Staged Combustor Assembly for Water Vaporization and NOx Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current combustor technologies face challenges in efficiently vaporizing water while controlling NOx formation and purifying water vapor, particularly in hydrocarbon extraction processes where high temperatures can lead to excessive nitrogen oxide production and scaling due to mineral-rich water inputs.
Innovation Solution
A staged combustor assembly method involving the introduction of oxidant and fuel streams in a combustion chamber, followed by additional oxidant and fuel streams downstream to generate heat for water vaporization, with controlled liquid water input to manage temperatures and precipitate dissolved minerals, ensuring a temperature ratio that limits NOx formation and purifies water vapor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high temperature combustion is used to efficiently vaporize water, then water vaporization efficiency is improved, but nitrogen oxide formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The combustion process is divided into multiple zones with different temperature levels. The first combustion zone operates at lower temperature to limit NOx formation, while subsequent zones provide additional heating to achieve the required vaporization efficiency. This segmentation allows the system to meet both temperature requirements without excessive nitrogen oxide production.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter across different combustion zones rather than maintaining a uniform high temperature. By controlling the temperature profile through staged combustion and water injection, the system achieves efficient vaporization while keeping peak temperatures below the threshold for excessive NOx formation.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If liquid water is introduced into the combustion chamber to control temperature, then NOx formation is reduced, but dissolved minerals precipitate as solid particulate
Solution Approach 1:
A fabric filter is introduced as an intermediary component between the combustion chamber and the output. This filter captures the solid particulate matter formed during combustion, allowing the system to continue using water injection for temperature control and NOx reduction while removing the harmful particulate byproducts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system accepts that mineral precipitation will occur when water is injected for temperature control, but converts this harmful effect into a manageable byproduct. The solid particulate is captured and removed through filtration, while the beneficial temperature control and NOx reduction effects are maintained.
3Productivity
If water vapor is produced for hydrocarbon extraction, then extraction efficiency is improved, but scaling occurs due to mineral-rich water inputs
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric filter serves as an intermediary that removes solid mineral particulate from the water vapor stream before it enters the hydrocarbon reservoir. This prevents scaling in the extraction system while maintaining the water vapor injection process that enables efficient hydrocarbon recovery.
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 effectively vaporizes water, purifies the water vapor by precipitating minerals, and controls NOx formation, enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of hydrocarbon extraction processes by reducing NOx emissions and preventing scaling.
Implementation Method 1
The additional oxidant stream, fuel stream or both react in the heated stream to generate additional heat that vaporizes liquid water of the liquid water stream to water vapor
Implementation Method 2
introducing an oxidant stream and a fuel stream at a first location into a combustion chamber to produce a heated stream
Implementation Method 3
One example technique involves thermal stimulation of a hydrocarbon reservoir using high pressure steam to drive the hydrocarbon out
Data Source
AI summary
A method for staged combustion in a combustor assembly includes introducing an oxidant stream and a fuel stream at a first location into a combustion chamber to produce a heated stream. A Liquid water stream and an additional oxidant stream, fuel stream or both are then introduced into the heated stream in at least one location along the heated stream downstream from the first location. The additional oxidant stream, fuel stream or both react in the heated stream to generate additional heat that vaporizes liquid water from the liquid water stream to water vapor.