Salt Cavern Washing with Brine Desalination and Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current salt cavern development methods for hydrocarbon and waste storage involve a 'once-through' process, leading to rapid cavern growth, increased demand for water and disposal infrastructure, and reduced cavern lifetimes due to under-saturated water dissolving salt, resulting in excessive expansion beyond recommended diameters.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that involve desalinating brine emerging from the cavern, recycling saline water, and mixing it with make-up water to create salinated wash water, which is then pumped back into the cavern to control growth rate and reduce water demand, while also diverting non-saline water for external use and mixing with waste materials for efficient disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If non-saline water is pumped into the salt formation to dissolve salt and grow the salt cavern, then the cavern growth rate is increased, but the demand for make-up water increases and the cavern lifetime is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers and recycles the brine that would otherwise be discarded. The brine is desalinated to recover fresh water for reuse, and the rejected brine stream is pumped back into the cavern to continue dissolving salt. This transforms a waste disposal problem into a resource recovery and recycling system, reducing the need for continuous make-up water while maintaining cavern growth productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the salinity parameter of the wash water by recycling desalinated brine. Instead of always using fresh non-saline water, the system varies the salt concentration in the injected water by mixing recycled brine with fresh water. This parameter change allows control over the cavern growth rate while reducing overall water consumption, as the recycled brine continues to dissolve salt effectively.
2Productivity
If non-saline water is pumped into the salt formation to dissolve salt and grow the salt cavern, then the cavern growth rate is increased, but the cavern lifetime is reduced due to excessive diameter growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where the salinity of the wash water is adjusted based on the desired cavern growth rate and final size. By monitoring and controlling the salt concentration in the injected water (through mixing recycled brine with fresh water in controlled proportions), the system can modulate the dissolution rate to achieve target cavern dimensions without excessive growth that would reduce lifetime.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the salinity parameter of the wash water by recycling desalinated brine. Instead of always using fresh non-saline water, the system varies the salt concentration in the injected water by mixing recycled brine with fresh water. This parameter change allows control over the cavern growth rate while reducing overall water consumption, as the recycled brine continues to dissolve salt effectively.
3Ease of operation
If a 'once through' process is used where saline water exiting the cavern is disposed of, then the process is simple to operate, but pipelines and disposal wells are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the system self-sufficient by recycling its own waste brine. Instead of requiring external disposal infrastructure, the system processes its own waste stream through desalination and reuse. The recycled brine is fed back into the cavern, creating a closed-loop system that eliminates the need for external disposal wells and pipelines, while the desalination unit provides the necessary water treatment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent recovers and recycles the brine that would otherwise be discarded. The brine is desalinated to recover fresh water for reuse, and the rejected brine stream is pumped back into the cavern to continue dissolving salt. This transforms a waste disposal problem into a resource recovery and recycling system, reducing the need for continuous make-up water while maintaining cavern growth productivity.
4Quantity of substance
If desalination and recycling of brine is implemented, then water demand is reduced and cavern lifetime is extended, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the system self-sufficient by recycling its own waste brine. Instead of requiring external disposal infrastructure, the system processes its own waste stream through desalination and reuse. The recycled brine is fed back into the cavern, creating a closed-loop system that eliminates the need for external disposal wells and pipelines, while the desalination unit provides the necessary water treatment capability.
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 approach slows down cavern growth, reduces the need for make-up water and disposal wells, and allows for the recycling and reuse of saline water, thereby extending cavern lifespan and simplifying disposal processes.
Implementation Method 1
pumping wash water into the salt formation to dissolve salt and grow the salt cavern
Implementation Method 2
desalinating brine emerging from the salt formation, thereby providing a stream of saline water, a stream of non-saline water and a stream of salt
Data Source
AI summary
A method for desalinating and recycling the brine exiting a salt cavern. This method reduces the overall make-up water demand to wash a salt cavern, eliminates the brine disposal well and controls the cavern growth rate during disposal operations. The method includes the steps of: a) desalinating brine emerging from the salt cavern, and creating a stream of saline water, a stream of non-saline water and a stream of salt; b) recycling the stream volumes and combining the stream of non-saline and saline water with make-up water, thereby reducing demand for make-up water, c) pumping the salinated water into the salt cavern, and controlling the rate of growth of the salt cavern while disposing of wastes in the cavern, and repeating steps a) and b) substituting the make-up water with a waste mixture.