Self-contained flameless fluid heating system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile heating systems for remote well sites, such as those used in hydraulic fracturing, face challenges in providing homogeneous temperature distribution and efficient pumping due to the need to comply with 'no flame' safety regulations, leading to increased costs and less than desired performance.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained, flameless mobile heating system utilizing an internal combustion engine with a heat generator and fluid heat exchanger arrangement that transfers heat from engine coolant, gases, and heat transfer fluid to the supply fluid, eliminating the need for pre-heating the heat transfer fluid and ensuring efficient heating without open flames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If open flame heating is used to heat the aqueous solution, then heating efficiency is improved, but safety compliance deteriorates due to US government regulations prohibiting open flame heating near wells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat exchanger as an intermediary device that transfers heat from the engine coolant to the aqueous solution without direct contact between the flame and the solution. This allows efficient heat transfer while maintaining safety compliance by eliminating open flame exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/open flame heating system with a thermal field-based heat exchanger system. The engine coolant serves as the heat transfer medium, substituting direct flame contact with indirect thermal conduction through the heat exchanger walls.
2Reliability
If flameless heating systems are used to comply with safety regulations, then safety compliance is improved, but temperature distribution uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the engine coolant serve multiple functions: it cools the engine, heats the aqueous solution through the heat exchanger, and maintains safety compliance by eliminating open flames. This multi-functionality ensures uniform temperature distribution while meeting safety requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The engine coolant continuously circulates through the heat exchanger, providing continuous and uniform heat transfer to the aqueous solution. This continuous thermal action ensures homogeneous temperature distribution throughout the solution volume.
3Reliability
If additional equipment is added to provide flameless heating, then safety compliance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heating function with the existing engine coolant system. The heat exchanger is integrated into the mobile heating system, combining the engine's thermal energy with the heating requirement in a single unified system, thereby reducing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The engine coolant automatically serves dual purposes: cooling the engine and heating the aqueous solution. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate heating equipment, reducing system complexity while maintaining safety compliance.
4Reliability
If heat exchangers are used to heat the aqueous solution indirectly, then safety compliance is improved, but pumping performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the heat exchanger design parameters, including surface area, flow channels, and thermal conductivity materials, to minimize flow resistance while maximizing heat transfer efficiency. This ensures that the aqueous solution can be pumped effectively even through the indirect heating system.
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 achieves homogeneous temperature distribution and efficient pumping by directly heating the supply fluid using a combination of engine coolant, gases, and heat transfer fluid, enhancing operational efficiency and compliance with safety regulations.
Implementation Method 1
causing fluid friction to create heat directly in the heat transfer fluid
Implementation Method 2
transferring heat from the heated engine coolant, the heated engine gases and the heated transfer fluid to heat the supply fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A heating system is connected to a source of supply fluid to be heated, and has an internal combustion engine provided with engine coolant and gases that flow to and from the engine, and are heated thereby. A heat generator is provided in fluid communication with a supply of heat transfer fluid for circulating the heat transfer fluid in the heat generator causing fluid friction to create heat directly in the heat transfer fluid, and provide heated transfer fluid that is not in fluid communication with the engine. A fluid heat exchanger arrangement is provided in fluid communication with the supply fluid, the engine coolant, the gases of the engine and the heated transfer fluid for transferring heat from the heated engine coolant, the heated engine gases, and the heated transfer fluid to heat the supply fluid.