Field Enhanced Separation Apparatus for Petroleum Fraction Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional petroleum processing methods face challenges in efficiently separating desirable hydrocarbon fractions from less desirable ones, particularly due to limitations in throughput, energy consumption, and maintaining consistent temperature differentials in large-scale separation devices.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a field-enhanced separation method using a heating fluid channel and a cooling fluid channel with open cell framework structures to create a temperature differential across a process fluid channel, optionally enhanced by an electric field, allowing for reduced residence time and increased throughput without the need for large equipment footprints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional separation devices are used for petroleum fraction separation, then separation can be achieved, but throughput is limited and energy consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The separation device is divided into multiple channels with heating fluid channels and cooling fluid channels arranged in parallel. Each channel processes a portion of the feed stream independently, allowing concurrent processing of multiple fractions simultaneously, thereby increasing overall throughput while distributing energy consumption across multiple smaller units rather than requiring one large high-energy unit
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies temperature gradients by heating and cooling specific channels to different temperatures. By changing the thermal parameters of different channels, the system enables simultaneous separation of multiple fractions with different boiling points in parallel, increasing throughput without proportionally increasing total energy consumption
2Productivity
If large-scale separation devices are used, then separation capacity increases, but maintaining consistent temperature differentials becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the separation process into multiple independent channels, each maintaining its own temperature differential. This segmentation allows consistent temperature control in each smaller channel while achieving high overall separation capacity through parallel processing, avoiding the temperature consistency problems of single large-scale devices
Solution Approach 2:
Heating fluid channels and cooling fluid channels act as intermediaries that transfer thermal energy to the process fluid channels. These intermediary channels enable precise temperature control by mediating heat transfer, ensuring consistent temperature differentials across all process channels regardless of the overall device size
3Productivity
If conventional separation methods are used, then processing can be performed, but equipment footprint is large
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multiple narrow process fluid channels arranged in parallel rather than one large channel. This segmentation allows high processing capacity through parallel processing while maintaining a compact overall equipment footprint, as the channels can be arranged efficiently in three-dimensional space
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional two-dimensional horizontal arrangement to three-dimensional stacking of heating and cooling channels. By utilizing vertical stacking and multi-dimensional arrangement, the system achieves high processing capacity without proportionally increasing the horizontal equipment footprint
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 enables efficient separation of petroleum fractions based on molecular shape and density, reducing energy consumption and equipment size while maintaining a consistent temperature differential, thereby improving commercial-scale processing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
Liquid thermal diffusion provides a method for performing a liquid separation that is an alternative to boiling point based separations
Implementation Method 2
heating fluid channel and a cooling fluid channel with open cell framework structures to create a temperature differential across a process fluid channel
Implementation Method 3
a first open cell framework structure within the heating fluid channel volume, the first open cell framework structure contacting the interior surfaces of the first heating plate and the second heating plate at a plurality of points
Implementation Method 4
Optionally, the system can further include electrodes for providing an electric field within the process fluid channel
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for performing field enhanced separations on a feed, such as a petroleum feed, a refinery feed, or another type of hydrocarbonaceous feed. The system can allow for increased throughput of feed per volume of the separation device or system while performing a desired amount of field enhanced separation. The field enhanced separation can include separation by thermal diffusion, optionally enhanced by the presence of an electric field in the channel for performing the separation by thermal diffusion.