Showing papers on "Brine published in 2001"

Viscoelastic surfactant fluids stable at high brine concentrations

Abstract: Present invention relates to high brine carrier fluid, said carrier fluid selected from the group consisting of organic acids, organic acid salts, inorganic salts and combination of one or more organic acids or organic acid salts, a co-surfactant and an amount of a zwitterionic surfactant The invention also relates to methods of treating a subterranean wellbore, including drilling, hydraulic fracturing, gravel placement, scale removing, mud cake removing, using said high brine carrier fluid

Conductive medium for openhole logging and logging while drilling

Abstract: A method of electrically logging subterranean wells using a conductive fluid in which the conductive fluid includes a miscible combination of an oleaginous fluid, a polar organic solvent, and an electrolytic salt The electrolytic salt or brine of the salt is present in a concentration sufficient to permit the electrical logging of the subterranean well The medium may further include gelling agent, weight material, surfactant, or corrosion inhibitors The polar organic solvent may preferably be an oil soluble glycol or glycol ether such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, and the like The electrolytic salt or brine is preferably a quaternary amine salt having the formula (I), wherein R is an alkyl having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, R' is 2 to 6 carbon atoms alkyl group, B is hydrogen, oxyalkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, A is hydrogen or alkyl with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, x+y=1 to 15, z is 0 to 3, and M- is a counter anion; or combinations thereof

Thermodynamics and Phase Diagram of the Salt Lake Brine System at 25°C I. Li+, K+, Mg2+/Cl−, SiO42−, -H2O System

Abstract: Most salt lakes on Qinghai-Xizang Plateau belong to “Salt Lake Brine System” Li + ,Na + ,K + ,Mg 2+ /Cl − ,SO 4 2− ,borate—H 2 O. The system has high concentrations of lithium and boron and is different from the classical sea-water system. The investigation of the system is of theoretical and practical importance. The Pitzer ion interaction model for aqueous electrolytes has been used to describe the thermodynamics and phase equilibria of the salt brine system. Experimental studies of phase diagrams and thermodynamics for its many subsystems (ternary, quaternary and quinary) were performed. All the necessary parameters for the modeling the system were fitted by using a least-square analysis program thermodynamic and solubility data determined by us and those in literature. Finally, a prediction of solubilities for various systems was made. Calculated and experimental phase equilibrium for the system Li + , K + , Mg 2+ /Cl − ,SO 4 2− — H 2 O are presented for comparison in this paper.

Brine percolation and the transport properties of sea ice

Abstract: Sea ice is distinguished from many other porous composites, such as sandstones or bone, in that its microstructure and bulk material properties can vary dramatically over a small temperature range. For brine-volume fractions below a critical value of about 5%, which corresponds to a critical temperature of about −5°C for salinity of 5 ppt, columnar sea ice is effectively impermeable to fluid transport. For higher brine volumes, the brine phase becomes connected and the sea ice is permeable, allowing transport of brine, sea water, nutrients, biomass and heat through the ice. Over the past several years it has been found that brine transport is fundamental to such processes as sea-ice production through freezing of flooded ice surfaces, the enhancement of thermal and salt fluxes through sea ice, nutrient replenishment for sea-ice algal communities, and to sea-ice remote sensing. Motivated by these observations, recently we have shown how percolation theory can be used to understand the critical behavior of fluid transport in sea ice. We applied a percolation model developed for compressed powders of large polymer particles with much smaller metal particles, which explains the observed behavior of the fluid permeability in the critical temperature regime, as well as Antarctic data on surface flooding and algal growth rates. Moreover, the connectedness properties of the brine phase play a significant role in the microwave signature of sea ice through its effective complex permittivity and surface flooding. Here we review our recent results on brine percolation and its role in understanding the fluid and electromagnetic transport properties of sea ice. We also briefly report on measurements of percolation we made on first-year sea ice during the winter 1999 Mertz Glacier Polynya Experiment.

Evaporation process for producing high-quality drinking water and high-grade brine from any-grade salt water

Abstract: The invention consists of a cost-effective process and facilities for obtaining high quality drinking water and high-grade brine as a chemical raw material from raw water regardless of how much salt it contains. When combined with a thermal power-generation process, the plant also produces electric power with a fuel utilization of over 85%. The applied evaporation process using waste heat works with a water vapor-saturated air circulation across a range of temperatures with recuperative preheating of the salt water. Plants like this can consist of a large number of evaporation modules and thus be adjusted according to any demand of high quality drinking water. The evaporation modules work at up to 4 system pressure levels and can use the waste heat of the higher system pressure levels in the subsequent system pressure levels. Heat consumption values of less than 10 kWh per m 3 of drinking water can thus be achieved. The modular design and the use of commercially available gas turbines/generator sets are allowing a performance range from 3.0 m 3 to 1000 m 3 of high quality drinking water per hour. Lower rates of drinking water production can be obtained using the waste heat from combustion engines.

System for dehumidification of air in an enclosure

Abstract: The invention provides a system for the dehumidification of air in a space inside an enclosure, the system including at least one air/brine heat exchanger unit for heating cold fresh air introduced into the heat exchanger from the outside and for dehumidifying the air within the enclosure by vapor condensation; and a brine regenerator in brine communication with the air/brine beat exchanger.

Conductive medium for openhold logging and logging while drilling

Abstract: A method of electrically logging subterranean wells using a conductive fluid includes a miscible combination of an oleaginous fluid, a polar organic solvent, an electrolytic salt, and a carbon dioxide buffer. The electrolytic salt or brine of the salt is present in a concentration sufficient to permit the electrical logging of the subterranean well. The polar organic solvent may be an oil soluble glycol or glycol ether such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, and the like. The electrolytic salt or brine preferably includes a quaternary amine salt having the formula: wherein R is an alkyl having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, R′ is 2 to 6 carbon atoms alkyl group, B is hydrogen, oxyalkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, A is hydrogen or alkyl with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, x+y=1 to 15, z is 0 to 3, and M is a counter anion; or combinations thereof. The carbon dioxide buffer is preferably a trialkylanol amine.

Process and plant for multi-stage flash desalination of water

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the desalination of salt water and to plant suitable for operating such a process. The process comprises: providing a brine heater; providing at least one desalination zone comprising a condenser and means for collecting condensate from the condenser; providing a heat exchanger; supplying a feed stream comprising salt water as a coolant to the condenser to pre-heat the feed stream; supplying the pre-heated feed stream to the brine heater; supplying a first heating stream comprising steam to the brine heater further to heat the pre-heated feed stream; supplying the heated feed stream from the brine heater to the at least one desalination zone, evaporating at least a portion of the heated feed stream in the desalination zone to provide a evaporate comprising water vapor and condensing the evaporate in the desalination zone.

Water softening apparatus and associated method for sensing depletion of salt in a brine tank

Abstract: A water softening apparatus ( 10 ) comprises a regeneration tank ( 12 ) and a brine tank ( 14 ). An ion exchange resin ( 26 ) is located within the regeneration tank ( 12 ) and salt ( 38 ) is located within the brine tank ( 14 ). Water mixes with the salt ( 38 ) in the brine tank ( 14 ) to form a brine solution. A tube ( 56 ) is connected with the brine tank ( 14 ) and receives a flow of brine solution from the brine tank ( 14 ). A sensor ( 86 ) is mounted in the tube ( 56 ) for sensing the conductivity of the brine solution as the brine solution flows through the tube ( 56 ). The sensor ( 86 ) generates a signal indicative of the conductivity of the brine solution. The conductivity of the brine solution is indicative of an amount of salt in the brine solution.

Method for recovering lithium chloride from brine and installation for carrying out said method

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recovering lithium chloride from brine and to an installation for carrying out said method. The method for recovering LiCl from brine using selective sorptive extraction of the lithium substantially comprises the following steps: obtaining a solution enriched with LiCl in a sorption/desorption complex by means of a desorption liquid and an LiCl solution obtained in circulation operation, said LiCl solution having a concentration of 10 kg/m3 to 17 kg/m3; carrying out an ion exchange purification of the enriched solution of Ca and Mg admixtures; concentrating the purified eluates according to the electrodialysis method up to an LiCl concentration of 100 kg/m3 to 150 kg/m3 while obtaining a desalted solution having an LiCl concentration of 0.2 kg/m3 to 0.5 kg/m3 that is used for lithium desorption from the sorption agent; washing and drying the LiCl crystals obtained by evaporation of the solution concentrated to an LiCl content of 600 kg/m3 to 800 kg/m3 and cooling. The water-free lithium thus obtained has a high degree of purity and is suitable for the production of metal lithium and the alloys thereof.

Membrane separation device and method for separating highly concentrated solution

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a membrane separation device which is capable of obtaining fresh water efficiently and stably with a small amount of energy and at a high recovery rate such as 40% or more, especially from seawater and increasing the removal rate of boron compared to the conventional reverse osmosis method by which the removal of boron is insufficient, without causing an issue of scale formation as well as provide a membrane separation method. SOLUTION: This membrane separation device comprises a membrane module unit A using a membrane (a) which shows a desalting rate of 90% or more when brine of 3.5% concentration with a pH value of 6.5 at a temperature of 25 deg.C is supplied at a pressure of 56 kgf/cm2 and a membrane module unit B using a membrane (b) which shows a transmission flux of 0.8 m3/m2. day or more when brine of 1,500 ppm concentration with a pH value of 6.5 at a temperature of 25 deg.C is supplied at a pressure of 15 kgf/cm2, arranged in a multi- stage fashion.

Removal and recovery of chloride from phosphonomethyliminodiacetic acid process brine

Abstract: Chloride is selectively isolated as NaCl from N-phosphonomethyliminodiacetic acid process wastes by evaporative crystallization of the caustic neutralized brine.

Removal of chloride from phosphonomethyliminodiacetic acid process

Abstract: Chloride is selectively isolated as NaCl from N-phosphonomethyliminodiacetic acid process wastes by evaporative crystallization of the caustic neutralized brine.

Carboxylate salts in heat-storage applications

Abstract: The use of an alkali metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt or of a brine solution of a C1 - C16 carboxylic acid, or a mixture thereof, as a medium for the storage and use of thermal energy. The salts or solution can be used in a heat exchange fluid or a lubricant or hydraulic fluid or soap.

Treatment of brine to remove metals and silicon therefrom

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for reducing the amount of silicon in brine. More specifically the silicon content of the brine is reduced to 1 ppm or less by using low caustic excess. The disclosed process can also be characterized as lowering sodium hydroxide excess (caustic excess) while maintaining the sodium carbonate level thereby obtaining a brine with a low level of silicon. A further purification step employs a sludge blanket.

Method for cleaning an electrolyzed water production apparatus

Abstract: of EP1314699An electrolyzed water production apparatus of the type which includes a brine preparation device for diluting brine of high concentration with fresh water to prepare diluted brine of predetermined concentration, an electrolytic cell for electrolyzing the diluted brine supplied from the brine preparation device, and a power source for applying a predetermined voltage to electrodes in the electrolysis chambers of the electrolytic cell so that electrolyzed water is produced by electrolysis of the diluted brine, wherein a condition of ion-reaction of the water remained in the electrolysis chambers of the electrolytic cell is detected after stopping of the production apparatus, and fresh water is supplied into the electrolysis chambers of the electrolytic cell for a predetermined time after the condition of ion-reaction has decreased to a predetermined condition in a condition where the supply of the voltage to the electrodes was interrupted to stop operation of the production apparatus.

Evaporation method for the production of clean drinking water and high-percentage brine from untreated water containing salt

Abstract: The invention relates to an economical method and devices for obtaining distillate-quality drinking water and high-percentage brine containing varying amounts of salt. Combined with a thermal power generation process, the system also provides electric current with a fuel utilization rate of more than 85 %. The inventive method uses waste heat and works with an evaporation-saturated air circulation system over a temperature interval with recuperative pre-warming of untreated water. Said systems can consist of a very large number of evaporation modules and can therefore be adapted to all drinking water requirements. The evaporation modules work in up to 4 system pressure stages and can use waste heat from the higher ranking system pressure stages in the pressure stages disposed downstream therefrom. Heat consumption values of less than 10 kWh/m3 of drinking water can thus be obtained. The modular design can meet capacities of 3.0 -1000 m3/h drinking water using standard gas turbines/generator sets. Smaller amounts of drinking water can be obtained by using the waste heat from internal combustion engines.

Controller for salt dosage for a water softener and method of regenerating a water softener

Abstract: A water softener and a method of operating the same are provided to allow for the efficient use of either NaCl or KCl as the regenerant salt A user interface is provided to allow the user to indicate to the computer controlling the water softener whether NaCl or KCl is being used The computer controller adjusts the fill time and brine time, depending on the type of regenerant salt used and on the temperature of the brine

Concentration of chlor-alkali membrane cell depleted brine

Abstract: This invention relates to methods, systems and installations for concentrating depleted brine produced by the electrolytic decomposition of concentrated brine in chlor-alkali membrane cells and to the efficient use of power, steam and brine. More particularly, this invention relates to the use of depleted brine directly into evaporation systems, which are used to concentrate the brine for reuse in membrane cells or other processes. This invention employs the phenomena that a week unsaturated brine boiling under reduced pressure has a lower boiling point rise (BPR) than a saturated brine boiling at the same or higher pressure. The concentration of depleted brine at a lower boiling point rise improves the operating efficiency of either mechanical vapor recompression and/or steam jet thermocompression. Further, this invention allows for concentrating the depleted brine at temperatures low enough to utilize plastic materials of construction. The use of plastic materials of construction in place of metals in the major components of the installation eliminates or minimizes the metal contamination of the brine being concentrated.

Chlorinity/salinity distribution patterns in experimental granular sea ice

Abstract: This work investigates the possibility of brine-channel formation and development during the freezing of granular ice from a loose frazil-ice suspension in an NaCl solution at sea-water concentration. Three experiments were performed at various constant growth rates in a purpose-built vessel with computer-controlled thermal driving. High-resolution chlorinity measurements are used as a proxy for the bulk salinity of the samples. These show clear brine-segregation processes in the ice, with very high salinity gradients for the fast (10 mm h 1) to medium (2 mm h 1) freezing rates, provided that a suitable sampling scale is adopted. Weak segregation was found at the low freezing rate (0.5 mm h 1). The spatial distribution of the bulk salinity fits the visual appearance of brine channels in the ice adequately, in both horizontal and vertical sections. In a similar way to columnar-congelation sea ice, the number of brine channels significantly decreases with growth rate, but the density of channels is systematically lower in the granular ice than that found at equivalent freezing rates in the columnar ice. This is attributed to the lower geometrical constraints on brine transport in the granular medium. Contrasts between brine-channel geometry and density at different growth rates are discussed in light of the "mushy-layer" concept adapted to sea-ice growth from the solidification of alloys.

Non-pyruvylated xanthan in oil field applications utilizing high density calcium-based brines

Abstract: A drilling fluid comprising a pyruvate-free xanthan, which may be an acetate-free pyruvate-free xanthan, and a high density calcium-based brine. Preferably the pyruvate-free xanthan is a genetically prepared pyruvate-free xanthan. A process for recovering crude oil from an oil-bearing subterranean formation by drilling the formation and using a drilling fluid comprising a pyruvate-free gum and a high density calcium-based brine.