System and method for producing power from thermal energy stored in a fluid produced during heavy oil extraction
AssigneeGeotrend Power Inc.
InventorsAlexandre A. Borissov, Anatoly A. Borissov
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Abstract
A system and method is disclosed for generating power from thermal energy stored in a fluid extracted during the recovery of heavy oil. The method includes the steps of vaporizing a working fluid in a binary cycle using thermal energy stored in the extracted fluid, converting the vaporized working fluid total energy into mechanical power using a positive displacement expander, and condensing the vaporized working fluid back to a liquid phase.
Claims20
A method for generating power from thermal energy stored in a heavy oil-water emulsion extracted during the recovery of heavy oil comprising the steps of:
- (a) vaporizing a working fluid in a closed binary cycle using thermal energy stored in the emulsion;
- (b) converting said vaporized working fluid total energy into mechanical power using a positive displacement expander;
- (c) condensing said vaporized working fluid back to a liquid phase;
- (d) separating the water from said oil-water emulsion;
- and
- (e) using said separated water as boiler feedwater for producing steam.
A system for generating power from thermal energy stored in a heavy oil-water emulsion extracted during the recovery of heavy oil, said system comprising:
- (a) a closed binary cycle having a working fluid;
- (b) a heat exchanger for receiving said emulsion and transferring a portion of said thermal energy to said working fluid, such that the working fluid is vaporized;
- (c) a positive displacement expander for receiving said vaporized working fluid and converting said working fluid total energy into mechanical power;
- (d) a condenser for converting vaporized working fluid exiting said positive displacement expander back to a liquid phase;
- (e) a heat rejection unit for rejecting heat absorbed by said condenser;
- and
- (f) an oil-water separator for separating the water from said oil-water emulsion, wherein said separated water is used as boiler feedwater.
A method for generating power from thermal energy stored in heavy oil during recovery of heavy oil from a deposit, comprising the steps of:
- (a) elevating the temperature of the heavy oil in the deposit by injecting steam into said deposit from an external source and heat the heavy oil in situ;
- (b) extracting said heavy oil from the deposit as a heavy oil-water emulsion;
- (c) transferring heat from said heavy oil to a working fluid in a closed binary cycle to vaporise working fluid using thermal energy stored in the extracted heavy oil;
- (d) converting said vaporized working fluid total energy into mechanical power using a positive displacement expander;
- (e) condensing said vaporized working fluid back to a liquid phase;
- and
- (f) passing said heavy oil for further processing.
A system for generating power from thermal energy stored in heavy oil during the recovery of heavy oil, said system comprising:
- (a) a source of steam to heat said deposit in situ;
- (b) a well to extract said heavy oil from said deposit as a heavy oil-water emulsion;
- (c) a closed binary cycle having a working fluid;
- (d) a heat exchanger for receiving said heavy oil-water emulsion and transferring a portion of said thermal energy to said working fluid, such that the working fluid is vaporized;
- (e) a positive displacement expander for receiving said vaporized working fluid and converting said working fluid total energy into mechanical power;
- (f) a condenser for converting vaporized working fluid exiting said positive displacement expander back to a liquid phase;
- and
- (g) a heat rejection unit for rejecting heat absorbed by said condenser.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.