A SUMERGED COMBUSTION BRINE EVAPORATION PROCESS FOR COALBED GAS PRODUCTION

THIS PROJECT CONCERNS THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT NECESSARYTO EXTEND THE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE DISPOSAL OF FORMATION FLUID(BRINE) PRODUCED IN COALBED GAS RECOVERY. FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL REGULATIONS GOVERNING HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HAVE MADE THE EXISTING BRINE DISPOSAL METHODS, SUCH AS THE USE OF INJECTION WELLS, MORE COMPLEX AND COSTLY. THIS RESEARCH PROJECT PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE TO CURRENT BRINE DISPOSAL TECHNIQUES. THE PROJECT INCLUDES THEDESIGN, ASSEMBLY, AND INSTRUMENTATION OF A SUBMERGED COMBUSTION EVAPORATOR TO PERMIT EXTENSIVE QUANTIFICATION OF SUCH PROCESS VARIABLES AS GAS CONSUMPTION, BRINE EVAPORATIONRATE, COMPOSITION OF EXHAUST GASES (WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO LIMITING EMISSIONS), AND COMPOSITION OF RESULTING CONCENTRATED BRINE SLURRY. THE EXISTING EVAPORATORS ARE BASED ON CONVENTIONAL BURNER TECHNOLOGY. IN LIGHT OF RECENT PROGRESS IN PULSED COMBUSTION TECHNOLOGY,WHERE OXIDES OF NITROGEN ARE PRODUCED AT A LEVEL HALF OF THAT PRODUCED BY CONVENTIONAL BURNERS, THE POTENTIAL OF PULSED COMBUSTION IS BEING EVALUATED FOR THIS PROCESS. TESTS ARE BEING MADE WITH FLUIDS REPRESENTATIVE OF BRINES PRODUCED FROM COALBEDS IN THE SAN JUAN BASIN IN COLORADO OR NEW MEXICO, AS WELL AS WITH BRINES PRODUCED FROM CONVENTIONAL OIL WELLS. THE EVAPORATOR USES COMPUTER CONTROL OF PROCESS VARIABLES. THE PHASE I STUDY WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE USE OF SUBMERGED COMBUSTION TO EVAPORATE BRINES PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THE RECOVERY OF COALBED GAS. BOTH CONVENTIONAL AND PULSED COMBUSTION ARE BEING EVALUATED. IN PHASE II, THEEVAPORATION PROCESS WILL BE INTEGRATED WITH KNOWN MEMBRANE FILTRATION AND PULSE DRYER TECHNOLOGIES TO APPROACH A "ZERO DISCHARGE" SOLUTION TO THE BRINE DISPOSAL PROBLEM.