Method for synthesizing crystalline magnesium silicates from geothermal brine
AssigneeUnion Oil Company of California
InventorsDarrell L. Gallup, Richard K. Glanzman
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Abstract
Crystalline magnesium silicates are synthesized from silica-containing brines, preferably spent geothermal brines, by mixing the brine with a magnesium-containing compound, adjusting the pH of the resultant mixture between 8.0 and 14, and crystallizing the magnesium silicate from the mixture at a temperature between 50° C. and 200° C. Kerolite is preferably synthesized from brine by adjusting the pH in a range between 9.5 and 10.5 and heating the mixture to between 100° C. and 170° C. to precipitate the crystalline kerolite. The brine remaining after the crystallization step is depleted in silica and can be further processed without significant problems caused by silica scaling.
Claims24
A method for synthesizing a crystalline magnesium silicate from a silica-containing brine comprising:
- (a) mixing said brine with a magnesium-containing compound to form a mixture;
- (b) adjusting the pH of said mixture to a value within the range of about 8.0 to about 14 pH units;
- and
- (c) crystallizing said magnesium silicate from said mixture at a temperature between about 50° C. and about 200° C.
A method for synthesizing a crystalline magnesium silicate from a silica-containing geothermal brine comprising:
- (a) mixing said brine with a magnesium-containing inorganic compound to form a mixture;
- (b) adjusting the pH of said mixture to a value within the range of about 8.5 to about 11 pH units;
- and
- (c) crystallizing said magnesium silicate from said mixture at a temperature between about 50° C. and about 200° C.
A method for synthesizing a crystalline magnesium silicate from a silica-containing brine obtained during the production of energy from a silica-containing geothermal fluid which comprises:
- (a) separating said silica-containing geothermal fluid into steam and said silica-containing brine;
- (b) extracting energy from said steam;
- (c) mixing said silica-containing brine with a magnesium-containing compound to form a mixture;
- (d) adjusting the pH of said mixture to a value within the range of about 8.5 to about 11 pH units;
- and
- (e) precipitating said crystalline magnesium silicate from said mixture at a temperature between about 50° C. and about 200° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.