Scale-inhibited water reduction in solutions and slurries

Abstract

A cavitation device is used to reduce the water content of used or wastep solutions and slurries, including oil well fluids and muds, solution mining fluids, industrial oil/water emulsions, and other used or wastep aqueous industrial fluids. A main reason for reducing the water content of such fluids is to facilitate their disposal or reuse. Thermal energy from the steam and vapor produced by the non-scaling cavitation device is recycled in steam turbines or piston expander engines, or otherwise facilitates evaporation through a membrane or condensation to useful fresh water; the efficiency of the process can be enhanced by mechanical vapor recompression.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . Method of evaporating water from a water-containing industrial fluid comprising passing said fluid through a cavitation device to increase its temperature, said cavitation device being driven by a mechanical power source, and converting thermal energy from said fluid having an elevated temperature to mechanical energy.  
   
   
       22 . Method of  claim 21  wherein said converting of thermal energy to mechanical energy is performed in a steam turbine.  
   
   
       23 . Method of  claim 22  wherein mechanical energy from said steam turbine is used to supplement the mechanical power source for said cavitation device.  
   
   
       24 . Method of  claim 22  wherein mechanical energy from said steam turbine is used to generate electricity.  
   
   
       25 . Method of  claim 24  wherein said electricity is used to power an electric motor.  
   
   
       26 . Method of  claim 25  wherein said electric motor is used to supplement the mechanical power source for said cavitation device.  
   
   
       27 . Method of  claim 21  wherein said converting of thermal energy to mechanical energy is performed in a steam cylinder engine.  
   
   
       28 . Method of  claim 22  wherein mechanical energy from said steam cylinder engine is used to supplement the mechanical power source for said cavitation device.  
   
   
       29 . Method of  claim 22  wherein mechanical energy from said steam cylinder engine is used to generate electricity.  
   
   
       30 . Method of  claim 24  wherein said electricity is used to power an electric motor.  
   
   
       31 . Method of  claim 25  wherein said electric motor is used to supplement the mechanical power source for said cavitation device.  
   
   
       32 . Method of removing water from a water-containing industrial fluid comprising passing fluid through a cavitation device to increase its temperature, said cavitation device being driven by a mechanical power source, passing said fluid at said increased temperature to a flash tank to separate vapor and steam from said fluid, passing said vapor and steam to a compressor and compressing said vapor and steam to further elevate its temperature, condensing said vapor and steam so compressed at its elevated temperature to obtain distilled water, and optionally passing said distilled water through a heat exchanger to conserve its heat energy  
   
   
       33 . Method of  claim 32  wherein said heat exchanger is used to heat said water-containing industrial fluid before entering said cavitation device.  
   
   
       34 . Method of  claim 32  including removing fluid remaining in said flash tank from said flash tank and recycling it to said cavitation device.  
   
   
       35 . Method of  claim 32  including using at least one component of said fluid remaining in said flash tank as an ingredient in another industrial fluid.  
   
   
       36 . Method of evaporating water from an industrial fluid comprising heating said fluid in a cavitation device and contacting the heated fluid so obtained on the retentate side of a membrane capable of passing water vapor.  
   
   
       37 . Method of  claim 36  wherein said membrane is a hydrophilic membrane.  
   
   
       38 . Method of  claim 36  wherein said membrane is hydrophobic membrane.  
   
   
       39 . Method of  claim 38  including recycling at least a portion of said fluid into contact with said membrane.  
   
   
       40 . Method of  claim 38  wherein said heated fluid from said cavitation device is passed to a flash tank and wherein vapors from said flash tank are passed into contact with said retentate side of said membrane.