US 11,951,435 B1
Vapor separation systems and methods
Victor Alfonso Gonzalez Tellez, Queretaro (MX); Tho V. Nguyen, Houston, TX (US); Haitham J. Khamissi, Houston, TX (US); Oswaldo Alberto Sanchez Rubio, Queretaro (MX); and Douglas A. Jones, Bellaire, TX (US)
Assigned to GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY LLC, Greenville, SC (US)
Filed by GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Oct. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/968,915.
Int. Cl. B01D 5/00 (2006.01); B01D 53/00 (2006.01); F01M 13/04 (2006.01)
CPC B01D 5/0051 (2013.01) [B01D 5/009 (2013.01); B01D 53/002 (2013.01); F01M 13/04 (2013.01); B01D 2258/01 (2013.01); F01M 2013/0411 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vapor separation system comprising:
a cooler comprising an inlet oriented to receive an air-oil-water vapor mixture, and an outlet oriented to discharge the oil and water in different phases of matter from the cooler;
a separation tank downstream from the cooler for receiving the air-oil-water mixture and condensed liquids discharged from the cooler, wherein the separator tank comprises a vent for discharging vaporized water and air separated from the liquefied oil;
a first sensor at the outlet of the cooler; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the cooler, wherein the controller is configured to:
receive temperature feedback from the first sensor; and
cool, using the cooler and based on the temperature feedback, the air-oil-water mixture to a separation temperature that liquifies at least a portion of the oil in the air-oil-water mixture while maintaining at least a portion of the water in the air-oil-water mixture in a vaporized state.