Automated Effluent Combustion Control for Variable Water Content
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for combusting hydrocarbon fluids during well testing and oil spill cleanup are inefficient and environmentally harmful, as they often require significant water usage, lead to incomplete combustion, and release pollutants like black smoke and unburned hydrocarbons due to varying hydrocarbon content.
Innovation Solution
An automated system that determines the water content of multi-phase hydrocarbon fluids and adjusts fuel flows using a feedback control loop, incorporating an auxiliary fuel source and emission monitoring to optimize combustion, ensuring complete burning without water separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If water is injected into the flame to reduce black smoke and pollutants, then emission quality improves, but water consumption increases significantly and may exceed the amount of fluid produced during well testing
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a feedback control mechanism where a water content sensor continuously monitors the water content of the effluent being combusted. Based on this real-time data, the controller automatically adjusts the water injection rate to optimize combustion efficiency and minimize emissions without excessive water consumption. This closed-loop control ensures that water is added only to the extent necessary for effective combustion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the water injection parameter based on the measured water content of the effluent. When effluent with higher water content is detected, the water injection rate is reduced or stopped, and when effluent with lower water content is detected, water injection is increased to maintain optimal combustion conditions. This adaptive parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between emission quality and water consumption.
2Quantity of substance
If sea water is used for water injection to reduce smoke, then water availability improves, but chlorine and other deleterious compounds are released into the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the quality parameter of the water being injected by using fresh water or treated water instead of sea water. This parameter change (from saline to fresh/treated water) eliminates the introduction of chlorine and other deleterious compounds into the combustion process, thereby preventing their release into the environment while still maintaining water availability for combustion enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using sea water and dealing with the harmful chlorine byproducts, the system converts the approach by using fresh or treated water that does not contain chlorine. This transforms the potential harm (chlorine release) into a benefit (cleaner emissions) by changing the water quality parameter before injection.
3Device complexity
If conventional burners are used to combust well fluids, then combustion process is simple, but incomplete combustion occurs releasing unburned hydrocarbon effluent and pollutants
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback control where sensors monitor combustion parameters and effluent composition in real-time. Based on this feedback, the controller automatically adjusts water injection rates, air supply, and burner operation to maintain complete combustion conditions. This feedback mechanism adds complexity but eliminates incomplete combustion and associated pollutants.
Solution Approach 2:
The burner system is enhanced with multiple functions: water content sensing, automated water injection control, air supply regulation, and emission monitoring. This multi-functional system replaces the simple conventional burner and achieves complete combustion of variable-composition effluent, preventing release of unburned hydrocarbons and pollutants.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If water injection is used to decrease combustion temperature and reduce smoke, then emission quality improves, but the system requires significant water volumes that may not be available during well testing
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback control system continuously monitors the water content of the effluent and adjusts the water injection rate accordingly. This ensures that water is injected only to the minimum extent necessary to achieve complete combustion and reduce emissions, optimizing water usage efficiency and eliminating the need for excessive water volumes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the water injection parameter based on real-time effluent composition analysis. When effluent water content is high, external water injection is minimized or stopped. When effluent water content is low, water injection is increased to maintain optimal combustion temperature and emission quality. This adaptive parameter control resolves the contradiction between emission quality and water availability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables environmentally friendly and efficient combustion of hydrocarbon fluids by selectively adding auxiliary fuel and adjusting air supply based on water content and emission quality, reducing harmful emissions and minimizing water consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a multi-phase flowmeter having a multi-phase flowmeter inlet fluidly communicating with a source of the multi-phase hydrocarbon fluid and a multi-phase flowmeter outlet, the multi-phase flowmeter being configured to determine a water content of the multi-phase hydrocarbon fluid
Implementation Method 2
an igniter configured to initiate a flame at the burner to combust the multi-phase hydrocarbon fluid
Implementation Method 3
an auxiliary fuel valve is disposed between the auxiliary fuel source and the burner fuel port, the auxiliary fuel valve having a first position configured to block an auxiliary fuel flow to the burner fuel port and a second position configured to permit the auxiliary fuel flow to the burner fuel port
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems of burning a multi-phase hydrocarbon fluid include determining a water content of the multi-phase hydrocarbon fluid, communicating the multiphase hydrocarbon fluid to a fuel port of a burner in a primary fuel flow, initiating a flame at the burner to combust the multi-phase hydrocarbon fluid, communicating an auxiliary fuel source to the burner fuel port in an auxiliary fuel flow, and controlling the primary and auxiliary fuel flows based on the water content of the multi-phase hydrocarbon fluid.