Flash Vessel Precipitation for Alkaline Earth Metal Recovery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for recovering processing liquids from natural gas production are inefficient and costly due to contamination with alkaline earth metal cations, which form water-insoluble salts, leading to fouling in equipment and requiring expensive pre-treatment processes.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a flash vessel with a forced recirculating reboiler loop and introduction of precipitants to form water-insoluble salts, allowing for in-line removal of alkaline earth metal cations during the reclaiming stage, eliminating the need for pre-treatment and enabling efficient separation of processing liquids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If pre-treatment is applied to remove alkaline earth metal cations before processing liquid recovery, then equipment fouling is reduced, but process complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the precipitation of alkaline earth metal cations with the existing processing liquid recovery process by introducing precipitants into the flash vessel. This merging eliminates the need for separate pre-treatment equipment while still achieving effective removal of cations that cause fouling, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining the benefit of reduced equipment fouling.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the harmful alkaline earth metal cations from the feed stream by introducing precipitants that form water-insoluble salts. These precipitated cations are then removed along with water-insoluble salts in the flash separation process, effectively taking out the fouling-causing contaminants without requiring separate pre-treatment systems.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If pre-treatment is applied to remove alkaline earth metal cations, then salt precipitation is controlled, but space utilization and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the salt precipitation control function with the flash separation process. By introducing precipitants into the flash vessel, the control of alkaline earth metal cation precipitation is integrated into the existing recovery system, eliminating the need for separate pre-treatment tanks and equipment, thus improving space utilization while maintaining effective salt precipitation control.
3Device complexity
If conventional recovery process is used without integrated precipitation, then process simplicity is maintained, but equipment fouling and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the flash vessel perform the dual function of both flash separation and precipitation of alkaline earth metal cations. By introducing precipitants into the flash vessel, the system uses its existing structure and operation to simultaneously achieve salt precipitation control and cation removal, eliminating the need for additional pre-treatment equipment while maintaining process simplicity.
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 process effectively separates water-insoluble salts of alkaline earth metal cations from processing liquids, reducing equipment fouling and operational costs by integrating precipitation within the reclaiming stage, thus enhancing the efficiency of processing liquid recovery.
Implementation Method 1
A process involving a flash vessel with a forced recirculating reboiler loop
Implementation Method 2
introduction of precipitants to form water-insoluble salts, allowing for in-line removal of alkaline earth metal cations
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A process for recovering processing liquids from a feed stream which contains processing fluid, water, and at least one alkaline earth metal cation. The process includes reacting at least one alkaline earth metal cation with a suitable anion to form a substantially water-insoluble salt precipitate, the precipitate being formed in one of a fractionation column having a forced recycle loop or a flash vessel having a forced heated recycle loop.