In-line Chemical Heating for In-situ Active Additive Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The handling and use of hazardous chemicals in oil and gas pipelines are limited due to toxicity and safety concerns, as many effective chemicals, such as acrolein and formaldehyde, pose risks that prevent their widespread application.
Innovation Solution
In-situ conversion of inactive additives like glycerol, methanol, triazine, or hexamethylenetetramine into active additives like acrolein, formaldehyde, or ammonia within a pipeline system by heating, eliminating the need for direct handling of hazardous substances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hazardous chemicals like acrolein and formaldehyde are directly injected into pipelines for effective treatment, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but safety and handling complexity worsen due to toxicity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by converting hazardous chemicals into safe inactive forms before injection. Specifically, acrolein is converted to glycerol, formaldehyde to methanol, and other active chemicals to their corresponding inactive precursors that can be safely transported and stored, then converted back to active forms at the point of application
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses inactive chemical precursors as intermediaries between safe storage and effective treatment. These intermediary substances (glycerol, methanol, triazine, hexamethylenetetramine) serve as safe carriers that are converted to active chemicals through heating or hydrolysis reactions when needed for pipeline treatment
2Ease of operation
If inactive additives are converted to active chemicals in-situ through heating, then safety and handling ease are improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by utilizing temperature as a control parameter to trigger chemical conversion. The inactive additives are converted to active chemicals by heating to specific temperature ranges, allowing control over the timing and location of chemical activation through temperature parameter adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions and chemical state changes during the conversion process. The heating process induces chemical reactions that transform inactive additives into active chemicals, utilizing thermal energy to drive the phase or chemical state transition from stable inactive form to reactive active form
3Reliability
If hazardous chemicals are transported and stored for pipeline treatment, then treatment effectiveness is maintained, but environmental impact and storage complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the hazardous properties from the treatment system by removing the active chemical components and replacing them with safe inactive precursors. The harmful environmental and safety aspects are extracted and eliminated, leaving only the beneficial treatment function to be activated on-demand through simple heating or hydrolysis reactions
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 method safely generates active chemicals on-site, reducing storage and handling risks, improving safety and environmental impact while providing effective treatment for oil and gas pipelines without the need for transporting toxic substances.
Implementation Method 1
the step of converting the inactive additive into the active additive includes heating the second conduit
Implementation Method 2
the second conduit may include a catalyst
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for converting inactive chemicals into active chemicals in-situ for treating oil and gas pipelines, other industrial systems, or sanitizing surfaces. Also, methods of treating an oil and gas pipeline including feeding an inactive additive through a first conduit and into a second conduit, the second conduit is in fluid communication with the first conduit and the oil and gas pipeline. The inactive additive is converted into an active additive within the second conduit and introduced into the oil and gas pipeline.