Methane Reactor Catalyst Grid for Crude Oil Viscosity Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transportation of crude oil through pipelines is hindered by high viscosity, especially in cold climates, and the disposal of petroleum gas released during extraction poses environmental concerns, with existing methods requiring costly additives or heating equipment and inefficient disposal methods.
Innovation Solution
Passing methane through a reactor containing a liquid feedstock and a solid metallic catalyst generates a gaseous product that is condensed into a low-boiling hydrocarbon mixture, which can be used to reduce crude oil viscosity and utilize petroleum gas without the need for disposal, using a process that includes a metallic catalyst grid and methane under moderate temperature and pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If crude oil is transported through pipelines in cold climates, then transportation is hindered by high viscosity, but adding additives or heating requires considerable capital expenditure and ongoing energy costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of high viscosity into a beneficial process by utilizing the crude oil's own thermal properties. The crude oil is heated to its flash point and then cooled rapidly, causing the heavy components to solidify and separate, thereby reducing viscosity without requiring external heating equipment during transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the crude oil dynamically - heating it to flash point temperature and then rapidly cooling it. This parameter change causes phase separation and solidification of heavy components, effectively reducing viscosity and improving flow characteristics without adding complex heating equipment.
2Ease of operation
If water is added to crude oil to form emulsion for pumping, then mobility increases, but emulsion formation requires emulsifiers that may be detrimental to the environment and must be separated at destination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of environmental pollution from emulsifiers into a beneficial process. Instead of adding external emulsifiers that pollute the environment, the invention uses the crude oil's own thermal properties and flash point characteristics to achieve phase separation and improved mobility, eliminating the need for harmful emulsifier chemicals.
Solution Approach 2:
The crude oil performs its own upgrading process by utilizing its intrinsic thermal properties. The oil is heated to flash point and then cooled to cause solidification of heavy components, achieving viscosity reduction and improved mobility without requiring external emulsifiers or additives, thus serving itself without environmental harm.
3Loss of substance
If petroleum gas is vented or flared to dispose of released gas, then disposal is achieved, but environmental concerns are raised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful disposal method of flaring into a beneficial process. The petroleum gas released during extraction is captured and used as fuel for heating the crude oil to its flash point, thereby eliminating the need for flaring or venting and converting a harmful emission problem into a useful heating resource.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding petroleum gas through flaring or venting, the invention recovers and utilizes it as fuel for heating the crude oil. This recovery process eliminates the harmful disposal methods and converts the waste gas into a useful resource for the upgrading process.
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 upgrades crude oil by increasing the proportion of low-boiling components, reducing viscosity for pipeline transport and eliminating the need for costly additives or heating, while utilizing petroleum gas, thus enhancing the efficiency and environmental sustainability of crude oil processing and transport.
Implementation Method 1
passing the methane at moderate temperature and pressure through a reactor that contains both the liquid feedstock and a solid metallic catalyst
Implementation Method 2
reacting said hydrocarbons with a gas containing methane under pressure and at an elevated temperature
Implementation Method 3
condensing the gaseous product to liquid form
Implementation Method 4
an electric potential is spontaneously generated in the reactor, without being initiated or supplemented by an externally imposed potential
Data Source
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AI summary
A clean-burning fuel with an upgraded mixture of hydrocarbons is produced by reacting methane-containing gas with crude oil or a liquid petroleum fraction in a process wherein the gas is fed to a reaction vessel to contact both the liquid and a metallic catalyst grid that is formed from windings of a transition metal supported on an iron frame immersed in a liquid petroleum fraction, at a moderate temperature to produce a gaseous reaction product which is condensed to form the fuel. The fuel has a variety of uses, including serving as an additive to crude oil for transport purposes.