Submerged combustion disposal of produced water

A produced water disposal apparatus comprising:

• a container for receiving and holding produced water;
• a feed water line providing produced water to the container;
• a source of hot gas other than a submerged combustion apparatus;
• a sparger tube operatively communicating with the source of hot gas and through which the hot gas emerges into, mix with, agitate and vaporize the water;
• and
• the sparger tube positioned substantially horizontal and having a plurality of exit ports along its length;
• a condenser to condense and recover vaporized water,
• wherein the source of hot gas provides a gas at a temperature and in a volume sufficient to vaporize the water at a rate comparable to a system including a submerged combustion burner
• a debris removal mechanism comprising an auger;
• the container further comprises a v-shaped ending with a cylindrical bottom having an inside diameter providing a clearance from an outside diameter of the auger.

A method of disposing of produced water, comprising:

• providing produced water to a produced water disposal apparatus, wherein the produced water disposal apparatus comprises:
• a container for receiving and holding produced water;
• a feed water line providing produced water to the container;
• a burner having a combustion chamber, wherein at least a portion of the combustion chamber is submerged in the water and the submerged portion of the combustion chamber comprises a substantially horizontal sparger tube having a plurality of exit ports along its length;
• and
• a condenser;
• combusting fuel in the combustion chamber to form hot combustion gases;
• heating and agitating the water by directly contacting the water with the hot combustion gases exiting the sparger tube;
• and
• vaporizing the water;
• and
• condensing vaporized water in the condenser and recovering condensed water
• removing debris from the produced water disposal apparatus with a debris removal mechanism comprising an auger;
• the container further comprises a v-shaped ending with a cylindrical bottom having an inside diameter providing a clearance from an outside diameter of the auger.

A method of produced water disposal comprising:

• providing produced water to a produced water disposal apparatus, the produced water disposal apparatus including a container, a feed water line providing produced water to the container, a submerged combustion burner, a substantially horizontal sparger tube having a plurality of exits ports along its length, a condenser and a debris removal mechanism comprising an auger;
• wherein the container further comprises a v-shaped ending with a cylindrical bottom having an inside diameter providing a clearance from an outside diameter of the auger
• operating the submerged combustion heating system to heat and vaporize the produced water in the container;
• condensing vaporized water in the condenser and recovering condensed water;
• and
• removing debris from the produced water disposal apparatus by means of the debris removal mechanism.

A method of concentrating a solute in an aqueous medium, comprising:

• providing an aqueous medium containing a solute to a water removal apparatus, wherein the water removal apparatus comprises:
• a container for receiving and holding an aqueous medium;
• a feed water line providing produced water to the container,
• a burner having a combustion chamber, wherein at least a portion of the combustion chamber is submerged in the aqueous medium and the submerged portion of the combustion chamber comprises a substantially horizontal sparger tube having a plurality of exit ports along its length;
• and
• a condenser;
• combusting fuel in the combustion chamber to form hot combustion gases;
• heating and agitating the aqueous medium by directly contacting the aqueous medium with the hot combustion gases exiting the sparger tube;
• vaporizing the aqueous medium and concentrating the solute;
• condensing vaporized water in the condenser and recovering condensed water;
• and
• recovering the solute in a more concentrated form by means of a debris removal mechanism comprising an auger;
• the container comprises a v-shaped ending with a cylindrical bottom having an inside diameter providing a clearance from an outside diameter of the auger.