High-Pressure Evaporator with Bubble Generation for Scales
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water-treatment and steam-generation processes for enhanced oil recovery, such as SAGD, are energy-intensive, costly, and inefficient, requiring multiple steps that include water softening and steam generation, leading to high greenhouse gas emissions and operational complexities.
Innovation Solution
A high-pressure evaporator system that integrates water treatment and steam generation in one step, using induced-gas flotation units and a fouling-resistant evaporator design with bubble generation for self-removal of scales, allowing direct steam generation from de-oiled produced water without the need for feed water softening, and optionally utilizing solar power or a Rankine cycle for energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If traditional water softening and steam generation processes are used, then steam can be generated for enhanced oil recovery, but energy consumption is high and greenhouse gas emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines water softening and steam generation into a single integrated system. The evaporator simultaneously performs both functions: softening the produced water through evaporation and generating steam for injection. This eliminates the need for separate cooling and reheating steps, reducing energy consumption while maintaining steam generation productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition (evaporation) as the core mechanism to achieve both water softening and steam generation. By heating produced water to its boiling point, the system transitions water from liquid to vapor phase, effectively removing dissolved solids (softening) while producing the required steam. This single phase transition replaces the traditional multi-step thermal processing.
2Reliability
If multiple process steps including water softening are implemented, then water treatment is achieved, but device complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple treatment functions into a single evaporator unit. The device simultaneously performs concentration of dissolved solids, water softening, and steam generation that were traditionally accomplished through separate processes. This integration reduces device complexity and operational steps while maintaining reliable water treatment quality through the inherent separation capabilities of evaporation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes dissolved solids and impurities from produced water through the evaporation process. By separating the water vapor from the concentrated brine residue, the system achieves effective water softening and treatment without requiring complex chemical treatment trains or multiple processing units.
3Ease of operation
If produced water is cooled for water softening, then ion exchange processes can be performed, but energy is wasted due to subsequent reheating
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of cooling produced water to enable softening and then reheating it for steam generation (the traditional approach), the patent inverts the thermal processing sequence. It directly heats the produced water to boiling point, using the same thermal energy input to achieve both softening through evaporation and steam generation, thereby eliminating the energy-wasting cooling-reheating cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the phase transition of water during evaporation to accomplish softening without requiring cooling. As water evaporates from the liquid phase, dissolved solids remain concentrated in the residual brine, achieving softening. The vapor phase produced is directly used as steam for enhanced oil recovery, eliminating thermal energy loss.
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
This approach reduces capital and operational costs, enhances energy efficiency, minimizes greenhouse gas emissions, and eliminates unnecessary temperature and phase changes, providing a more sustainable and efficient method for steam generation in SAGD processes.
Implementation Method 1
induced-gas flotation units
Implementation Method 2
generating steam from the produced water
Implementation Method 3
eliminates unnecessary temperature and phase changes
Implementation Method 4
bubble generation for self-removal of scales
Data Source
AI summary
A system of generating steam from an emulsion stream produced from a reservoir via thermal recovery has a heat exchanger for adjusting the emulsion to a first temperature; at least one separation device for separating water from the emulsion at the first temperature to obtain produced water; an optional produced-water preheater, and a high-pressure evaporator for receiving the produced water and generating steam using the produced water. The evaporator has a vapor drum; a heating element receiving the water stream, and in fluid communication with the vapor drum via a pressure letdown device; a heating source for imparting sensible heat to the water stream for generating steam. The evaporator also includes a recirculation pump for circulation of blowdown concentrate, and a bubble generator for generating bubbles and injecting generated bubbles into the heating element to enable self-removal of scales and other solid deposits in the evaporator.