Forced-Circulation Evaporative Crystallizer Cleaning by Deposit Metrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Saltwater byproducts from reverse osmosis desalination and oil/gas production processes with high total dissolved solids (TDS) cannot be directly discharged and require Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) or Minimum Liquid Discharge (MLD) technologies, which use evaporative crystallizers to produce salt solids, but these systems face issues with solids deposits that disrupt operation and necessitate frequent dismantling for cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A forced-circulation evaporative crystallizer system with integrated sensors and a cleaning sub-system that measures solids deposits and autonomously determines the type of cleaning solution and duration needed, allowing for in-situ cleaning of components without downtime, using saltwater, distillate, or chemical solutions based on deposit metrics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If evaporative crystallizer operates continuously to produce salt solids, then productivity increases, but solids deposits accumulate causing operational disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of solids deposits using sensors (pressure differential, flow rate, temperature differential) and initiates cleaning actions before the deposits cause complete operational failure. The controller monitors metrics and triggers cleaning when thresholds are approached, preventing disruption rather than responding to it.
Solution Approach 2:
The crystallizer system cleans itself through an integrated cleaning subsystem that includes cleaning solution injection, circulation pumps, and heating elements. The system autonomously detects when cleaning is needed and executes the cleaning cycle without external intervention or component dismantling, making the system self-maintaining.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If traditional cleaning methods are used to remove solids deposits, then cleaning effectiveness improves, but system dismantling and downtime increase
Solution Approach 1:
A cleaning solution acts as an intermediary substance that chemically interacts with and dissolves the solids deposits. The cleaning subsystem injects and circulates this intermediary fluid through the crystallizer components, enabling removal of harmful deposits without mechanical intervention or system disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces mechanical cleaning methods (which would require dismantling and manual scrubbing) with a chemical-circulation-based cleaning subsystem. The cleaning solution flows through the system via pumps and heat exchangers, substituting mechanical force with fluid dynamics and chemical action to achieve the same cleaning objective without downtime.
3Reliability
If cleaning frequency is increased to maintain operational efficiency, then reliability improves, but loss of production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor operational metrics (pressure differential across circulation pump, flow rate, temperature differential across heat exchanger) and provide feedback to the controller. The controller compares these metrics against baseline values and automatically initiates cleaning only when deviation exceeds a threshold, optimizing cleaning frequency based on actual deposit accumulation rather than fixed schedules.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system transitions from static, scheduled cleaning to dynamic, on-demand cleaning. The cleaning subsystem activates only when sensor data indicates cleaning is necessary, adapting the cleaning frequency to actual operational conditions and deposit accumulation rates, thereby minimizing unnecessary downtime while maintaining reliability.
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 effectively prolongs the reliable operation of the crystallizer by autonomously cleaning solids deposits, reducing downtime and maintaining efficient production of salt solids, while avoiding the need to dismantle components.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the circulation pump to receive and heat the slurry
Implementation Method 2
a separator fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger to receive the slurry after the heat exchanger has heated the slurry and to evaporate water from the slurry
Implementation Method 3
Processing the water vapor may comprise compressing the water vapor as a steam, and the steam may be directed to the heat exchanger to heat the slurry in the heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for cleaning of a forced-circulation evaporative crystallizer. The crystallizer is used to produce salt solids and includes a circulation pump, a heat exchanger, a separator, and a vapor processor. Solids deposits accumulate during salt solids production within at least one of the circulation pump, heat exchanger, and separator. A solids deposits metric representative of an amount of the accumulated solids deposits is measured. The solids deposits metric is determined to deviate from a baseline by at least a cleaning threshold. Certain determinations are made based on the solids deposits metric: determining a cleaning mode and at least one of a type of cleaning solution and a duration for which at least one of the circulation pump, heat exchanger, and separator is to be cleaned. At least one of the circulation pump, heat exchanger, and separator is then cleaned in accordance with those determinations.