Treatment of produced water from a subterranean formation

Abstract

Systems for water treatment may include a drying tunnel, wherein the drying tunnel may comprise: a blower, wherein the blower may be fluidly coupled to an end of the drying tunnel; nozzles disposed between the distal end of the drying tunnel and the blower; and a chamber configured to collect solids; wherein the drying tunnel may be configured to evaporate water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drying tunnel for evaporating and treating contaminated water comprising:
 a hollow conduit with a proximal end and a distal end spaced apart from the proximal end;   a blower fluidly coupled to the proximal end of the drying tunnel and configured to provide a stream of air into the drying tunnel;   at least one nozzle configured to be coupled to a source of contaminated water, the at least one nozzle disposed between the distal end and the blower and configured to provide the contaminated water into the drying tunnel and the stream of air passing therethrough; and, a chamber coupled to and disposed exterior to the drying tunnel, the chamber configured to collect solids falling out of solution from the contaminated water as the contaminated water is evaporated.   
     
     
         2 . The drying tunnel of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one nozzle has an ability to adjust a rate of the contaminated water entering into the drying tunnel to compensate for the stream of air temperature to reach full evaporation. 
     
     
         3 . The drying tunnel of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one nozzle is coupled to a pump via a line. 
     
     
         4 . The drying tunnel of  claim 1 , wherein the number of the at least one nozzle is 32. 
     
     
         5 . The drying tunnel of  claim 1 , wherein the blower is configured to move over 100,000 cubic feet of air per minute. 
     
     
         6 . The drying tunnel of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the blower and the drying tunnel has an inner diameter from about 8 feet to about 12 feet. 
     
     
         7 . The drying tunnel of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the drying tunnel is about 50 feet to about 200 feet. 
     
     
         8 . The drying tunnel of  claim 1 , wherein the drying tunnel is disposed on a trailer. 
     
     
         9 . The drying tunnel of  claim 8 , further comprising a lifter coupled between the drying tunnel and the trailer to adjust an angle of the drying tunnel relative to horizontal. 
     
     
         10 . The drying tunnel of  claim 9 , wherein the angle is about 30° to about 90°. 
     
     
         11 . The drying tunnel of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is positioned between the blower and the at least one nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . A system for evaporating and treating contaminated water comprising:
 a plurality of drying tunnels, wherein each drying tunnel of the plurality of drying tunnels comprises:
 a hollow conduit with a proximal end and a distal end spaced apart from the proximal end; 
 a blower fluidly coupled to the proximal end of the drying tunnel and configured to provide a stream of air into the drying tunnel; 
 at least one nozzle configured to be a coupled to a source of contaminated water, the at least one nozzle configured to provide the contaminated water into the drying tunnel and the stream of air passing therethrough; and, 
 a chamber coupled to and disposed exterior to the drying tunnel, the chamber configured to collect solids falling out of solution from the contaminated water as the contaminated water is evaporated. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one nozzle has an ability to adjust a rate of the contaminated water entering into the drying tunnel to compensate for the stream of air temperature to reach full evaporation. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one nozzle is coupled to a pump via a line. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the number of the at least one nozzle is 32. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein a length of the drying tunnel is about 50 feet to about 200 feet. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the drying tunnel is disposed on a trailer. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a lifter coupled between the drying tunnel and the trailer to adjust an angle of the drying tunnel relative to horizontal. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the angle is about 30° to about 90°. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the chamber is positioned between the blower and the at least one nozzle.