Segmented Air Supply for Supercritical Thermal Fluid Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multi-component thermal fluid generation systems for heavy oil thermal recovery rely heavily on diesel, have complex water treatment processes, and suffer from high combustion temperatures leading to reactor corrosion and heat dissipation issues.
Innovation Solution
A multi-component supercritical thermal fluid generation system with segmented air supply, which includes a multi-component supercritical thermal fluid generator body, a heat exchanger, a gas-liquid separator, and an air compressor, allowing for efficient energy coupling and reduced equipment costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If single air supply mode is used, then combustion temperature is high, but reactor is seriously corroded and heat dissipation is serious
Solution Approach 1:
The air supply is divided into multiple segments with separate inlets and outlets, allowing different zones of the reactor to receive air at different stages of the combustion process. This segmentation enables temperature control in different reactor zones, preventing excessive temperature that causes corrosion while maintaining efficient combustion.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the reactor are provided with different air supply characteristics through the segmented air supply system. The first air inlet provides air for initial combustion, while the second air inlet provides air for secondary combustion, creating locally optimized combustion conditions that prevent overheating and corrosion in specific reactor zones.
2Productivity
If traditional multi-component thermal fluid generation system is used, then heavy oil thermal recovery is achieved, but dependence on diesel is high and operation cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the heavy oil itself as the fuel source for combustion, eliminating the need for external diesel fuel. The heavy oil is combusted to generate the thermal fluid needed for thermal recovery, creating a self-sustaining process that reduces operational costs and diesel dependence.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers energy from the heavy oil combustion process to generate the thermal fluid needed for recovery operations. By utilizing the heavy oil as both the target material and the energy source, the system transforms what would be a waste product into a valuable energy resource.
3Productivity
If complicated water treatment process is used, then thermal fluid generation is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complicated water treatment process from the system by using a segmented air supply combustion approach that generates thermal fluid directly without requiring extensive water treatment operations.
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 achieves wide material adaptability, reduces diesel dependence, and lowers operation costs by utilizing segmented air supply for controlled reactions, ensuring mild and stable thermal fluid generation.
Implementation Method 1
the mixed gas of high-temperature and high-pressure water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and the like generated after ignition and combustion
Implementation Method 2
a preheated water inlet of the multi-component supercritical thermal fluid generator body is communicated with the water tank; a preheated water outlet of the multi-component supercritical thermal fluid generator body is communicated with a cold fluid inlet of the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
Supercritical water refers to water whose temperature and pressure both exceed its critical point (the critical temperature is 374° C., and the critical pressure is 22.1 MPa)
Data Source
AI summary
Present disclosure a multi-component supercritical thermal fluid generation system and method with segmented air supply. The outlet of a water tank is communicated with the preheated water inlet of a multi-component supercritical thermal fluid generator body, the preheated water outlet of the multi-component supercritical thermal fluid generator body is communicated with the cold fluid inlet of a heat exchanger, the product outlet at the upper part of the multi-component supercritical thermal fluid generator body is communicated with the thermal fluid inlet of the heat exchanger, and the slag outlet at the lower part of the multi-component supercritical thermal fluid generator body is communicated with the inlet of a slag discharge lock hopper. Through the reasonable coupling design of the supercritical water gasification heat absorption zone and the oxidation reaction heat release zone in the multi-component thermal fluid generator, the self-heating of the multi-component supercritical thermal fluid generation system is realized.