     
     
         8 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising applying high frequency sound waves to assist the displacement of the process liquid from the solid matter in the second water miscible liquid. 
     
     
         9 . A process for removing at least a portion of one or more dissolved solids from a feed mixture including one or more dissolved solids and a process liquid that is substantially miscible with water, the process comprising:
 rapidly boiling or flashing at least a portion of said feed mixture by commingling said feed mixture with a heated recycle liquor stream in a first heating zone to produce a vapour, and a residuum including unvaporised process liquid and precipitated solid matter;   collecting at least a portion of said residuum in a liquid pool in a reservoir;   drawing a recycle liquor stream from said liquid pool;   heating said recycle liquor stream in a second heating zone to produce a heated recycle stream that contains sufficient heat to vaporise at least a portion of the feed mixture when said heated recycle liquor and the feed mixture are commingled in the first heating zone;   introducing beneath at least a portion of the residuum a second water miscible liquid having a density greater than the density of the process liquid and   allowing the movement of at least a portion of the precipitated solid matter and process liquid bound thereto from said portion of the residuum into and through at least a portion of the second water miscible liquid, and wherein said movement into the second water miscible liquid displaces at least a portion of the less dense process liquid bound to the precipitated solid matter.   
     
     
         10 . The process as claimed in  claim 9  which further comprises removing the solid matter having at least a portion of the process liquid displaced therefrom, from the second water miscible liquid. 
     
     
         11 . The process as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the second water miscible liquid is water that contains a quantity of dissolved salt such that its density is greater than that of the process liquid. 
     
     
         12 . The process as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the process liquid comprises one or more glycols, one or more alcohols, one or more amines, and/or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The process as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the one or more glycols are selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol and/or diethylene glycol. 
     
     
         14 . The process as claimed in  claim 9  wherein one or more mechanical devices assist the movement of the solid matter through the second water miscible liquid. 
     
     
         15 . The process as claimed in  claim 9  further comprising applying high frequency sound waves to assist the displacement of the process liquid from the solid matter in the second water miscible liquid. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for separating a process liquid that is substantially miscible with water from a mixture including solid matter and the process liquid the apparatus comprising
 (a) a reservoir to hold in use the mixture of solid matter and the process liquid in the reservoir, and;   (b) a conveying means proximate a base of the reservoir for bringing an upper layer of a second water miscible liquid having a density greater than the density of the process liquid into contact with a lower layer of the mixture of process liquid and solid matter so that at least a portion of the solid matter passes from the reservoir through at least a portion of the second water miscible liquid.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16  which further comprises an outlet means for allowing the removal of at least a portion of the solid matter from said at least a portion of the second water miscible liquid. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the conveying means is a downcomer pipe that extends downwardly from the base of the reservoir. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the downcomer pipe is further adapted internally to include surface area increasing means therein. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the downcomer pipe comprises a surface area increasing means selected from the group consisting of a series of internally spaced apart steps, an arrangement of a plurality of loose objects and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus comprising:
 (a) a reservoir containing a mixture of solid matter and a process liquid that is substantially miscible with water in the reservoir, and   (b) a conveying means proximate a base of the reservoir containing an upper layer of a second water miscible liquid having a density greater than the density of the process liquid in contact with a lower layer of the mixture of process liquid and solid matter.