Conserving components of fluids
View Patent ↗A cavitation device is used to heat, concentrate and recycle or otherwise reuse dilute and other oil well fluids, brines and muds, and solution mining fluids, all of which commonly contain ingredients worthy of conservation. The cavitation device can be powered by a Diesel engine whose exhaust may be used to heat the incoming fluid, and the product of the cavitation device is directed to a flash tank.
1. Method of regenerating a used oilfleld fluid containing heavy brine components, comprising passing said fluid through a cavitation device, thereby increasing the concentration of heavy brine components in said fluid.
2. Method of claim 1 followed by filtering said fluid to remove solids therefrom.
3. Method of obtaining a rejuvenated oilfield fluid of a desired density from a used oilfield fluid containing heavy brine components and having a density less than desired, comprising passing said used oilfield fluid through a cavitation device to remove water from said fluid, and recovering a rejuvenated oilfield fluid having a desired density greater than that of said used oilfield fluid.
4. Method of claim 3 followed by adding one or more salts to said rejuvenated oilfield fluid to adjust either the density or the crystallization temperature of said rejuveniated fluid.