Model 970
CO2-Toluene
Core Plug Cleaner
The
Model 970 CO2-Toluene Core Plug Cleaner is a device for
cleaning crude oil, drilling mud liquids, and water from a single piece of
whole core or from a batch of core plug samples. The system is faster than soxhlet extraction, does not coke crude
oil in the sample as dose retorting, and uses the proven core cleaning method
utilizing CO2-saturated toluene.
The same process that is used for whole core cleaning is used here in an
"in the lab hood size device".
The
core plug cleaner fits into a standard size floor hood. The cleaning chamber is a pressure vessel 12
cm (4.75 inches) diameter X 25cm (10 inches) deep. The vessel is heated electrically with a two-kilowatt, 220-volt
heater enclosed in an explosion proof housing.
The
solvent is pumped from an onboard supply tank to the cleaning vessel with an
electrically driven high pressure pump.
The pump motor is explosion proof.
A cyclone separator with a stainless steel-packed, water-cooled
after-cooler is provided to separate the CO2 and the used hot
solvent when the vessel is drained. The
used toluene drains into an explosion proof electric still where it is
recovered and delivered back to the clean solvent supply.
The
still operation is automatic. The process controls are housed in a
non-explosion proof box intended to be mounted outside of the hood.
1.
load the samples into the vessel and close the lid.
2.
Select AUTOMATIC control, the time duration of the cleaning
process (SHORT-4 hours or LONG- 12 hours), and START the process. The process
controller operates the machine in the following manner. The air is purged from the cell with CO2
and then the chamber is filled with CO2 to a pressure of about 1400
kPa (200 psi). The cell heater is
turned on. Solvent is pumped into the
CO2-charged vessel. A second
and third filling cycle is required until all of the CO2 is forced
into solution. After a suitable soak
time the solvent is drained at a slow rate to prevent fracturing of the
samples, and the process is repeated.
Moderately
permeable sandstone samples with light oils will require only one SHORT
cleaning cycle. Low permeability rocks
with heavy crude oil present may require several LONG cleaning cycles. The cleaned samples will contain some
residual solvent and will require oven drying.
The user supplies CO2 regulated to 1400 kPa (200 psi),
toluene, cooling water 8 l/m @ 14 kPa (2 gpm @ 20 psi), and 220
volt-35amp/50-60 Hz electrical service.
A floor length hood and floor drain with an oil trap are recommended.
Water
from the plug samples is trapped in the solvent tank. A drain valve is provided to remove this water periodically.
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