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Title: Produced Water and Waste Heat-aided Blowdown Water Treatment: Using Chemical and Energy Synergisms for Value Creation

Abstract

The project objective was to develop a cooling blowdown water (BDW) treatment process utilizing produced water (PW) and low-grade heat to maximize water reuse and saleable by-product generation while reducing chemical and energy footprints of the treatment. The proposed treatment process consists of mixing, softening, organics and suspended solids removal, reverse osmosis (RO), thermal desalination, and brine electrolysis. BDW samples collected from a local coal-fired power plant and PW samples from two shale gas production wells were used in this study. Each treatment unit was first designed and tested to quantify its treatment efficiency, and its chemical and energy requirements. In addition, a process model was developed and model simulations were conducted based on the experimental results and literature data to optimize the treatment process. A techno-economic analysis was conducted to quantify chemical and energy savings as well as production of 10-lb brine as a saleable product. With the field-collected BDW and PW samples, mixing experiments determined a volumetric mixing ratio 10:1 (BDW:PW) resulted in the best performance of multivalent ions removal and largest chemical savings for softening. Softening of the BDW/PW mixtures using alkaline chemicals (Na2CO3 and NaOH) achieved 95%-100% removal of scaling-forming cations (Ca, Mg, Fe, Ba, Sr)more » and 60% of silicon, and 10% of total organic carbon (TOC). The mixing and softening treatments yielded an effluent with total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration of 23 g/L. Activated carbon (AC) filtration removed TOC to a low level (< 3 mg/L) and further removed remaining scale-forming divalent metals and silica from the softened water. The AC filtration resulted in a slight reduction of TDS from 23 g/L to 20 g/L, leaving behind only mostly monovalent ions (i.e., sodium and chloride) in the filtered water. These pretreatments yielded a feed water that met the criteria of the downstream reverse osmosis (RO) to prevent membrane fouling. A cross-flow RO system was used to further concentrate the TDS of the AC effluent. Various factors including TDS, pH, and applied pressure were examined and optimal conditions were determined for the co-treatment process. An integrated process consisting of mixing, softening, AC filtration and RO was used to treat a continuous flow (0.25 – 1.2 L/min, or 0.07 – 0.32 gpm) and successfully generated RO permeate as product water (TDS < 0.5 g/L) for reuse in cooling operation, and a concentrate (TDS ~ 45 g/L) to be further treated in a thermal desalination unit. These flow rates meet the FOA’s criterion of 0.01 – 1 gpm. Overall, the co-treatment of BDW/PW allowed shorter ramp-up time compared to treatment of BDW alone. It resulted in 40% and 55% savings of Na2CO3(s) and NaOH, respectively, compared to treating the BDW and PW individually for the same level of softening. The co-treatment also resulted in a 29% energy saving compared to treatment of BDW only for the level of TDS concentration. A thermal desalination system was designed using CFD simulations and manufactured in the WVU Innovation Hub for further treatment of the RO concentrate to generate 10-lb brine. The system has a design flow rate of 2 gpm and has been successfully tested. A bench-scale brine electrolysis system was developed for on-site generation of chlorine/hypochlorite (Cl2/OCl-) and caustic soda (NaOH) as useful chemicals for the co-treatment process. Using salt solutions (0.5 M and 1 M), the system achieved faradaic efficiencies of 93%-97% and 70%-77% for caustic soda and chlorine/hypochlorite generation, respectively. An economic analysis showed that the electricity costs for on-site generation of these chemicals were significantly lower than the chemical prices offered by suppliers. An industrial-scale process model consisting of mixing, softening, AC filtration, RO, thermal desalination, and brine electrolysis was developed using the Aspen Plus V9 in conjunction with Aspen Custom Modeler V9. The model serves as a solvable Aspen Plus model and as basis to form the costing infrastructure. In addition, techno-economic analysis considering capital, operating, and transportation costs was conducted. An optimization solution showed that produced water for mixing is still advantageous in low quantities. The optimum solution approaches a leveled cost of water (LCW) of 2 $/m3 which becomes cost competitive with nominal water treatment prices.« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
OSTI Identifier:
1879436
Report Number(s):
DOE-WVU-FE0031740
DOE Contract Number:  
FE0031740
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Related Information: H. Finklea, L.-S. Lin, and G. Khajouei, Electrodialysis of Softened Produced Water from Shale Gas Development, Journal of Water Process Engineering, 45, 102486, 2022.G. Khajouei, H. O. Finklea, Lian-Shin Lin, UV/free chlorine advanced oxidation processes for degradation of contaminants in water and wastewater: A comprehensive review, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 10, 107508, 2022.G. Khajouei, H. I. Park, H. O. Finklea, P. F. Ziemkiewicz, E. F. Peltier, and L.-S. Lin, Produced water softening using high-pH catholyte from brine electrolysis: reducing chemical transportation and environmental footprint, Journal of Water Process Engineering, 40, 101911, 2021.P. Seats, M. H. Ahmed, G. Khajouei, H. Barber, H. Finklea, F. V. Lima, and L.-S. Lin, Multi-objective planning for co-managing power plant blowdown water and shale gas produced water for resource recovery, conference paper, 39th IAHR World Congress, Granada, Spain, June 19-24, 2022.H. Barber and F. V. Lima. Modeling, Simulation and Optimization of a Synergistically Mixed Blowdown Water and Produced Water Wastewater Treatment Process. Presented at 2021 AIChE Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, Nov. 7-9, 2021.H. Barber and F. V. Lima. Optimization of a Wastewater Cotreatment Process for Blowdown and Produced Waters with Economic and Sustainability Analyses. Submitted for presentation at 2022 AIChE Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, Nov. 13-18, 2022.M. H. Ahmed, P. Seats, and L.-S. Lin, Produced Water and Waste Heat-aided Blowdown Water Treatment: Using Chemical and Energy Synergisms for Value Creation, 2021 AIChE Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, Nov. 7-11, 2021.L.-S. Lin, Co-management of Produced Water and Power Plant Brines for Value Creation, Shale Insight Conference 2020, Technology Showcase Program, virtual event, Sep. 29 – Oct. 1, 2020.G. Khajouei, H.I. Park, H. Finklea, P. Ziemkiewicz, and L.-S. Lin, Process selection for produced water-aided blow down water treatment to maximize water reuse and saleable by-product generation and reduce chemical and energy cost, extended abstract submitted to 93rd Annual Technical Exhibition & Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, Oct. 3-7, 2020.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS; 42 ENGINEERING; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; blowdown water; produced water; water reuse; chemical and energy footprints; water treatment technology

Citation Formats

Lin, Lian-Shin. Produced Water and Waste Heat-aided Blowdown Water Treatment: Using Chemical and Energy Synergisms for Value Creation. United States: N. p., 2022. Web. doi:10.2172/1879436.
Lin, Lian-Shin. Produced Water and Waste Heat-aided Blowdown Water Treatment: Using Chemical and Energy Synergisms for Value Creation. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1879436
Lin, Lian-Shin. 2022. "Produced Water and Waste Heat-aided Blowdown Water Treatment: Using Chemical and Energy Synergisms for Value Creation". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1879436. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1879436.
@article{osti_1879436,
title = {Produced Water and Waste Heat-aided Blowdown Water Treatment: Using Chemical and Energy Synergisms for Value Creation},
author = {Lin, Lian-Shin},
abstractNote = {The project objective was to develop a cooling blowdown water (BDW) treatment process utilizing produced water (PW) and low-grade heat to maximize water reuse and saleable by-product generation while reducing chemical and energy footprints of the treatment. The proposed treatment process consists of mixing, softening, organics and suspended solids removal, reverse osmosis (RO), thermal desalination, and brine electrolysis. BDW samples collected from a local coal-fired power plant and PW samples from two shale gas production wells were used in this study. Each treatment unit was first designed and tested to quantify its treatment efficiency, and its chemical and energy requirements. In addition, a process model was developed and model simulations were conducted based on the experimental results and literature data to optimize the treatment process. A techno-economic analysis was conducted to quantify chemical and energy savings as well as production of 10-lb brine as a saleable product. With the field-collected BDW and PW samples, mixing experiments determined a volumetric mixing ratio 10:1 (BDW:PW) resulted in the best performance of multivalent ions removal and largest chemical savings for softening. Softening of the BDW/PW mixtures using alkaline chemicals (Na2CO3 and NaOH) achieved 95%-100% removal of scaling-forming cations (Ca, Mg, Fe, Ba, Sr) and 60% of silicon, and 10% of total organic carbon (TOC). The mixing and softening treatments yielded an effluent with total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration of 23 g/L. Activated carbon (AC) filtration removed TOC to a low level (< 3 mg/L) and further removed remaining scale-forming divalent metals and silica from the softened water. The AC filtration resulted in a slight reduction of TDS from 23 g/L to 20 g/L, leaving behind only mostly monovalent ions (i.e., sodium and chloride) in the filtered water. These pretreatments yielded a feed water that met the criteria of the downstream reverse osmosis (RO) to prevent membrane fouling. A cross-flow RO system was used to further concentrate the TDS of the AC effluent. Various factors including TDS, pH, and applied pressure were examined and optimal conditions were determined for the co-treatment process. An integrated process consisting of mixing, softening, AC filtration and RO was used to treat a continuous flow (0.25 – 1.2 L/min, or 0.07 – 0.32 gpm) and successfully generated RO permeate as product water (TDS < 0.5 g/L) for reuse in cooling operation, and a concentrate (TDS ~ 45 g/L) to be further treated in a thermal desalination unit. These flow rates meet the FOA’s criterion of 0.01 – 1 gpm. Overall, the co-treatment of BDW/PW allowed shorter ramp-up time compared to treatment of BDW alone. It resulted in 40% and 55% savings of Na2CO3(s) and NaOH, respectively, compared to treating the BDW and PW individually for the same level of softening. The co-treatment also resulted in a 29% energy saving compared to treatment of BDW only for the level of TDS concentration. A thermal desalination system was designed using CFD simulations and manufactured in the WVU Innovation Hub for further treatment of the RO concentrate to generate 10-lb brine. The system has a design flow rate of 2 gpm and has been successfully tested. A bench-scale brine electrolysis system was developed for on-site generation of chlorine/hypochlorite (Cl2/OCl-) and caustic soda (NaOH) as useful chemicals for the co-treatment process. Using salt solutions (0.5 M and 1 M), the system achieved faradaic efficiencies of 93%-97% and 70%-77% for caustic soda and chlorine/hypochlorite generation, respectively. An economic analysis showed that the electricity costs for on-site generation of these chemicals were significantly lower than the chemical prices offered by suppliers. An industrial-scale process model consisting of mixing, softening, AC filtration, RO, thermal desalination, and brine electrolysis was developed using the Aspen Plus V9 in conjunction with Aspen Custom Modeler V9. The model serves as a solvable Aspen Plus model and as basis to form the costing infrastructure. In addition, techno-economic analysis considering capital, operating, and transportation costs was conducted. An optimization solution showed that produced water for mixing is still advantageous in low quantities. The optimum solution approaches a leveled cost of water (LCW) of 2 $/m3 which becomes cost competitive with nominal water treatment prices.},
doi = {10.2172/1879436},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1879436}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jul 30 00:00:00 EDT 2022},
month = {Sat Jul 30 00:00:00 EDT 2022}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Electrodialysis of softened produced water from shale gas development
journal, February 2022


UV/chlorine advanced oxidation processes for degradation of contaminants in water and wastewater: A comprehensive review
journal, June 2022


Produced water softening using high-pH catholyte from brine electrolysis: reducing chemical transportation and environmental footprints
journal, April 2021