HiPer Solids Removing Cyclones

Robust, reliable & qualified for sub-sea separation

Produced sand can be removed from one or
more well streams at a wellhead platform or
remote location, but it is not always
practical or economical to do so. Therefore,
most operators chose to have the sand
settle in the separators first, from where it
can be removed from the process system.
The first step thereto is to fluidise the sand
into a motion fluid and route it to a location
for accumulation, cleaning and packaging.

Multi-Purpose Applications
In view of the low water requirement and the ability to
fluidise considerable amounts of solids within a
reasonable period of time, the HiPer Solids Removing
Cyclone forms the basis of ASCOMs solids handling
approach. Besides removing solids from a vessel, the
cyclone can be employed to transport accumulated
solids over a larger distance to a bagging station for
instance, or used to cycle the solids between
accumulators during solids cleaning operations.

Principle
ASCOM has developed a number of complementally solutions to fluidise solids. The HiPer Solids
Removing Cyclones introduce a cyclonic flow of
produced water into the layer of solids which leads
to the fluidisation of the particles. The cyclonic flow
also creates a low pressure zone in the eye of the
cyclone, exactly where the extraction point is
located. This pressure gradient drives the slurry
removal. Per Solids Removing Cyclone a water flow
3
rate is required of less than 5 m /hr at a minimum
pressure above the vessels operating pressure.
However, at low operating pressures in order to
extract the slurry from the vessel and process it to
its designated location, the flow may require
boosting.

Summary
Effective Removal Zone
Subject to the availability of produced water and the
area that needs to be covered, one or more Solids
Removing Cyclones can be installed in one or
multiple sections. A minimum distance is kept
between the cyclones for the circulating water flow
around each cyclone not to interfere with one
another. The effective solids removal zone is
approximately 1 meter in diameter and as a
consequence, solids outside this zone will only be
removed provided the angle between the solids and
the effective removal zone is larger than 34
degrees, the repose angle of sand.

Reliability confirmed for Sub-Sea Separation

In view of the fact that the Solids Removing
only contain large openings, the design
robust and very reliable, to such extend
technology has been qualified for use in
separators by a major oil company.

Cyclone
is very
that the
sub-sea

The advantages of the ASCOM HiPer Sand

Removing Cyclone:
Low motion fluid flow rate required
Good sand fluidisation & removal
Excellent sand removal in combination with
HiPer Sandjetting System
Not prone to blockage
Excellent performance in fouling service
Excellent pressure drop characteristics
Low maintenance due to robust design
Removable through Man Way
No welding required for installation
Easily replaces existing older sparging
equipment
Can be used in combination with:
HiPer Sandjetting System,
HiPer Solids Accumulator,
HiPer Solids Cleaning System, and
HiPer Solids Bagging Station.