US4082140A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Heat exchange method
Assignee: RW ERWIN
•
Filing: 1975-06-20
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Granted: 1978-04-04
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Expires: 1995-06-20
Abstract
Abstract Heat exchange takes place between two fluids, namely, mineralized aqueous fluid containing dissolved or dispersed solids or mineral salts and a second fluid, in heat exchange apparatus wherein the surfaces to be contacted by the mineralized aqueous fluid are preferentially oil wettable and substantially zero water adsorbent and are continuously wetted with an organic liquid (oil) which is not permanently miscible with the aqueous fluid being treated, whereby adherence of solids or mineral salts contained in the aqueous fluid or solution is prevented. The preferentially oil wettable and substantially zero water adsorbent contacted surfaces are preferably fluorocarbon polymers such as FEP, however, parylene surfaces are effective and substantially zero water adsorbent but are not as satisfactory as fluorocarbon polymers since parylene coatings on metal are not as permanent as FEP coatings and tend to blister under certain conditions. The apparatus and method herein described are suitable for use in the treatment of hot geothermal fluids as well as for evaporating brines.
Inventors
- 👤 Ransome W. Erwin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 18:59
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28F; F28F19/00; B; B01; B01D; B01D1/00; B01D1/14; B01D19/00; B01D19/0042; B01D19/0047; B01D3/00; B01D3/14; B01D3/143; B01D3/34; B01D3/343; B01D3/346; E; E21; E21B; E21B36/00; E21B36/001; F24; F24T; F24T10/00; F24T10/10; F24T10/30; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/124; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/10; Y10; Y10S; Y10S159/00; Y10S159/13; Y10S159/15; Y10S159/17; Y10S159/33; Y10S203/00; Y10S203/11
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
The improvement in the method of extracting heat from mineralized aqueous fluids through a wall without adherence of precipitated mineral solids to fluid contacting surfaces of the apparatus in which the method is carried out; which improvement consists in that the cooling of the said mineralized fluid takes place in apparatus wherein the fluid contacting surfaces are (1) preferentially oil wettable and (2) substantially zero water adsorbent and are (3) continuously wetted with an organic liquid which is immiscible with the aqueous fluid being cooled.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
The improvement in the method of extracting heat from mineralized aqueous fluids through a wall without adherence of precipitated mineral solids to fluid contacting surfaces of the apparatus in which the method is carried out; which improvement consists in that the cooling of the said mineralized fluid takes place in apparatus wherein the fluid contacting surfaces are (1) preferentially oil wettable and (2) substantially zero water adsorbent and are (3) continuously wetted with an organic liquid which is immiscible with the aqueous fluid being cooled.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the substantially zero water adsorbent surface is a fluorocarbon polymer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the fluorocarbon polymer is hexafluoropropylenetetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the fluorocarbon polymer is FEP.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein the FEP is applied as a finely divided particle coating prior to heating and bonding to a metal base to provide a non-continuous porous fluorocarbon polymer as a finished coating.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein the FEP particles are applied as a distilled water dispersion prior to heating and bonding to the metal surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein the FEP particles are applied as a sprayed-on dry powder prior to heating and bonding to the metal surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
96 words
The invention as defined in claim 5 and wherein the aqueous fluid of claim 1 consists of both aqueous solution and water vapor, wherein the water vapor is condensed by cooling, and wherein the FEP coating applied as finely divided particles prior to heating bonding to the metal base provides a fluorocarbon polymer coating that is sufficiently porous and non-continuous as to completely resist blistering and degradation in the presence of condensing water vapor, in contrast to the immediate blistering and unbonding of FEP when applied as a preformed film and subjected to such vapor condensation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the substantially zero water adsorbent material is parylene.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the substantially zero water adsorbent surface is a para-xylylene vapor deposited polymer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the immiscible liquid is a hydrocarbon oil.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the immiscible liquid is a mineral oil.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the immiscible liquid is selected from a group consisting of mineral oils, vegetable oils, silicone fluids and silanes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
81 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the flow rate of the aqueous fluid-oil-solids mixture through the cooling apparatus is sufficiently turbulent, whether vertical or horizontal, to prevent laminar flow or separation of the oil and watery mediums into separately flowing streams, thereby providing sufficient collision type contact of oil droplets with all interior substantially zero water adsorbent surfaces as to maintain a continuous oil film on said surfaces and prevent adherence of solids as the aqueous fluid is cooled.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention as defined in claim 14 wherein such turbulent flow continuously removes entrained solids, preventing sedimentation in the cooling apparatus.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
90 words
The improvement in the method of handling mineralized aqueous fluids without adherence of solids to any contacting surfaces of the apparatus, wherein such fluids are subjected to diminishing pressures, forming precipitates from both the resulting vaporization and cooling of the fluid, which improvement consists in that said expansion of said fluids takes place in apparatus wherein the contacting surfaces are (1) prefentially oil wettable and (2) substantially zero water adsorbent and are (3) continuously wetted with an organic liquid which is immiscible with the aqueous fluid being expanded and cooled.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
90 words
The improvement in the method of handling mineralized aqueous fluids without adherence of solids to any contacting surfaces of the apparatus, wherein such fluids are subjected to diminishing pressures, forming precipitates from both the resulting vaporization and cooling of the fluid, which improvement consists in that said expansion of said fluids takes place in apparatus wherein the contacting surfaces are (1) prefentially oil wettable and (2) substantially zero water adsorbent and are (3) continuously wetted with an organic liquid which is immiscible with the aqueous fluid being expanded and cooled.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention as defined in claim 16 wherein the substantially zero water adsorbent surface is a fluorocarbon polymer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention as defined in claim 17 wherein the fluorocarbon polymer is hexafluoropropylenetetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention as defined in claim 17 wherein the fluorocarbon polymer is FEP.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
123 words
The invention as defined in claim 16 wherein said apparatus in which said expansion and cooling occurs consists of a geothermal fluid conduit in a geothermal well bore, and wherein said conduit extends to a point below the minerals precipitation zone, and wherein the conduit is internally coated with a preferentially oil wettable, substantially zero water adsorbent coating consisting of a fluorocarbon polymer, and wherein film forming oil is introduced into the geothermal fluid prior to or just at entry into said coated conduit to form an oil film on and prevent adherence of solids to said conduit interior, and wherein said oil is recovered from the geothermal fluids after cooling at the surface and subsequently returned down the coated conduit for recycling.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention as defined in claim 20 wherein the film-forming oil is returned through a substantially zero water adsorbent surfaced conduit extended into the well bore, said surface comprising a fluorocarbon polymer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention as defined in claim 20 wherein the fluorocarbon polymer comprises FEP.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention as defined in claim 20 wherein the fluorocarbon polymer comprises hexafluoropropylenetetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention as defined in claim 20 wherein the film-forming oil comprises a petroleum hydrocarbon, vegetable oil, mineral oil, silicone fluid or silane.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention as defined in claim 20 wherein a fluorocarbon polymer is applied as a finely divided particle coating prior to heating and bonding to a metal base to provide a non-continuous porous fluorocarbon polymer as finished coating.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention as defined in claim 25 wherein the particles are applied as a distilled water dispersion prior to heating and bonding to the metal surface.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention as defined in claim 25 wherein the particles are applied as a sprayed-on dry powder prior to heating and bonding to the metal surface.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-04-03 | 1981-10-03 | 1982-04-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-04-03 | 1985-10-03 | 1986-04-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-04-03 | 1989-10-03 | 1990-04-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |