Cavitation evaporator system for oil well fluids integrated with a Rankine cycle

Abstract

Oil field fluids are heated by a cavitation device to minimize or eliminate scaling while reducing their volume by evaporation. Heat is conserved by combining the system with an organic Rankine cycle, which is utilized to rotate or help rotate the cavitation device.

1 . Apparatus for reducing the volume of an oil field fluid comprising (a) an organic Rankine cycle comprising (i) a circulating volatile fluid, (ii) a heat exchanger for vaporizing said volatile fluid, and (iii) a turbine for converting the latent heat of said vaporized fluid to mechanical work, and (b) a system for vaporizing at least a portion of said oil field fluid comprising (i) a cavitation device for heating said oil field fluid, (ii) means for passing at least a portion of the oil field fluid so heated through said heat exchanger in heat exchange relation, and (iii) means for removing at least a portion of said heated oil field fluid from said apparatus as vapor or condensate thereof. 
   
   
       2 . Apparatus of  claim 1  including a shaft on said turbine in work transmitting relation to said cavitation device. 
   
   
       3 . Apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said turbine is connected to an electrical generator to convert the mechanical work of said turbine to electric power. 
   
   
       4 . Apparatus of  claim 3  including means for applying said electric power to said cavitation device. 
   
   
       5 . Apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said system (b) for vaporizing includes a flash tank. 
   
   
       6 . Apparatus of  claim 1  including at least one heat exchange device for transferring waste heat from at least one power source other than said cavitation device. 
   
   
       7 . Apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said means (b)(iii) for removing at least a portion of said heated oil field fluid as vapor or condensate comprises a vacuum pump. 
   
   
       8 . Method of reducing the volume of an aqueous oil field fluid comprising (a) heating said oil field fluid in a cavitation device, (b) removing water vapor from the oil field fluid heated thereby, (c) condensing said vapor in a heat exchanger and utilizing latent heat of evaporation obtained in said heat exchanger to vaporize a volatile fluid in a Rankine cycle, (d) rotating a turbine to generate rotational force by applying said vaporized volatile fluid to said turbine, and (e) utilizing said rotational force in at least one of steps (a), (b), and (c). 
   
   
       9 . Method of  claim 8  wherein said rotational force is utilized to generate electric power. 
   
   
       10 . Method of  claim 9  wherein said electric power is applied to a motor used to operate said cavitation device. 
   
   
       11 . Method of  claim 8  wherein said rotational force is applied to said cavitation device, 
   
   
       12 . Method of  claim 8  wherein said rotational force is applied to a pump. 
   
   
       13 . Method of  claim 8  including providing additional heat from a waste heat source for vaporizing said volatile fluid in said Rankine cycle. 
   
   
       14 . Method of  claim 8  wherein the water vapor removed in step (b) is removed at least partly by applying a vacuum to said heated oil field fluid. 
   
   
       15 . Method of reducing the volume of oil field fluid comprising (a) transferring waste heat energy from a compressor for natural gas to a fluid confined in an organic Rankine cycle, (b) converting said heat energy to mechanical power by releasing said heat energy to a turbine in said organic Rankine cycle, (c) utilizing said mechanical power to operate a cavitation device, (d) feeding said oil field fluid to said cavitation device to heat said oil field fluid, and (e) separating water vapor from the oil field fluid so heated. 
   
   
       16 . Method of  claim 15  wherein the water vapor of step (e) is separated at least partly by applying a vacuum to said heated oil field fluid.