Indirect boiling for water treatment

Abstract

Systems and methods relate to vaporizing water into steam, which may be utilized in applications such as bitumen production. Initial indirect vaporization of the water at a first pressure for treatment precedes a steam generator boiling the water at a second pressure higher than the first pressure. The indirect vaporization of the water occurs in a vessel upon contact of the water with a substance such as solid particulate heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the water. Impurities in the water deposit on the solid particulate and/or combust limiting pass through of the impurities to the steam generator given that a vapor output of the vessel from the initial indirect vaporization condenses and is pressurized before being supplied to the steam generator.

1 . A method of treating and vaporizing water, comprising:
 circulating a solid particulate in a vessel;   heating the solid particulate;   treating the water by contacting the water with the solid particulate heated to a temperature for vaporizing the water into steam that is at a first pressure and is then separated from the solid particulate and condensed into a liquid to form a treated feed; and   vaporizing the treated feed to generate steam at a second pressure higher than the first pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating the solid particulate is by combusting fuel inside the vessel. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pressure is less than 1000 kilopascals. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pressure is less than 5000 kilopascals and the second pressure is at least 6500 kilopascals. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating includes supplying oxygen to the vessel to burn off organics from the water that are deposited on the solid particulate. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the water contacts the solid particulate in a riser such that the vaporizing provides lift for transporting the solid particulate up the riser for gravity return to the vessel. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the solid particulate includes at least one of geldart A solids and geldart B solids. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising injecting the steam at the second pressure into a formation and producing steam condensate separated from recovered hydrocarbons to form the water that is contacted with the solid particulate. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the water that is contacted with the solid particulate comes from blown-down liquid waste produced during steam generation. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising separating combustion gases used in heating the solid particulate from the treated feed. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein combustion gases used in heating the solid particulate are exhausted without mixing with the steam produced by the water contacting the solid particulate. 
     
     
         12 . A system for treating and vaporizing water, comprising:
 a vessel with a fluidized bed of circulating solid particulate;   a heat source to transfer thermal energy to the solid particulate;   an inlet for the water into the vessel to contact the water with the solid particulate heated to a temperature for vaporizing the water into steam that is at a first pressure;   an outlet of the vessel in which the steam flows separated from the solid particulate;   a cooler coupled to the outlet to condense the steam into a liquid providing a treated feed; and   a steam generator to vaporize the treated feed and output resulting steam at a second pressure higher than the first pressure.   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the heat source includes a fuel and oxidant supply coupled to the vessel for heating the solid particulate by combustion. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the first pressure is less than 1000 kilopascals. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the first pressure is less than 5000 kilopascals and the second pressure is at least 6500 kilopascals. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a riser in which the water contacts the solid particulate such that the vaporizing provides lift for transporting the solid particulate up the riser for gravity return to the vessel. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the solid particulate includes at least one of geldart A solids and geldart B solids. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 an injection well coupled to the steam generator for introducing the steam at the second pressure into a formation; and   a production well coupled to a separator that removes steam condensate from recovered hydrocarbons to provide the water that is contacted with the solid particulate.   
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a separator for removing combustion gases used in heating the solid particulate from the treated feed. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 12 , further comprising an exhaust from the vessel for removing combustion gases used in heating the solid particulate without mixing of the gases with the steam produced by the water contacting the solid particulate.