Helical Heating Element Coil Spacing Adjustment for Water Vaporization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flaring and cleanup operations in well operations are often disruptive due to the need to handle heavy fluids like brine, which can interrupt well operations, and existing methods lack efficient and continuous vaporization of water to manage water handling effectively.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and system that includes a vessel with a helical heating element and a control system, capable of automatically adjusting heating rate and coil spacing to efficiently vaporize water and vent steam, avoiding the disruption caused by heavy fluids and enabling continuous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional flaring and cleanup operations are used to handle produced water, then water disposal is achieved, but well operations are disrupted and interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies phase transition by heating produced water to convert liquid water into steam, which is then vented through a controlled valve. This phase change eliminates the need for flaring operations while maintaining continuous well operations, as the steam can be safely discharged without disrupting production activities
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the water disposal function from the traditional flaring process by implementing a separate heating and steam venting system. This allows water to be removed and vaporized independently, eliminating the harmful disruption caused by flaring while preserving the continuity of well operations
2Productivity
If heating rate is increased to quickly vaporize water, then vaporization speed improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the heating rate and steam venting based on real-time monitoring of water level, temperature, and steam pressure. The system automatically adjusts heating power and vent valve opening to match the actual vaporization needs, preventing excessive energy consumption while maintaining efficient vaporization speed through adaptive optimization
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs feedback control mechanisms where sensors continuously monitor water level, temperature, and steam pressure, and the controller adjusts heating rate and vent valve position accordingly. This closed-loop system ensures energy is used efficiently by providing exactly the right amount of heat needed for vaporization without waste, while maintaining high productivity through rapid response to changing conditions
3Productivity
If coil spacing is reduced to increase heating surface area, then vaporization efficiency improves, but heat distribution uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the heating system into multiple separate heating zones along the vessel length, each with its own heating elements. This segmentation allows each zone to operate independently with optimized coil spacing, maintaining uniform heat distribution within each zone while achieving high overall vaporization efficiency through the combined effect of multiple zones
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different coil spacing configurations in different regions of the vessel based on local heating requirements. Areas with higher water concentration or different thermal characteristics receive customized heating density, ensuring uniform heat distribution throughout the entire volume while maintaining high overall vaporization efficiency through localized optimization
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 allows for continuous and efficient vaporization of water, preventing interruptions in well operations by automatically adjusting heating based on measured parameters, ensuring efficient and quick vaporization of water and venting of steam.
Implementation Method 1
The helical heating element is configured to generate heat in response to receiving power, thereby vaporizing water in the aqueous fluid to produce steam
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a vessel, a vent valve, a helical heating element, and a control system. The vessel includes an inlet, a solids outlet, and a steam outlet. The helical heating element is configured to generate heat, thereby vaporizing water in an aqueous fluid to produce steam. The helical heating element includes multiple coils, and a spacing between adjacent coils is adjustable. The control system includes multiple sensors and a controller. The controller is configured to transmit a spacing adjustment signal to adjust the spacing between adjacent coils of the helical heating element and transmit a heating adjustment signal to adjust an amount of heat produced by the helical heating element.