Integrated fuel gas heater for mobile fuel conditioning equipment

Abstract

A system mounted on a skid for use in fracturing operations is disclosed along with an associated method. The system includes a line heater on the skid to enable heating of fuel to be used with a turbine generator and includes one or more pressure regulators coupled to the line heater to enable adjustment of a pressure associated with the fuel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for use in fracturing operations, the system comprising:
 a line heater with first diameter piping adapted to fit on a skid and to be used to condition fuel for a turbine generator; and   one or more pressure regulators to receive second diameter piping that is different than the first diameter piping and adapted to the fit on the skid to support adjusting a pressure associated with the fuel for the turbine generator.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bypass line located on the skid and being of a third diameter piping that is different from the first diameter piping to bypass the line heater.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a glycol bath, a glycol-based heat exchanger, or a bypassable indirect heating bath provided to function as the line heater through which a fuel pipe comprising the fuel passes to enable the heating of the fuel.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bypassable high pressure regulator or a bypassable low pressure regulator functioning as the one or more pressure regulators to enable the adjustment of the pressure associated with the fuel.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a redundant heating sub-system comprising a methanol injector and a methanol extractor to support the heating of the fuel upon failure of a feature of the line heater.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a redundant heating sub-system comprising an electric heater to support the heating of the fuel upon failure of a feature of the line heater.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a forced draft burner associated with the line heater to promote the heating of the fuel.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more sensors associated with the line heater and the one or more pressure regulators, the one or more sensors to:   detect temperature or pressure information at one or more of an input and an output of the line heater and the one or more pressure regulators; and   transmit the temperature or pressure information to a remote receiver of a datavan.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more first valves associated with an inlet of the line heater to enable bypassing of the line heater; or   one or more second valves associated with an inlet to the one or more pressure regulators to enable bypassing of the one or more pressure regulators.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 one or more remote receivers associated with the one or more first valves or the one or more second valves to enable the bypassing of the line heater or the one or more pressure regulators from an input of a datavan or from one or more sensors associated with the line heater or the one or more pressure regulators, the one or more sensors to detect temperature information or pressure information during operation of the system.   
     
     
         11 . A method for supporting fracturing operations, the method comprising:
 conditioning fuel for a turbine generator using a line heater with first diameter piping adapted to fit on a skid; and   adjusting a pressure associated with the fuel for the turbine generator using one or more pressure regulators adapted to receive second diameter piping that is different than the first diameter piping and adapted to the fit on the skid.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 enabling the fuel to bypass the line heater using a bypass line that is located on the skid and that is of a third diameter piping that is different from the first diameter piping.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 providing a glycol bath, glycol-based heat exchanger, or a bypassable indirect heating bath to function as the line heater;   enabling the fuel to pass through a fuel pipe within the glycol bath or the glycol-based heat exchanger to perform the heating of the fuel.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 providing a bypassable high pressure regulator or a bypassable low pressure regulator to function as the one or more pressure regulators; and   enabling the adjustment of the pressure associated with the fuel using the bypassable high pressure regulator or the bypassable low pressure regulator.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 supporting the heating of the fuel upon failure of a feature of the line heater using redundant heating comprising a methanol injector and a methanol extractor.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 supporting the heating of the fuel upon failure of a feature of the line heater using redundant heating comprising an electric heater.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 promoting the heating of the fuel using a forced draft burner associated with the line heater.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 associating one or more sensors with the line heater and the one or more pressure regulators;   detecting temperature or pressure information using the one or more sensors at one or more of an input and an output of the line heater and the one or more pressure regulators; and   transmitting the temperature or pressure information to a remote receiver of a datavan.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 associating one or more first valves with an inlet of the line heater to enable bypassing of the line heater; or   associating one or more second valves with an inlet to the one or more pressure regulators to enable bypassing of the one or more pressure regulators.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 associating one or more remote receivers with the one or more first valves or the one or more second valves; and   enabling, by the association of the one or more remote receivers, the bypassing of the line heater or the one or more pressure regulators by:   one or more remote inputs from a datavan or from one or one or more second inputs from sensors associated with the line heater or   the one or more pressure regulators used to detect temperature information or pressure information.