Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus and a process enable separating components of a multiphase hydrocarbon stream. The apparatus may include an outer vessel having a top end with a top outlet and a bottom end with a bottom outlet, with a longitudinal axis extending between the top end and the bottom end. An outer vessel body disposed between the top end and the bottom end has an outer vessel internal volume in fluid communication with the top outlet and the bottom outlet. The outer vessel body may include a first section with a tangential inlet arranged to introduce the multiphase hydrocarbon stream tangentially into the outer vessel internal volume to create a vortex flow, and a second section arranged closer to the bottom end than the first section. The outer vessel internal volume has a smaller cross-sectional circumference in the second section than in the first section. An inner vessel disposed within the outer vessel body includes an inner vessel body having an inner vessel internal volume, and an inner bottom inlet oriented toward the bottom end of the outer vessel and in fluid communication with the inner vessel internal volume and with the outer vessel internal volume. A traversing conduit in fluid communication with the inner vessel internal volume may traverse the outer vessel body.

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First Claim