Application examples of wide-channel plate heat exchangers in oil fields
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A heat exchanger project is currently being designed for use upstream in oil fields, namely in combined stations for dehydration heating, to dehydrate water-containing crude oil. Crude oil production is characterized by high levels of impurities, complex ions, and a high chloride ion content (several thousand parts per million); it also contains small amounts of H2S. The temperature of the crude oil entering the heat exchanger is 40°C, while the temperature after passing through the heat exchanger is 70°C. I heard that wide-channel plate heat exchangers can be used for media with high flow rates, solid impurities, and high viscosity, as compared to ordinary plate heat exchangers. We are currently seeking information from oil fields that have used this type of heat exchanger. A brief description is required regarding the oil field in question, the inlet and outlet temperatures of the crude oil, the ion type, the date when the heat exchanger was put into operation, its operating conditions, any existing problems, and the materials used, among other things. reward_7ree
Spiral plate heat exchangers are commonly used in oil fields, or plate-and-shell heat exchangers are more common! You can ask Chuan Te!
The spiral plate heat exchanger is currently in use, and its application is relatively well understood. This time, I want to replace a batch. I heard that the wide-channel plate type is quite popular, as it is suitable for media with high viscosity and impurities. I was wondering if any of the forum members know if it’s been used in places like oil fields?
@Can Wiseboy teacher help you?
Thank you for your interest. Are there any application examples in oil fields and the results of those applications? I already understand the theoretical aspects.
We are manufacturers; we don’t have any experience with oil fields, so we can’t help you with that. We use our products in corn starch factories, where the material also has poor fluidity and many impurities. However, it can be used at the temperature you specified. As for the choice of material, you need to know the composition parameters of the crude oil in order to select the appropriate material. If it’s convenient for you, please send me an email and I’ll send you some information so that we can discuss this further – cooperation would be beneficial, and it would also help us to expand into a new market
Material selection is crucial; chlorine and sulfur corrosion are deadly
Hello, the poster. Our company manufactures wide-channel plate heat exchangers, which have been actually used in the North China Oilfield. Which oil field are you from? Could you leave your contact information? We can communicate further.
Why not use a regular heater? I mean heater treater
What material is used for the spiral plate heat exchanger mentioned by the poster? Under certain conditions, wide-channel plate heat exchangers are indeed superior to spiral-plate heat exchangers, mainly due to their significant advantage in terms of processing capacity. The heat exchange efficiency is roughly the same. In the past, wide-channel plate heat exchangers were mainly used in industries such as alcohol, metallurgy, and papermaking. Although there is no relevant application history for them in the crude oil industry, it does not mean they cannot be used there. It would be best if the poster could provide the operating conditions.
Wide-channel plate heat exchangers are indeed quite suitable for such applications. Especially on the wide-channel side, there are no contact points between the plates; (support columns are required between the spiral plates), so it constitutes a true free flow. The width can reach up to 30 mm, making it particularly suitable for media that are viscous, contain particles, or have impurities. For example, industries such as alcohol production, metallurgy, and papermaking mentioned earlier. Other advantages include the ease of opening it for inspection and cleaning, as well as a two-door design that allows for immediate access to check its condition. There is no need to remove the inlet and outlet pipes either. But one limitation is that the other side can only be a clean medium, such as water, steam, oil free of impurities, and so on. This product has many years of proven track record in crude oil heating applications abroad; it is a foreign-made product, and its performance is demonstrated overseas. Generally, products imported from abroad are much more expensive than those available domestically. Of course, the quality will be more guaranteed. Regarding corrosion issues, it should not be a major problem; different materials can be selected depending on the composition of the medium. Recently, we just signed a contract with a domestic client for material made of duplex steel 2205; the reason for choosing this material is the presence of mineral particles in the medium, which causes abrasion. If you are willing to consider products from abroad, we are happy to provide more information. The plate thickness is usually between 2 and 2. 5mm: Compared to spiral plate exchangers, it offers higher heat exchange efficiency (the plates have corrugations while spiral plates are flat), and it is also more cost-effective (both being imported products)