Flameless Hydrocyclone Water Purification System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for purifying water, such as reverse osmosis, chemical treatment, and heating, face challenges like filter maintenance, chemical costs, and safety concerns, especially in areas where open flames are hazardous, and there is a need for effective treatment of contaminated water in industries like oil field services and for producing drinkable water from various sources.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using a cylindrical vessel with hydrocyclones that separates suspended and dissolved solids through centrifugal force and a change of phase, utilizing a flameless heat source to kill bacteria and remove VOCs without filters or chemicals, suitable for purifying contaminated water, including seawater and oilfield frac water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reverse osmosis systems are used for water purification, then water can be purified effectively, but filters become clogged and require ongoing maintenance and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the filter component from the water purification system entirely. Instead of using filters that become clogged, the system uses a membraneless contact distillation process where water vapor passes through a condenser, eliminating the need for filter maintenance while maintaining purification effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical filtration system with a thermal distillation system. Instead of mechanically filtering water through filters that clog, the system uses heat to evaporate water and condense the vapor, substituting a mechanical process with a thermal process that doesn't require filters.
2Reliability
If chemical applications are used to kill pathogens in water, then small amounts of water can be purified effectively, but it is difficult to always measure the proper amounts and chemicals are expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical treatment with thermal treatment. Instead of using chemicals to kill pathogens, the system uses heat to evaporate water, which naturally kills pathogens through the high temperature exposure during the distillation process, eliminating the need for chemical measurement and handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the treatment parameter from chemical concentration to temperature. Instead of controlling the amount of chemical added to kill pathogens, the system controls the temperature and duration of heating, which is a more precise and safer parameter to control, especially for small-scale water purification.
3Temperature
If open flame boilers are used to heat water for oil field operations, then water can be heated effectively, but unsafe conditions exist when open flame is positioned near wellhead with high concentration of natural gas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the open flame heating system with an electric heating system. Instead of using combustion to heat water, the system uses electric resistance heating elements that heat water without producing an open flame, eliminating the safety hazard while maintaining effective water heating capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a flameless heating environment using electric heating elements that do not require combustion. This creates an inherently safer atmosphere near wellheads with natural gas, as there is no open flame or combustion process that could ignite gas leaks.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If steam method is used to eliminate open flame near wellhead, then safety is improved, but large capital expenditure is required and heat loss occurs in piping to isolated wells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex steam generation and piping infrastructure. Instead of building a power plant and piping system to deliver steam to wells, the system uses localized electric heating at each well site, eliminating the need for extensive piping and reducing heat loss while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the centralized steam generation system into multiple independent localized heating units. Instead of one large power plant serving multiple wells through piping, each well site has its own electric heating system, eliminating heat loss in piping and reducing capital expenditure while maintaining the flameless safety advantage.
5Object-affected harmful factors
If chemical solvents are injected down hole to clean perforations, then open flames are eliminated and paraffin is removed, but substantial cost is added to the operation including expensive chemicals and hazardous material handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical solvent injection with thermal heating. Instead of injecting expensive chemical solvents to dissolve and remove paraffin, the system uses electric heating to melt and flush out paraffin with water, eliminating the need for expensive chemicals and hazardous material handling while achieving the same paraffin removal effect.
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 effectively purifies water to drinking standards, eliminating the need for filters, membranes, or chemicals, and provides a safe, efficient method for treating contaminated water in various applications, including oil field services, while minimizing capital expenditures and environmental risks.
Implementation Method 1
separates suspended and dissolved solids through centrifugal force
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a flameless heat source to kill bacteria and remove VOCs
Implementation Method 3
a change of phase to remove dissolved solids
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~2C
AI summary
A water purification system includes a high temperature water tank, a nameless heat source, a cylindrical vessel (hydrocyclone nest), a first pump, a steam production meter, and a steam condenser and heat exchanger. The contaminated water is heated within the high temperature water tank using the nameless heat source. The heated contaminated water heats the cylindrical vessel and one or more sets of hydrocyclones. The heated contaminated water is pumped into the cylindrical vessel such that the heated contaminated water enters a tangential inlet of the hydrocyclones, the hydrocyclones separate the heated contaminated water into steam and solids/concentrate, the steam exits through an overflow of the hydrocyclones and a first outlet of the cylindrical vessel, the solids/concentrate exit through an underflow of the hydrocyclones and a second outlet of the cylindrical vessel. The steam is condensed into purified water using the steam condenser and heat exchanger.