Chemical Injection System

Abstract

A chemical injection system includes a pump in fluid communication with a chemical reservoir and a pipeline; a motor coupled to the pump and adapted to drive the pump to transfer a chemical fluid from the reservoir to the pipeline; a motor controller electrically coupled to a power module and the motor and adapted to adjust a rotational speed of the motor; and a central controller communicably coupled to the motor controller and a remote computing device. The controller includes a translator adapted to receive a signal from the remote computing device in a first communication protocol and translate the signal from the remote computing device to a command in a second communication protocol distinct from the first communication protocol, where the command is operable to adjust the motor controller to adjust the rotational speed of the motor.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY[0001]This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 184,890, filed on Jun. 8, 2009, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.TECHNICAL BACKGROUND[0002]This disclosure relates to a chemical injection system and, more particularly, to a chemical injection system controlled through remote communications via one or more communication protocols.BACKGROUND[0003]Conduit systems that carry and / or transport one or more fluids may utilize injection systems to insert other fluids (e.g., additives, inhibitors, or otherwise) into the conduit system. For example, hydrocarbon systems that transport hydrocarbon fluids, such as oil and / or gas or other fluids, often receive injected fluids in order to, for example, control corrosion within the conduit or pipeline; prevent paraffin deposition; and break emulsions in the transported hydrocarbon fluids. The injected fluids may also be used for water r...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0028]One or more of the above-described embodiments, as well as other embodiments described herein, may include one or more of the following features. For example, a chemical injection system may be remotely controlled through wired or wireless communication. A chemical injection system may be able to receive data in the form of a particular communication protocol and translate such data into a separate and distinct protocol. A chemical injection system may be able to reduce waste of chemicals injected into a hydrocarbon pipeline upon loss of pipeline pressure due to breaks or leaks. A chemical injection system may include a stand-alone power generation module obviating the need for electrical power from a municipal, city, or state power grid. A hydrocarbon transmission system including one or more chemical injection systems may more efficiently inject chemical additives into the system by monitoring the amount of additives present in the system, thereby preventing waste. Further, a hydrocarbon transmission system including one or more chemical injection systems may account for relative distances between production sites and pipeline monitoring locations in order to efficiently inject chemical additives into the system without waste. Additionally, a hydrocarbon transmission system including one or more chemical injection systems may monitor the amounts of injected chemical remaining in one or more chemical fluid reservoirs in order to avoid such injection units running out of chemicals.

Problems solved by technology

In such instances, however, the chemical injector may simply inject the additives on a timer system without regard to certain variables such as, for example, the flow rate through the pipeline the amount (percentage concentration) of additives already within the transported hydrocarbon fluids in the pipeline, possible problems within the pipeline or production facility, and / or a desired or required increase in the set amount of additives injected into the pipeline.

Further, the chemical injector may have no ability to communicate with other equipment and / or monitoring systems in order to take account of such variables.

If communication is possible, however, equipment and / or monitoring systems communicably coupled with the chemical injector may not transmit data and / or instructions in a protocol readily understood by the chemical injector, or vice versa.

Images