WO2005056724A2

WO2005056724A2 - Method and device for separating mixtures of solid components and liquid or liquefiable hydrocarbons

Info

Publication number: WO2005056724A2
Application number: PCT/EP2004/013823
Authority: WO
Inventors: Karl Reinhard Zeiss; Klaus Kahler
Original assignee: Karl Reinhard Zeiss; Klaus Kahler
Priority date: 2003-12-10
Filing date: 2004-12-04
Publication date: 2005-06-23
Also published as: DE10358095A1; DE10358095B4; WO2005056724A3

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for separating mixtures (2) of solid components (4) and liquid or liquefiable hydrocarbons (3) such as oil or bitumen, said mixtures (2) being located in reservoirs (100). According to said method, an area of the mixture (2) reservoir (100) is heated with the aid of electromagnetic radiation energy (6) to a point where the mixture (2) has obtained at least a pumpable viscosity. At least the liquid components (3) of the mixture (2) are at least partially pumped out of the reservoir (100) following and/or during the heating process. Also disclosed is a device (1) for carrying out the inventive method.

Description

Method and device for separating mixtures of substances

The invention relates to a method for separating mixtures of substances from solid constituents and liquid or liquefiable hydrocarbons such as oil or bitumen present in deposits. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out this method.

Such methods and devices for carrying out these methods are already known. Here, crude oil or bitumen, for example from oil sand, which consists of sediments such as sand and similar solid components and a proportion of liquid or liquefiable oil and / or bitumen, is obtained from natural deposits by mining the oil sand in open-cast mines, via pipelines or with the help transported away from vehicles and then separated industrially. The separation takes place in special, industrial plants in which the oil or bitumen is washed out of the oil sand, for example by means of solvents such as sodium hydroxide solution.

The mining of the oil sand in open-cast mines or underground with the known methods is very complex, is often not very economical, depending on the amount of oil in the sand, and has a comparatively high impact on the environment. For example, for the extraction of oil sand with the help of superheated steam injected into the reservoir under high pressure, attempts are made to lower the viscosity of the oil in the oil sand and thereby make it flowable and also to partially generate an emulsion of oil and water. The oil and the superheated steam condensed into water in the ground flow downwards and are collected below the deposit with the help of a closed pipe system with holes on the outside due to the drainage effect of the pipe. This process is complex due to the laying of the required pipe system. Due to the superheated steam condensing in the oil sands and the oil contained therein, which is not collected by the pipe system, the groundwater in the area of the deposit can also be contaminated.

It is therefore the task of creating a method and an apparatus for carrying out this method, which enables the economic exploitation of oil sand deposits with comparatively little effort.

To achieve this object, the invention proposes, in particular, that an area of the deposit of the substance mixture is heated with the aid of electromagnetic radiation energy until the substance mixture has reached a pumpable viscosity and that at least the liquid components of the substance mixture are at least partially pumped out of the deposit , As a result of the heating, the viscosity of the oil portion or the portion of liquid or liquefiable hydrocarbons in the mixture of substances is so low that it is either possible to pump out the mixture of substances that has become pumpable as a whole or that the heating causes an at least partially automatic separation of the liquid from the solid components takes place in the heated area of the deposit and it is possible to pump off the liquid components during and / or after heating with a comparatively small proportion of solid components.

It is particularly advantageous if as electromagnetic Radiation energy microwave radiation is used. Microwaves can penetrate deep or far into the mixture of substances, the energy required for this being comparatively low. The microwave radiation advantageously heats above all organic constituents, ie the hydrocarbons such as oil or bitumen in the mixture of substances, than the solid constituents such as sand or other sediments or rocks.

It is expedient if liquid constituents and solid constituents of the substance mixture are separated from one another within the deposit or directly adjacent to the deposit. As a result, this separation can take place as quickly as possible after the mixture of substances has been broken down, before the mixture of substances cools down and the viscosity increases as a result, which would make the separation more difficult. If the liquid and solid components of the mixture of substances are separated near or in the deposit, the transport routes from the deposit to the point of separation are short or very short.

The mixture of substances can advantageously be transported in such a way that the mixture of substances, which has a reduced viscosity, is conveyed to a separating device. For example, conveyance can take place by means of pipelines through which the substance mixture is pumped, or the substance mixture can be conveyed to the separating device via conveyor belts.

During the separation, it is expedient if the solid constituents are sieved out and / or filtered out of the liquid constituents. Such a separation by means of methods of sieving and filtering known per se can also allow large ones Amounts of the mixture of substances can be filtered comparatively quickly and thoroughly.

It is particularly advantageous if the screening or filtering is carried out in several steps or stages. Depending on the composition, in particular of the solid constituents of the substance mixture and on the amount of solid constituents in the substance mixture, a multi-stage sieving and / or filtering can accelerate and improve the separation of the substance mixture, whereby above all the flow rate per unit of time can be increased. For example, first coarse-grained components can be sieved out, then finer components with finer sieves and subsequently finest components can be filtered out of the then comparatively low-viscosity mixture of substances.

To improve the flowability of the mixture of substances, for example in pipelines or in the area in front of or in the separating device, it is expedient if the mixture of substances is subjected to vibration energy, in particular ultrasound, during the conveying and / or during the screening or filtering. As a result, dead zones, for example in corner rooms in which the mixture of substances moves less than in the main stream, can be freed of the mixture of substances in which it falls out by vibration and can then be taken away by the main stream.

Similarly, it is advantageous if areas in front of one or more sieve or filter elements for screening out or filtering out the solid constituents from the liquid constituents are kept continuously, in particular cyclically or, if necessary, preferably by means of vibration energy and / or mechanical tools. This allows an stick to, in particular, solid constituents of the mixture of substances on or in the sieves or filters, such adhesions being able to be detached by the sieve or filter which is vibrating or vibrating at times or when required. Here, too, the frequency of the vibrations can be in the ultrasound range, which means that the buildup can loosen very quickly and be gentle on the screens or filters.

For carrying out the method according to the invention, it is advantageous if a device for separating substance mixtures present in deposits from solid constituents and liquid or liquefiable hydrocarbons such as oil or bitumen is provided with a radiation source for regionally heating the substance mixture by means of electromagnetic radiation in the deposit and if a conveyor for removing at least the liquid constituents of the substance mixture is at least partially arranged from the deposit. The radiation source heats the surrounding mixture of substances, which lowers the viscosity, especially of hydrocarbons such as oil or bitumen, and as a result the mixture of substances as a whole achieves a pumpable or even flowable consistency. If an independent separation of the liquid from the solid constituents of the mixture of substances occurs due to the heating, the liquid constituents can be removed, for example pumped off, separately or with a small proportion of solids with the aid of the conveying device. If this independent separation only partially or not at all, the mixture of substances can be pumped out of the deposit as a whole.

It is advantageous if the radiation source is a microwave radiation source. Microwave radiation can be equally low energy input penetrate comparatively deep into the material mixture around the microwave radiation source and heat it up quickly. It is particularly advantageous that the organic components of the mixture of substances, namely the hydrocarbons such as oil or bitumen, are heated particularly strongly.

It is expedient if a separating device for separating the liquid constituents and the solid constituents of the substance mixture from one another is arranged within or immediately adjacent to the deposit. Depending on the quality of the mixture of substances obtained in the deposit, which may already be partially separated, the mixture of substances can be separated further in the separation device until the liquid components are largely separated from the solid components or are sufficiently separated for subsequent processing.

It is advantageous if the conveying device and the separating device are arranged immediately adjacent in the use position and in particular are connected to one another. As a result, the heated mixture of substances can be fed directly to the separating device, so that cooling of the mixture of substances before the (largely) complete separation can be avoided as far as possible, in particular by particularly short conveying or transport paths and / or by heat insulation of the conveying paths of the conveying device ,

It is expedient if the separating device has at least one sieve or filter element in a filter area for separating the liquid and the solid constituents of the substance mixture from one another. Such sieve or filter elements can, in particular if several staggered Elements in succession with different filter properties, filter the mixture of substances as it flows through into its liquid and solid components. If several elements are arranged, these can expediently be arranged in such a way that the fineness of a sieve or filter in the direction of flow of the mixture of substances is in each case finer than the sieve or filter previously passed by the mixture of substances.

For long-term effective operation of the separating device, it is advantageous if the separating device has means for holding the sieve or filter element and / or the filter area through and / or for loosening the mixture of materials in the conveying direction in front of the filter element and / or in the filter area, preferably a vibration generator and / or mechanical tools. Deposits on the filters or sieves, which limit the flow of the mixture of substances in an undesirable manner, can thereby be removed. In particular, the combination of vibrations, preferably in the ultrasound range and mechanical tools, for example rotating blades or blades, can avoid or quickly remove such deposits and dead areas with substance mixture deposits in the filter area.

A preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention provides that at least the radiation source and the conveying device are designed as elements which can be introduced into the deposit, for example which can be sunk into boreholes. As a result, the radiation source and the conveying device can also be introduced into deeper layers with comparatively little effort, so that these deposits, which are otherwise difficult to reach, can also be developed.

The transport route of the material warmed up in the deposit To make the mix as short as possible, it is advantageous if the separating device has an outer jacket and is designed as an element which can be introduced into the deposit, for example countersinkable into boreholes. As a result, the separating device can be arranged very close to the conveying device, so that the temperature of the substance mixture during the separation is still as high as possible and the viscosity thereof is particularly low in the desired manner. The outer jacket protects the separating device from mechanical damage while it is being brought into the deposit and also during operation. The outer jacket can also have heat and / or sound insulation in order to maintain the elevated temperature of the mixture of substances as long as possible during the separation and to shield the vibrations, in particular the ultrasound, from the outside.

It is particularly expedient for the uncomplicated introduction of the radiation source and the conveying device if the radiation source is arranged on the conveying device, in particular is connected to the conveying device and can be introduced into the deposit together with the conveying device. In addition, the mixture of substances or the liquid constituents thereof can be sucked off directly at the radiation source and thus at the location of the highest temperature and the lowest viscosity of the mixture of substances or its liquid constituents. It is conceivable that a first coarse sieve or filter is already arranged on the conveying device in order to improve the conveyability of the substance mixture to the separating device, for example by sorting out large stones or similar faults.

For effective degradation, it is advantageous if several pairs each have a radiation source and an immediately adjacent conveyor or several radiation sources each connected to a conveyor are arranged in an irregular or regular, preferably equally spaced, grid within the deposit. As a result, the dismantling can take place in several areas at the same time, the conveying devices being connected to one another by a pipeline system and the radiation sources and the conveying devices being connected to a central energy supply system. It is conceivable here if the pipeline system and the energy supply system are designed in such a way that they can be expanded in one or more horizontal directions. As a result, radiation sources and / or conveying devices can be removed from areas of the deposit that have already been exploited and reintroduced into the deposit at new locations according to the grid and can also be reconnected to the pipeline system and the energy supply system. Connections for the simple connection of further elements of the respective systems can be provided at the ends of the pipeline system and the energy supply system. The pipeline and energy supply system can preferably run above ground above the deposit, so that the effort involved in installing or relocating both systems is comparatively low.

Due to the uniform spacing within the grid and thus the heated areas, the grid spacing should preferably correspond to the diameter of the heated areas, i.e. the depth of incidence of the (microwave) radiation used for heating, the deposit can be heated almost completely over a large area, which accordingly large amounts of oil can be released from the oil sands and pumped out. Two exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the drawing. It shows in a partially schematic representation:

1 shows a longitudinal section of a device according to the invention with a tubular conveying device and a radiation source arranged in the conveying device,

2 shows a cross section through the device according to FIG. 1,

3 shows a longitudinal section through a tubular radiation source which can be introduced into a borehole and a tubular conveying device which cooperates therewith and which can be introduced into a further borehole,

4 shows a cross section through the tubular radiation source and the tubular conveying device according to FIG. 3,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a composite system of several conveyors according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in a deposit and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a composite system of several conveyors according to FIGS. 3 and 4 in a deposit.

A device, designated as a whole by 1, for separating mixtures 2 of solid constituents 3 and liquid or liquefiable hydrocarbons 4 such as oil or bitumen present in deposits 100 has a radiation source 5a, 5b for the area-by-area heating of the substance mixture 2 by means of electromagnetic radiation 6 in the deposit 100 and a conveying device 7a, 7b for removing at least some of the liquid components 4 of the substance mixture 2 from the deposit 100.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the radiation source 5a is combined with the conveying device 7a, the radiation source 5a being arranged inside the tubular conveying device 7a which can be introduced into the deposit 100, for example into boreholes (not shown in more detail), and as a microwave radiation source is executed. The radiation source 5a is comparatively compact and can be moved in the axial direction (arrow Pf1) of the tubular conveying device 7a, so that different horizontal zones of the deposit 100 can be irradiated in the radial direction around the radiation source 5a and thus heated. The radiation source 5a within the conveying device 7a for separating the radiation source 5a from the pumping or flow area 11 of the conveying device 7a is surrounded by a radiation-permeable protective jacket 12a, which is also tubular. The protective jacket 12a can consist of radiation-permeable plastic.

An outer wall 8a, which surrounds the conveying device 7a and is made of plastic or the like, which is radiation-permeable and at the same time stable against mechanical stresses, is provided with small holes 9a, which are not drawn to scale in the figures for better illustration. The holes 9a are designed such that in particular the liquid constituents 4 and only comparatively small amounts of solid constituents 3 of the substance mixture 2 can penetrate through the holes 9a and most of the solid constituents 3 are filtered so that the outer wall 8a functions as at least one component of a separating device and in particular as a sieve or filter element for the solid and liquid components 3 and 4 of the substance mixture 2.

The largely liquid and overall pumpable constituents of the substance mixture 2 which have penetrated into the interior of the conveying device 7a are pumped upwards in order, for example, to be able to be further cleaned or otherwise processed above the deposit 100.

3 and 4 show an embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention, in which a conveying device 7b and a radiation source 5b are designed as separate, respectively tubular elements which can be introduced into the deposit 100. The conveyor 7b and the radiation source 5b are arranged immediately adjacent to the deposit 100, so that the radiation source 5b can heat or heat a sufficiently large area of the deposit 100 around the radiation source 5b and around the conveyor 7b, for example by means of microwave radiation 6, and that the conveying device 7b in this area can in particular convey the liquid constituents 3, such as oil, of the substance mixture 2, such as oil sand. The tubular radiation source 5b in this embodiment, which radiates the radiant energy 6 all around in the radial direction over a large area in the axial direction compared to the embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2, is surrounded by a likewise tubular, radiation-transmissive protective jacket 12b, which avoids mechanical damage to the radiation source 5b.

In this exemplary embodiment too, the outer wall 8b is provided with holes 9b, with the aid of which at least partially first separation of the liquid 3 from the solid constituents 4 of the substance mixture 2 is possible. The largely liquid and overall pumpable components 3 which have penetrated into the interior of the conveying device 7b can then be pumped off and further cleaned and processed.

1 and 3, the tubular designs of the radiation source 5a, 5b and the conveying device 7a, 7b have a conical region 13 at their lower end, so that the tubular elements, if necessary, even without an existing borehole, in an advantageously swamp-like or otherwise less hard surface of a deposit 100 can be introduced, for example, by ramming or drilling.

5 and 6 each show a composite system of a plurality of radiation sources 5a, 5b and conveyors 7a, 7b in a view from above.

5 shows a composite system with radiation sources 5a and conveying devices 7a corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2, each combined in a tubular element. The radiation sources 5a and the conveying devices 7a are each with a central pipeline system 14a for conveying off the substance mixture 2 and on Energy supply system 15a connected, which are coupled to a central control unit 16a. In the embodiment shown, the pipeline system 14a and the energy supply system 15a can be expanded in a horizontal direction, radiation sources 5a and conveying devices 7a being removed from regions of the deposit 100 that have already been exploited and separated from the pipeline system 14a and energy supply system 15a and others Place again in deposit 100 and also can be connected again to the pipeline system 14a and energy supply system 15a.

FIG. 6 shows a similar system consisting of pairs of immediately adjacent separate radiation sources 5b and conveying devices 7b corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 4. Similar to FIG. 5, the radiation sources 5b are connected to a central energy supply system 15b and the conveying devices 7b to one Pipeline system 14b connected to remove the mixture of substances 2. A control unit 16b is likewise provided, to which the pipeline system 14b and the energy supply system 15b are coupled. The pipeline system 14b and the energy supply system 15b can be expanded in a horizontal direction.

Expectations

Claims

Expectations

1. A method for separating substance mixtures (2) present in deposits (100) from solid components (4) and liquid or liquefiable hydrocarbons (3) such as oil or bitumen, characterized in that a region of the deposit (100) of the substance mixture (2 ) is heated with the help of electromagnetic radiation energy (6) until the substance mixture (2) has reached a pumpable viscosity and that at least the liquid components (3) of the substance mixture (2) are at least partially pumped out of the deposit (100).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that microwave radiation is used as electromagnetic radiation energy.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that liquid components (3) and solid components (4) of the mixture of substances (2) within the deposit (100) or directly adjacent to the deposit (100) are separated from one another.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the mixture of substances (2) which is reduced in its viscosity is conveyed or conveyed to a separating device.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the solid components (4) from the liquid components (3) are sieved and / or filtered out.

5. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the screening or filtering takes place in several steps or stages.

⁷ . Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the mixture of substances (2) is acted upon by vibrational energy, in particular ultrasound, during the conveying and / or during the screening or filtering.

8. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that areas in front of one or more sieve or filter elements for sieving or filtering out the solid constituents from the liquid constituents, in particular cyclically recurring or, if necessary, preferably by means of vibration energy and / or mechanical Tools are held consistently.

9. Device (1) for separating substance mixtures (2) present in deposits (100) from solid components (4) and liquid or liquefiable hydrocarbons (3) such as oil or bitumen, in particular for carrying out the method according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a radiation source (5a, 5b) is provided for the area-by-area heating of the substance mixture (2) by means of electromagnetic radiation (6) in the deposit (100) and that a conveying device (7a, 7b) for removing at least the liquid components (3) the mixture of substances (2) is at least partially arranged from the deposit (100).

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the radiation source (5a, 5b) a microwave radiation source is.

11. The device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that a separating device for separating the liquid constituents (3) and the solid constituents (4) of the substance mixture (2) from one another is arranged within or immediately adjacent to the deposit (100).

12. Device according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the conveying device (7a, 7b) and the separating device are arranged immediately adjacent in the use position and in particular are connected to one another.

13. Device according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the separating device at least one sieve or filter element (8a, 8b) in a filter area for separating the liquid (3) and the solid components (4) of the substance mixture (2) from each other.

14. Device according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the separating means for holding the screen or filter element and / or the filter area and / or for loosening the mixture of substances (2) in the conveying direction in front of the filter element and / or in the Filter area, preferably a vibration generator and / or mechanical tools.

15. Device according to one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that the radiation source (5a, 5b) and the conveying device (7a, 7b) as in the deposit (100) insertable elements, for example those that can be sunk into boreholes, are formed.

16. Device according to one of claims 9 to 15, characterized in that the separating device has an outer jacket and is designed as an element that can be introduced into the deposit (100), for example countersinkable into boreholes.

17. Device according to one of claims 9 to 16, characterized in that the radiation source (5a, 5b) is arranged on the conveyor (7a, 7b).

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the radiation source (5a, 5b) is connected to the conveyor (7a, 7b) and together with the conveyor (7a, 7b) can be introduced into the deposit (100).

19. Device according to one of claims 9 to 18, character- ized in that several pairs each of a radiation source (5b) and an immediately adjacent conveyor (7b) or several radiation sources (5a) each connected to a conveyor (7a) in an irregular or regular, preferably equally spaced grids are arranged within the deposit (100).