Viscous Slurry Pumping via Direct Steam Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for pumping high solids content slurries to high pressures face challenges such as inefficiency, fouling of heat exchangers, and high capital costs, particularly when dealing with viscous and high viscosity slurries, due to the difficulty in maintaining uniform temperature and managing pressure drops.
Innovation Solution
The method involves providing a slurry at initial temperature and pressure, increasing pressure to form a pressurized slurry, injecting a fluid to raise temperature and pressure further, resulting in a fluid-injected slurry that can be pumped to higher pressures, effectively reducing viscosity and overcoming pumping challenges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high solids content slurries are pumped using conventional methods, then pumping capability is achieved, but pumping efficiency deteriorates due to high viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the slurry by injecting heated fluid (steam or hot water) directly into the slurry stream. This raises the slurry temperature from ambient conditions to above 100°C, which reduces the viscosity of high solids content slurries and enables efficient pumping to high pressures (500-4000 psi or higher) without the pumping difficulties associated with cold, viscous slurries.
2Temperature
If indirect contact heat exchangers are used to preheat slurries, then slurry temperature is increased, but fouling of heat exchangers occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function from indirect contact heat exchangers and implements it through direct fluid injection. By injecting steam or hot water directly into the slurry stream, the heating action occurs in the bulk fluid rather than through heat exchanger surfaces, completely eliminating the fouling problem that plagues indirect heating systems when processing high solids content slurries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses injected fluid (steam or hot water) as an intermediary carrier of thermal energy. This intermediary directly contacts the slurry and transfers heat through condensation or direct thermal contact, bypassing the need for heat exchanger surfaces that would otherwise be subject to fouling from high solids content materials.
3Temperature
If indirect contact heat exchangers are used for heating, then slurry temperature increases, but capital costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, complex indirect contact heat exchanger equipment with a simple fluid injection system. The heating is achieved by injecting readily available steam or hot water directly into the slurry, eliminating the need for costly heat exchanger vessels, jackets, or coils. This dramatically reduces capital costs while achieving the same temperature increase.
4Temperature
If indirect contact heat exchangers are used, then slurry heating is achieved, but uniform temperature distribution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the heating process into multiple injection points along the slurry flow path. By injecting heated fluid at multiple locations rather than attempting to heat the entire slurry volume through a single heat exchanger, the system achieves more uniform temperature distribution throughout the slurry stream, preventing hot spots and cold zones.
5Temperature
If indirect contact heat exchangers are used, then slurry heating is achieved, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function from the pressure-bearing heat exchanger vessels and implements it through a low-pressure injection system. By injecting steam or hot water directly into the slurry stream rather than forcing slurry through heat exchanger channels, the system achieves heating with minimal pressure drop, preserving the high pressure needed for downstream processing.
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 enables efficient pumping of high solids content slurries to high pressures with reduced energy consumption and capital costs, avoiding issues like fouling and pressure drops, while maintaining efficient processing of biomass conversion processes.
Implementation Method 1
injecting a fluid into said first pressurized slurry, thereby forming a fluid-injected slurry, wherein said fluid-injected slurry has a second temperature greater than said first temperature
Implementation Method 2
increasing said second pressure to a third pressure of greater than about 1250 psia, thereby forming a second pressurized slurry
Data Source
AI summary
Methods are disclosed for transporting viscous slurries, especially at high pressures, using fluid injection, especially steam injection.