Solution Mining Brine Thermal Cycling for Energy Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Solution mining processes face high energy requirements due to the need to pump and heat injection water, which is exacerbated by the mineral concentration difference between lean injection solutions and rich production solutions, leading to increased capital and operating costs.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves heating the wellfield injection brine to a temperature of 100° C to 250° C and cooling the resulting brine to -10° C to 5° C to precipitate minerals, reducing the circulation rate and enhancing mineral recovery, while utilizing a steam and power cogeneration process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the injection water temperature is increased to reduce circulation rate, then energy efficiency improves, but the complexity of heating equipment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heating function with the existing injection water circulation system by integrating a heat exchanger that utilizes the temperature difference between injection and production water. This merging approach allows thermal energy recovery without requiring separate complex heating equipment, thus improving energy efficiency while controlling system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-heating by utilizing the temperature difference between the cold injection water and the hot production water returning from the mine. The heat exchanger enables the injection water to be heated by the production water, creating a self-sustaining thermal cycle that reduces external energy input requirements and equipment complexity.
2Loss of energy
If the circulation rate is reduced to lower energy consumption, then operating costs decrease, but the mineral recovery rate may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the injection water from ambient temperature to elevated temperature (utilizing the temperature difference between injection and production water). This parameter change increases the solubility of minerals in the injection water, allowing reduced circulation rates to achieve the same mineral recovery, thus lowering energy consumption while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic thermal cycling where injection water is heated, circulated through the mine, cooled by heat exchange with incoming injection water, and then reheated. This periodic thermal action maintains mineral dissolution efficiency at lower circulation rates, balancing energy consumption with recovery rate.
3Quantity of substance
If higher injection temperature is used to increase solubility, then mineral dissolution improves, but heating energy requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the thermal energy that would otherwise be wasted in the hot production water returning from the mine into a useful resource. By using this hot water to preheat the cold injection water through a heat exchanger, the system recovers thermal energy that would be lost, thereby reducing the net heating energy requirements while maintaining high mineral dissolution efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the thermal energy in the hot production water returning from the mine, the system recovers this heat through a heat exchanger to preheat the incoming injection water. This recovery process reduces the external heating energy required and maintains high mineral dissolution without proportionally increasing energy consumption.
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 decreases the brine circulation rate by up to 27%, reduces capital and operating costs, and increases energy efficiency in mineral recovery, specifically for minerals like potassium chloride (KCl), by leveraging the solubility increase with temperature and solubility decrease with cooling.
Implementation Method 1
leveraging the solubility increase with temperature
Implementation Method 2
solubility decrease with cooling
Implementation Method 3
causing the soluble minerals to precipitate recovered minerals in a solid form
Data Source
AI summary
A method for selective solution mining mineral recovery may include heating a wellfield injection brine to a temperature from about 100° C. to about 250° C.; injecting the heated wellfield injection brine into an underground wellfield to dissolve soluble minerals therein, creating a hot brine solution; removing the hot brine solution from the underground wellfield; and recovering the soluble minerals from the hot brine solution by cooling the hot brine solution to a temperature of from about −10° C. to about 5° C. and causing the soluble minerals to precipitate recovered minerals in a solid form.