Systems and methods for steam production

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024280256-A1
Application number	US-202218566681-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 15, 2022
Priority date	Jun 17, 2021
Publication date	Aug 22, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems for steam production are provided. Methods include providing feedwater having an electrical conductivity of less than 200 μS/cm to an electrode boiler, and converting the feedwater to saturated steam by the electrode boiler. The saturated steam is provided as a first fluid to a heat exchange component. Water having an electrical conductivity of more than 200 μS/cm is provided to the heat exchange component as a second fluid, where the second fluid is heated through indirect thermal transfer with the saturated steam to generate wet steam. The saturated steam is at least partially condensed in the heat exchange component through the indirect thermal transfer with the second fluid. At least a portion of the thus obtained condensed fluid is fed back to the electrode boiler for use as part of the low-conductivity water to generate said saturated steam.

First claim

1 . A method for generating steam comprising:
a. providing feedwater having an electrical conductivity of less than 200 μS/cm to an electrode boiler, wherein the electrode boiler has a capacity of at least 5 megawatts (MW); b converting the feedwater to saturated steam by the electrode boiler, wherein the saturated steam has a pressure in a range from at least 3.5 MPa and up to 14 MPa and a temperature in a range from 240 degrees C. and up to 340 degrees C.: c. providing the saturated steam as a first fluid to a heat exchange component: d. providing water having an electrical conductivity of more than 200 μS/cm as a second fluid to the heat exchange component: e. heating the second fluid in the heat exchange component through indirect thermal transfer with the saturated steam to generate wet steam having a temperature lower than the temperature of the saturated steam by a range from 2 degrees C. and up to 30 degrees C. and a pressure in a range from at least 0.5 MPa and up to 13 MPa: f. at least partially condensing the saturated steam in the heat exchange component through indirect thermal transfer with the second fluid to produce a condensed fluid; and h. providing at least a portion of the condensed fluid to the electrode boiler for use as part of the low-conductivity water to generate said saturated steam.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein at least 50% of the condensed fluid is provided to the electrode boiler for use to generate said saturated steam.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein step e further comprises:
(e1) providing a first portion of the saturated steam to a first heat exchanger of the heat exchange component:
(e2) providing the second fluid to the first heat exchanger:
(e3) heating the second fluid in the first heat exchanger through indirect thermal transfer with the first portion of the saturated steam to generate a pre-heated second fluid:
(e4) providing the pre-heated second fluid to a second heat exchanger of the heat exchange component:
(e5) providing a second portion of the saturated steam to the second heat exchanger; and
(e6) heating the pre-heated second fluid in the second heat exchanger through indirect thermal transfer with the second portion of the saturated steam to generate the wet steam.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein step e further comprises:
(e1) providing the second fluid to a first heat exchanger of the heat exchange component:
(e2) heating the second fluid in the first heat exchanger through indirect thermal transfer with a condensed fluid from a second heat exchanger of the heat exchanger component to generate a pre-heated second fluid:
(e3) providing the pre-heated second fluid to the second heat exchanger:
(e4) providing the saturated steam to the second heat exchanger:
(e5) heating the pre-heated second fluid in the second heat exchanger through indirect thermal transfer with the saturated steam to generate the wet steam; and
(e6) at least partially condensing the saturated steam in the second heat exchanger through indirect thermal transfer with the pre-heated second fluid to produce the condensed fluid.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first heat exchanger provides from 30% and up to 45% of the total thermal energy needed to convert the second fluid to the wet steam.

6 . The method of claun 3 , wherein the pre-heated second fluid is in liquid phase.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing at least a portion of the wet steam for injection into a subsurface hydrocarbon formation for hydrocarbon recovery.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein electricity powering the operation of the electrode boiler comprises green energy produced by a power source.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said power source is selected from a group consisting of solar photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, hydropower, a battery charged with any one or more of the foregoing, and any combination thereof.

10 . The method of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of the electricity is generated by one or more solar photovoltaic panels.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the power source is comprised in an islanded grid whereby the electrode boiler is powered completely by green energy produced by said power source.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the power source comprises an islanded solar PV microgrid.

13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising providing at least a portion of the green energy for use by the hydrocarbon recovery site.

14 . A system for generating steam comprising:
a. an electrode boiler configured to convert feedwater having an electrical conductivity of less than 200 μS/cm to saturated steam having a pressure in a range from 3.5 MPa and up to 14 Mpa and a temperature in a range from 240 degrees C. and up to 340 degrees, wherein the electrode boiler has a capacity of at least 5 megawatts (MW): b. a heat exchange component in fluid communication with the electrode boiler to receive the saturated steam, wherein said heat exchange component is configured to receive water having an electrical conductivity of more than 200 μS/cm as a second fluid to the heat exchange component and allow indirect thermal transfer between the saturated steam and the second fluid to convert (i) the second fluid into wet steam having a temperature lower than the temperature of the saturated steam by a range from 2 degrees C. and up to 30 degrees C. and a pressure in a range from at least 0.5 Mpa and up to 13 Mpa and (ii) the saturated steam into a condensed fluid; and c. a recycle line between an outlet of the heat exchange component and an inlet of the electrode boiler to provide at least a portion of the condensed fluid to the electrode boiler for use as the feedwater generate the saturated steam.

15 . The system of claim 14 wherein the heat exchange component further comprises:
d. a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the electrode boiler to receive a first portion of the saturated steam, wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to receive the second fluid and allow indirect thermal transfer between the first portion of the saturated steam and the second fluid to generate a pre-heated second fluid; and
e. a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger to receive the pre-heated second fluid, wherein the second heat exchanger is configured to receive a second portion of the saturated steam and allow indirect thermal transfer between the second portion of the saturated steam and the pre-heated second fluid to generate the wet steam;
wherein the first heat exchanger has a first heat transfer surface area which is smaller than a second heat transfer surface area of the second heat exchanger.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the heat exchange component further comprises:
a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with a second heat exchanger to receive a condensed fluid, wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to receive the second fluid and allow indirect thermal transfer between the condensed fluid and the second fluid to generate a pre-heated second fluid; and wherein the second heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger to receive the pre-heated second fluid, wherein the second heat exchanger is configured to receive the saturated steam and allow indirect thermal transfer between the saturated steam and the pre-heated second fluid to generate the wet steam; wherein the first heat exchanger has a first heat transfer surface area which is smaller than a second heat transfer surface area of the second heat exchanger.

Assignees

• Shell Usa Inc

Inventors

• Macklin Joseph Daniel
• Ploemen Ingmar Hubertus Josephina
• Di Nola Gianluca

Classifications

• F22B1/30 Primary

  Electrode boilers · CPC title

• E21B43/24

  using heat, e.g. steam injection · CPC title

• F22B1/12 Primary

  produced by an indirect cyclic process · CPC title