Steam Injection for Crude Oil Desalting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refineries face challenges in efficiently removing salt from crude oil, particularly due to the slow settling of small water droplets in viscous and denser crude oils, which requires high energy consumption and prolonged processing times, and existing methods either consume excessive water or rely on high shear mixing that can be inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Injecting large steam bubbles into the crude oil to contact and condense, dissolving salt particles and enlarging brine droplets for easier separation, while minimizing water consumption and avoiding high shear mixing of uncondensed steam bubbles, thereby reducing energy requirements and enhancing separation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If clean water is injected into crude oil to capture salt, then salt removal efficiency is improved, but water consumption increases and water droplet removal becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of water from liquid to vapor and back to liquid. Steam is injected into the crude oil, where it condenses into water droplets that capture salt. The phase change enables efficient salt transfer while the vapor state minimizes water consumption compared to liquid water injection methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter by injecting steam instead of liquid water. This temperature change affects the physical state of water and its interaction with crude oil, enabling salt removal with less water while maintaining removal efficiency.
2Use of energy by moving object
If steam is injected into crude oil to heat and reduce viscosity, then flow resistance is reduced and pumping energy is saved, but excessive heating may occur
Solution Approach 1:
Steam injection provides heating through condensation, releasing latent heat directly into the crude oil. This phase transition heating is more efficient than external heating methods, reducing viscosity and flow resistance while allowing precise temperature control through steam injection rate adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The steam injected into the crude oil serves dual purposes: it heats the crude oil to reduce viscosity for easier pumping, and simultaneously condenses to form water droplets for salt removal. The system uses the same injected substance for both heating and desalting functions.
3Manufacturing precision
If small water droplets are created to maximize salt absorption, then salt capture efficiency is improved, but settling time increases and separation becomes slower
Solution Approach 1:
Steam condensation in the crude oil naturally forms water droplets of optimal size for both salt capture and settling. The phase transition process creates a distribution of droplet sizes that balances surface area for salt absorption with sufficient density and size for reasonable settling rates, avoiding the need for excessively small droplets.
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 process effectively reduces electrical energy consumption for pumping crude oil and enhances the separation of salt from crude oil by creating larger, more easily removable water droplets, improving the overall efficiency and reducing water retention in the crude oil.
Implementation Method 1
The steam bubbles collapse and condense into droplets of liquid water while at the same time dissolving available salt particles
Implementation Method 2
the steam dissolves available salt particles resulting in new brine droplets
Implementation Method 3
the crude oil is heated by the steam thereby lowering viscosity of the crude oil and reducing resistance to flow
Implementation Method 4
lowering viscosity of the crude oil and reducing resistance to flow
Implementation Method 5
the droplets are typically removed based on density differences between the crude oil and the water by allowing the emulsion to rest in a large settling vessel where the heavier water settles to the bottom
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to injecting steam into crude oil for several benefits, primarily of which is to remove salt by transferring the salt into the condensed water from the steam. Steam transfers salt via a different transfer mechanism and therefore doesn't require the high shear mixing of conventional water injection systems. As such, steam injection through a variety of procedures, is more efficient at gathering salt into water that itself is easier to remove from the crude oil.