Hydrodynamics to limit boiler fouling
AssigneeConocoPhillips Company
InventorsBabajide KOLADE, James P. SEABA, Edward G. LATIMER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems relate to generating steam from water that may be recycled in thermal oil recovery processes and is heated in tubes having non-obtrusive features to limit fouling formation. The tubes may include jets to generate enhanced flow mixing along an inner wall of the tubes in order to increase heat transfer and disrupt bubble nucleation. Employing the tubes with the inner wall having an average surface roughness of less than one micron may further facilitate disruption of the bubble nucleation.
Claims20
A method of generating steam for oil production, comprising:
- passing a first quantity of water through a tube of a boiler;
- heating the water in the tube by heat transfer across the tube to a temperature for boiling nucleation;
- and
- injecting a second quantity of the water jetted at multiple locations through a wall of the tube to induce enhanced flow mixing inside the tube along where the heating of the water occurs.
A steam generating system for oil production, comprising:
- an economizer section having a tube through which water is passed from a first pump and heated by heat exchange across the tube with flue gases;
- multiple jets disposed along the tube to direct water into the tube from a second pump operated at a higher pressure than the first pump to create enhanced flow mixing inside the tube;
- and
- a radiant section coupled to receive the water heated in the economizer section and further increase temperature of the water to produce steam.
A method of generating steam for oil production, comprising:
- increasing temperature of water flowing through a tube in a first section of a steam generator by heat transfer from flue gases across the tube, wherein at least one fouling mitigation feature is utilized during the increasing of the temperature and is selected from the tube having an internal average surface roughness less than 1.0 micron and injecting additional water at multiple locations into the water flowing through the tube to create enhanced flow mixing;
- and
- vaporizing at least some of the water that is preheated in the first section of the steam generator to produce the steam in a second section of the steam generator by radiant heat transfer from combustion of a fuel into the flue gases.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.