Oil-Soluble Phosphate Ester Flocculation for Coal Fines Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coal fines in produced water from oil and gas wells pose a challenge for reuse due to their ability to plug pore throats and wear down surface pumps, and existing flocculation technologies risk reintroducing polymers into the reservoir and require excessive chemical usage.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the mixing of produced water with oil-soluble phosphate esters and a water-immiscible solvent to create an oil-in-water emulsion, which breaks into distinct phases, allowing mechanical separation of coal fines, thereby enabling their removal without reintroducing polymers into the reservoir.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If existing flocculation technologies are used to remove coal fines, then coal fines can be separated from produced water, but polymers may be reintroduced into the reservoir and excessive chemicals are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes only the necessary components (coal fines) from the produced water using oil-soluble phosphate esters as flocculants, which can be easily separated from the water phase after treatment, preventing polymer reintroduction into the reservoir while avoiding excessive chemical usage
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical parameter by using oil-soluble phosphate esters instead of traditional water-soluble polymers, allowing the flocculant to be effective in removing coal fines while being removable from the treated water, thus eliminating the harmful effect of polymer reintroduction
2Reliability
If produced water containing coal fines is reused, then water conservation is achieved, but coal fines can plug pore throats and wear down surface pumps
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary flocculation treatment to remove coal fines from produced water before reuse, using oil-soluble phosphate esters to aggregate fine particles that can cause pump wear and pore throat plugging, thereby protecting the reuse system from these harmful effects
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful effect of coal fines (which cause wear and plugging) into a beneficial separation process where the fines are aggregated into larger flocs that can be easily removed, transforming a problem into a solution that enables safe water reuse
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 effectively separates coal fines from produced water, allowing for the reuse of the water and reducing wear on surface pumps, while minimizing the risk of polymer reintroduction and chemical overuse.
Implementation Method 1
mixing at least: (i) produced water, wherein the produced water comprises suspended coal fines; (ii) one or more oil-soluble phosphate esters; and (iii) water-immiscible solvent; in proportions to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion
Implementation Method 2
causing the oil-in-water emulsion to substantially break into: (i) a first fluid having a continuous phase comprising the water from the produced water; and (ii) a second fluid having a continuous phase comprising the water-immiscible solvent
Implementation Method 3
mechanically separating the first fluid and the second fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A method of flocculating coal fines from produced water that includes the steps of: (A) mixing at least: (i) produced water, wherein the produced water comprises suspended coal fines; (ii) one or more oil-soluble phosphate esters; and (iii) water-immiscible solvent; wherein the mixing is in proportions to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion; (B) allowing or mechanically causing the oil-in-water emulsion to substantially break into: (i) a first fluid having a continuous phase comprising at least some of the water from the produced water; and (ii) a second fluid having a continuous phase comprising at least some of the water-immiscible solvent; and (C) mechanically separating the first fluid and the second fluid. Optionally, the step of mixing further includes mixing with a crosslinker for the one or more phosphate esters to form a gel for suspending the separated coal fines.