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Title: Countercurrent direct contact heat exchange process and system

Abstract

Recovery of energy from geothermal brines and other hot water sources by direct contact heat exchange with a working fluid, such as a hydrocarbon working fluid, e.g. isobutane. The process and system consists of a plurality of stages, each stage including mixing and settling units. In the first stage, hot brine and arm working fluid are intimately mixed and passed into a settler wherein the brine settles to the bottom of the settler and the hot working fluid rises to the top. The hot working fluid is passed to a heat engine or turbine to produce work and the working fluid is then recycled back into the system. The system is comprised of a series of stages each containing a settler and mixer, and wherein the working fluid and the brine flow in a countercurrent manner through the stages to recover the heat from the brine in increments and raise the temperature of the working fluid in increments.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. (Claremont, CA)
  2. San Juan Capistrano, CA
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
863419
Patent Number(s):
4167099
Assignee:
Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Los Angeles, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F28 - HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL F28C - HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITHOUT CHEMICAL INTERACTION
DOE Contract Number:  
E(04-3)-1076
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
countercurrent; direct; contact; heat; exchange; process; recovery; energy; geothermal; brines; hot; water; sources; fluid; hydrocarbon; isobutane; consists; plurality; stages; stage; including; mixing; settling; units; brine; arm; intimately; mixed; passed; settler; settles; bottom; rises; top; engine; turbine; produce; recycled; comprised; series; containing; mixer; flow; manner; recover; increments; raise; temperature; intimately mixed; water source; heat engine; direct contact; heat exchange; hot water; geothermal brine; water sources; exchange process; geothermal brines; contact heat; /60/

Citation Formats

Wahl, III, Edward F., and Boucher, Frederic B. Countercurrent direct contact heat exchange process and system. United States: N. p., 1979. Web.
Wahl, III, Edward F., & Boucher, Frederic B. Countercurrent direct contact heat exchange process and system. United States.
Wahl, III, Edward F., and Boucher, Frederic B. Mon . "Countercurrent direct contact heat exchange process and system". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863419.
@article{osti_863419,
title = {Countercurrent direct contact heat exchange process and system},
author = {Wahl, III, Edward F. and Boucher, Frederic B},
abstractNote = {Recovery of energy from geothermal brines and other hot water sources by direct contact heat exchange with a working fluid, such as a hydrocarbon working fluid, e.g. isobutane. The process and system consists of a plurality of stages, each stage including mixing and settling units. In the first stage, hot brine and arm working fluid are intimately mixed and passed into a settler wherein the brine settles to the bottom of the settler and the hot working fluid rises to the top. The hot working fluid is passed to a heat engine or turbine to produce work and the working fluid is then recycled back into the system. The system is comprised of a series of stages each containing a settler and mixer, and wherein the working fluid and the brine flow in a countercurrent manner through the stages to recover the heat from the brine in increments and raise the temperature of the working fluid in increments.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1979},
month = {1}
}