Apparatuses and methods for supplying natural gas to a frac water heater
Assignee1026844 B.C. Ltd.
InventorChristopher La Porte
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for heating well fracturing fluid using natural gas supplied to a frac water heater are provided. In some embodiments, portable separators can be tied into an existing, on-site, natural gas source and supply the heating unit's burner system with the producer's own produced natural gas (for example, sweet fuel gas). By using on-site sweet fuel gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or diesel consumption and associated cartage costs can be reduced or eliminated. As such, the apparatuses and methods can also reduce the associated carbon footprint on the environment. In some embodiments, the apparatuses and methods can comprise a drying element to dry or condition the gas prior to use.
Claims14
An apparatus for separating a conditioning natural gas to produce a fuel source for a burner operative to heat a fluid stored on a site, the apparatus comprising:
- a separator, having an inlet for receiving unprocessed natural gas directly from a natural gas source on the site, and an outlet, the separator for separating fluids from the natural gas,
- a conditioner, in-line with the separator, the conditioner having an inlet for receiving the separated gas from the outlet of the separator, and having an outlet for supplying the conditioned gas from the conditioner to the burner, the conditioner being an eight inch diameter conditioner configured to condition and dry the separated gas prior to supplying the conditioned gas directly to the burner, and
- a quaternary valve, in-line with the outlet of the separator and the inlet of the conditioner, for controlling the supply of the separated natural gas from the separator to the conditioner for conditioning,
- the separator, the quaternary valve, and the conditioner configured in-line to provide continuous and uninterrupted production of the fuel source.
A method of separating and conditioning natural gas to produce a fuel source for a burner operative to heat a fluid stored on a site, the method comprising:
- providing unprocessed natural gas from a natural gas source on the site directly to a separator on the site;
- processing the natural gas in the separator to create separated natural gas;
- providing the separated natural gas from the separator through a quaternary valve to an eight inch diameter secondary conditioner for conditioning and drying the natural gas in the conditioner to create conditioned and dried natural gas;
- providing the conditioned and dried natural gas to a burner on the site;
- igniting the burner;
- fueling the burner with the conditioned and dried natural gas to produce heat;
- and
- using the produced heat to heat the stored fluid on the site.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.