Flash Vaporization Glycol Separation Vessel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for treating water miscible fluids, such as glycol used in oil and gas production, are inefficient and costly due to the accumulation of dissolved and suspended solids, leading to corrosion, thermal degradation, and operational issues, particularly with calcium and other divalent cations, which require additional treatment steps and equipment that increase complexity and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a separation vessel where a less dense, non-miscible oil-like recycle fluid is used to rapidly boil a feed stream, separating vapors and unvaporized components, with a recycle fluid being pumped through a heat exchanger to vaporize volatile components and displace solids into a stripping zone, allowing for efficient removal of waste aqueous streams containing solids, thereby minimizing glycol loss and equipment complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional flash vaporisation processes are used to separate solids from glycol, then solids removal is achieved, but additional equipment (centrifuges, settling tanks, filters) is required which increases device complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the vaporisation process with solid-liquid separation in a single integrated vessel. The flash vaporisation chamber also serves as the separation chamber where vapors rise and solids settle, eliminating the need for separate centrifuges, settling tanks, or filters that would otherwise be required.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation vessel performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a vaporisation chamber, a vapor-liquid separator, and a solid-liquid settler. This multi-functional design reduces equipment complexity by consolidating what would traditionally require multiple separate units.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional flash vaporisation processes are used, then solids are separated, but valuable process liquid (glycol) is lost with the waste solid matter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary component (solids) from the mixture while leaving the valuable glycol in the liquid phase. By carefully controlling the flash vaporisation conditions, solids are separated and removed, while glycol is retained in the condensed liquid for reuse, minimizing loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The process discards only the solid contaminants while recovering the valuable glycol through condensation of the vapor phase. The condensed liquid is returned to the system for continued use, ensuring minimal loss of the process liquid.
3Reliability
If flash vaporisation is used to remove contaminants, then glycol is regenerated, but the process requires high energy input for heating and vaporisation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous flash vaporisation where the process liquid is continuously heated, vaporised, separated, and condensed. This continuous operation maintains thermal energy in the system through the recycle of hot condensed liquid, reducing the need for repeated heating cycles and lowering overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The process exploits the phase transition of water and glycol from liquid to vapor during flash vaporisation, then back to liquid during condensation. The latent heat released during condensation is used to preheat incoming feed, reducing the energy input required for vaporisation.
4Reliability
If solids accumulate in glycol over recycling rounds, then operational problems occur (corrosion, fouling, degradation), but frequent disposal and replacement of glycol increases cost and loss of substance
Solution Approach 1:
The flash vaporisation system provides self-service by continuously removing solids from the glycol as it circulates. The process automatically regenerates the glycol by separating contaminants, eliminating the need for external intervention to dispose of contaminated glycol and reducing replacement requirements.
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 simplifies and reduces the cost of solid separation, minimizes glycol loss, and effectively manages calcium and other divalent cations, preventing thermal degradation and operational issues, while reducing environmental impact and equipment complexity.
Implementation Method 1
supplying sufficient heat to the recycle fluid in the heat exchanger such that the amount of heat added to the recycle fluid is sufficient to vaporise volatile components of the feed stream
Implementation Method 2
rapidly boiling or flashing the feed stream upon mixing the feed stream with a recycle fluid in the mixing zone to produce a vapor
Implementation Method 3
caused to boil rapidly upon mixing with a heated recycle fluid within or in proximity to a flash separation vessel
Implementation Method 4
separating the vapor from the unvaporised components of a mixture of the feed stream and the recycle fluid
Implementation Method 5
placing an oil or oil-like recycle source liquid that is less dense than water, and is comprised of components that are substantially non-miscible with and less volatile than water and less volatile than the process liquid
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to an enhanced process for separating dissolved and suspended solids from valuable or harmful liquids and more particularly to improving the operational aspects and separation efficiency of treating certain water miscible fluids including those used for oil and gas processing such as glycols, as well as automobile and aircraft fluids, that have become contaminated with dissolved and/or suspended solid matter.