METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR HEATING AND MANIPULATING FLUID
Systems and methods are provided for separating a fluid into some or all of boiling point components comprising an opened-loop heating circuit or a closed-loop heating circuit both comprising a rotary heating device, such as a water brake, or a closed-loop direct-fired boiler heating circuit, or an electric heater circuit; and systems and methods for separating a fluid.
1 . A method of separating a fluid into at least some of its fractions, comprising:
providing a closed loop heat transfer system comprising:
a internal combustion engine adapted to convert chemical energy into at least mechanical energy and waste heat energy;
an electrical generator operatively coupled to the engine;
an electrical heater adapted to heat a liquid flowing there through by converting electrical energy from the generator into thermal energy;
a tank vented to the atmosphere and fluidly coupled to the electric generator and adapted to contain a portion the liquid in the closed loop system;
a circulation pump adapted to pump the liquid through the closed loop system;
a exhaust heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the tank and adapted to transfer thermal energy from a first portion of the waste heat to the liquid;
a portion of a fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the exhaust heat exchanger and to the generator; and
wherein the closed loop heat transfer system is configured to operate at atmospheric pressure and to heat the liquid to less than an atmospheric boiling point of the liquid;
providing an open-loop system comprising a pump adapted to pump the fluid through the open system so that thermal energy in the closed-loop liquid is transferred across the fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger to the fluid;
operating the closed-loop system to heat the liquid to below its boiling point;
pumping the fluid through the open-loop system;
transferring thermal energy from the closed-loop liquid to the open-loop system fluid, thereby heating the fluid; and
passing the heated fluid through a separation tower.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the closed-loop liquid is a water-based mixture.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the internal combustion engine is a diesel engine.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the internal combustion engine is a natural gas engine.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the internal combustion engine comprises an air supercharger and further comprising: providing a charge air heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy from the charge air to the closed-loop liquid, thereby cooling the charge air.
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising: locating the charge air heat exchanger in the closed loop system downstream of the fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger.
7 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising: locating the charge air heat exchanger in the open system downstream of the fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger up stream of the fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger.
8 . A fluid separating system comprising:
a closed loop heat transfer system comprising:
a internal combustion engine adapted to convert chemical energy into at least mechanical energy and waste heat energy;
an electrical generator operatively coupled to the engine;
an electrical heater configured to heat a liquid flowing there through by converting electrical energy from the generator into thermal energy;
a tank vented to the atmosphere and fluidly coupled to the electric heater and adapted to contain a portion the liquid in the closed loop system;
a circulation pump adapted to pump the liquid through the closed-loop system;
a exhaust heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the tank and adapted to transfer thermal energy from a first portion of the waste heat to the liquid;
a portion of a fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the exhaust heat exchanger and to the electric heater; and
wherein the closed-loop heat transfer system is configured to operate at atmospheric pressure and to heat the fluid to less than an atmospheric boiling point of the liquid; and
an open system comprising:
a pump adapted to pump the fluid through the open-loop system so that thermal energy in the closed-loop liquid is transferred across the fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger to the fluid, thereby heating the fluid; and
a separation tower for separating the fluid into at least some of its boiling point components.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the closed-loop liquid is a water-based mixture.
10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the internal combustion engine is a diesel engine.
11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the internal combustion engine is a natural gas engine.
12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the internal combustion engine comprises an air supercharger and further comprising: a charge air heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy from the charge air to the closed-loop liquid, thereby cooling the charge air.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the charge air heat exchanger is located in the closed loop system downstream of the fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger.
14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the charge air heat exchanger is located in the open system up stream of the fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger.