Heat pipe based heat exchangers for oil field applications

1. Heat pipe basedheat exchangersfor oil field applications Concept 1 – Independent Heat Pipe Concept 2 – Multi Tubular Heat Pipe 2.1 Vertical Concept 2.2 Horizontal Concept Concept 3 – New Concept for lagoon oil treatment Dr. DumitruFetcu More details: http://www.transterm.ro/

2. The independent heat pipe preheater for crude oil in tanks is made of a bundle of heat pipes placed in two separate jackets. The bundle of heat pipes is separated in two sections by special plates in which the heat pipes are fitted using different methods. One section is in the heating fluid which passes between a jacket and the heat pipes releasing the required heat rate. The other section is also placed in a jacket but this one is opened at one end. The oil enters the space between the bundle of heat pipes and leaves the jacket at the desired temperature. The independent heat pipe preheater is a radical new approach to heating oil stored in tanks in that the heat pipes are used to effect the heat transfer from heating fluid to oil. This culminates in several distinct advantages. It is no need to preheat the entire tank. Only the amount of oil that passes through the heat pipes is preheated at the desired temperature, the rest of the tank remaining at the ambient temperature. The cross contamination is totally eliminated. The heating fluid and the oil are completely separated and impossible to mix each other in the case of heat pipes corrosion. Every heat pipe acts as an independent heat exchanger and the unit is not dramatically affected when one heat pipe or more are damaged as a result of corrosion. The length and the number of heat pipes can be varied so that the design of the unit could have an infinite variability to suit all the specific needs. 1. Independent Heat Pipe Preheater

3. Main features Heat pipes: 12 pieces; carbon steel Ø51x3.5 mm; Vaporization length (in steam): 1,340 mm; Condensation length (in oil): 4,730 mm Jacket for steam circulation: carbon steel pipe Ø324x8 mm; length: 1,310 mm Jacket for oil circulation: carbon steel pipe Ø324x8 mm; length: 3,500 mm Heating fluid: saturated steam, 6 bar G Oil outlet temperature: 55 … 75 ⁰C Heat exchanger duty: 115 … 175 Kw Independent heat pipe preheater for a 350 m3 oil tank

4. Main features Heat pipes: 32 pieces; carbon steel Ø51x3.5 mm; Vaporization length (in hot water): 2,450 mm; Condensation length (in crude oil): 5,700 mm Jacket for hot water circulation: carbon steel pipe Ø510x8 mm; length: 2,500 mm Jacket for oil circulation: carbon steel pipe Ø510x8 mm; length: 5,000 mm Heating fluid: hot water 95 … 115 ⁰C Oil outlet temperature: 40 … 60 ⁰C Heat exchanger duty: 370 … 450 Kw Independent heat pipe preheater for a 20m3 crude oil tank

5. Independent heat pipe preheater for a 20m3 crude oil tank The bundle of heat pipes before installing into jackets

6. Independent heat pipe preheater for a 20m3 crude oil tank Two units ready to be delivered

7. The Multi Tubular Heat Pipe® - Vertical Concept is made mainly of two bundles of tubes. One bundle is placed on the heat releasing fluid side (usually steam) that passes between the jacket and the tubes releasing the required heat rate. The other bundle is placed also in a jacket on the heat absorbing fluid side (usually oil) that passes between the jacket and the tubes absorbing the required heat rate. When the vaporization section of the Multi Tubular Heat Pipe® is heated the working fluid turns to vapor absorbing the latent heat from the heat releasing fluid. The hot vapor flows up through the central tube and down through the bundle of tubes where it condenses and gives out the latent heat. The condensate then flows back through the external special tube to the vaporization section. Since the latent heat of evaporation is usually very large, considerable quantities of heat can be transported with a very small temperature difference from the heat releasing fluid to the heat absorbing fluid. The Multi Tubular Heat Pipe® is a completely passive device as well as the conventional heat pipe. It is not restricted to a fixed operating temperature but adjusts its working temperature according to the heat load and the sink condition. The Multi Tubular Heat Pipe® - Vertical Concept is designed mainly for process applications in crude oil industry or for final heating of the heavy fuel oil at burners in power stations. 2. Multi Tubular Heat Pipe Preheater Vertical Concept

8. Main features Heavy fuel oil properties. Mass rate: 25,000 Kg/h. Inlet temperature: 60 ⁰C. Outlet temperature: 60 ⁰C. Pressure: 40 barG. Heating fluid properties. Superheated steam. Mass rate: 2,800 Kg/h. Pressure: 16 barG. Temperature: 300 ⁰C. Vaporization section specs. Bundle of carbon steel tubes Ø38x3.5 mm. Number of tubes: 113. Length of tubes: 1,100 mm. Jacket: Ø840x20 mm Condensation section specs. Bundle of carbon steel tubes Ø38x3.5 mm. Central tube: Ø218x7 mm. Number of tubes: 108. Length of tubes: 2,500 mm. Jacket: Ø840x20 mm Heat exchanger duty: 1,125 Kw Multi Tubular Heat Pipe Preheater - Vertical Concept Heavy Fuel Oil Preheater for a Power Station

9. 2. Multi Tubular Heat Pipe Preheater Horizontal Concept

10. New Concept for Lagoon Oil Treatment