A bucket-style separator with a cyclonic desander — non-welded, packerless, built around a heavy-walled stainless dip tube that combines gravitational gas separation with an integrated TAC bypass and hydrocyclonic desanding. Can be run with or without the integrated TAC bypass engaged.
Little Boy is a bucket-style separator with a cyclonic desander. It employs a heavy-walled stainless steel dip tube as the structural member holding the gas separator, allowing for increased separation area, with separation taking place around the gas separator housing. Little Boy is non-welded and doesn't require a packer, combining two types of separation for maximum fluid, gas, and solids handling. The gap between the outer housing and the TAC allows gas to break away from the fluid through gravity separation, while the TAC bypass allows unimpeded flow both through and around the TAC — and can be run with or without the integrated TAC bypass engaged, depending on the well.
A stainless dip tube carries the separator; gravity does the gas work, a hydrocyclone handles the rest.
The stainless steel dip tube holds the degasser chamber, hydrocyclonic desander, and mud joints — eliminating the welded connections a conventional housing would need.
A large stall area above the degassing chamber gives fluid maximal room to fall backward, enhancing the traditional gravity separation method that separates gas from liquid.
The gap between the outer housing and the TAC lets gas break away through gravity separation while the TAC bypass keeps flow unimpeded both through and around the TAC.
The lower segment houses the Fat Man desander, using centripetal motion — the same vacuum-cleaner-style spin used across the platform — to force solids out of solution and into the lower mud anchor.
| Spec | 5.0" | 4.5" | 4.0" | 3.5" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Separator OD | 5.0 (127) | 4.5 (114.3) | 4.0 (101.6) | 3.5 (88.9) |
| Length | 33 ft (10 m) / 43 ft (13.1 m) — all sizes | |||
| Inner tube ID | 1.25" (31.8 mm) — all sizes | |||
The Little Boy desander works inside a flow window. Enter the pump or the daily fluid rate to see which spiral fits your well.
