Method and apparatus for conditioning fluids

Abstract

Methods are disclosed including a method for performing phase separation of an aqueous-based mixture, including passing an amount of a first aqueous-based mixture through a magnetically conductive conduit having magnetic energy directed along the longitudinal axis of the conduit and extending through at least a portion of the first aqueous-based mixture thereby providing a conditioned aqueous-based medium; establishing a flow of an amount of the conditioned aqueous-based medium through at least one separation apparatus having a capacity to extract at least one of a solid material and a hydrocarbon material from water in the conditioned aqueous-based medium; and separating at least one of a hydrocarbon phase and a solid phase from water in the conditioned aqueous-based medium, wherein at least one of the solid phase and the hydrocarbon phase separates from water in the conditioned aqueous-based medium at an increased rate.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for performing phase separation of an aqueous-based mixture, having the steps of:
 passing an amount of a first aqueous-based mixture through a magnetically conductive conduit having magnetic energy directed along the longitudinal axis of the magnetically conductive conduit and extending through at least a portion of the first aqueous-based mixture thereby providing a conditioned aqueous-based medium;   establishing a flow of an amount of the conditioned aqueous-based medium through at least one separation apparatus, said at least one separation apparatus having a capacity to extract at least one of a solid material and a hydrocarbon material from water in the conditioned aqueous-based medium; and   separating at least one of a hydrocarbon phase and a solid phase from water in the conditioned aqueous-based medium, wherein at least one of the solid phase and the hydrocarbon phase separates from water in the conditioned aqueous-based medium at an increased rate as compared to a rate of separation of at least one of the solid phase and the hydrocarbon phase from water in the first aqueous-based mixture.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further having the step of recovering water from the conditioned aqueous-based medium. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the water has a reduced volume of at least one of the solid phase and the hydrocarbon phase. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the water is injected into a waterflood formation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the water is injected into a disposal well. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the water is reclaimed for exploration and production applications. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the water is directed through additional water reclamation processes and discharged into the environment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further having the step of recovering at least one solid phase from the conditioned aqueous-based medium. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the solid phase has a reduced volume of at least one of the hydrocarbon phase and water. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further having the step of recovering a hydrocarbon phase from the conditioned aqueous-based medium. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the hydrocarbon phase has a reduced volume of at least one of the solid phase and water. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the viscosity of the conditioned aqueous-based medium is lower than the viscosity of the first aqueous-based mixture. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a particle size of at least one dissimilar material in the conditioned aqueous-based medium is larger than a particle size of at least one of the solid material and the hydrocarbon material in the first aqueous-based mixture. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first aqueous-based mixture is heated upstream of the magnetically conductive conduit. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the conditioned aqueous-based medium is heated upstream of the at least one separation apparatus. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the conditioned aqueous-based medium is heated within the at least one separation apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one chemical compound is dispersed in the first aqueous-based mixture. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one chemical compound is dispersed in the conditioned aqueous-based medium. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic energy is concentrated in a plurality of distinct areas along the longitudinal axis of the magnetically energized conduit.