The invention relates to steam generation systems and more particularly to a controlled steam generation system for producing and controlling high temperature and high pressure steam.
Steam generation systems generally have a boiler in which water is heated to produce steam. New technology uses electrodes to which a voltage is applied to heat the water in which the electrodes are placed to produce steam. Such an apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,403,701 in which water is heated using electrodes placed in the water. A similar system to heat water and produce steam is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,193. Another U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,116 uses a water flow system to produce steam. In this system the water is pumped through a porous insulating material positioned between two electrodes. The electrodes are connected to a power sources to heat the electrodes to produce steam.
The present invention relates to a controlled steam generation system, and more particularly to a high pressure high temperature system which produces extremely high pressure and high temperature steam. The high pressure high temperature steam can be used in cleaning oil wells, producing power with turbines, the purification of water.
The technical advance represented by the invention as well as the objects thereof will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features set forth in the appended claims.
In
To produce steam, power comes from a power source 13 which goes through control unit 12 and then to steam unit 11, applying voltage to terminals 17, 18 and 19. Water is input at 22. The water comes from any source of water and is strained by stainer 23 to remove any particulate material. A pump 15, controlled by motor 14 feeds the water through one way valve 16 and inlet 22 into the steam generator where the power applied to terminals 17, 18 and 19 coverts the water to steam. Steam exits out output 24. A temperature gauge 21 measures the temperature of the steam, and a pressure gauge 20 measures the pressure of the steam. Both the temperature 21a and pressure 20a is feed back to the control unit 12. The control unit is preprogrammed to the desired temperature and pressure settings. The control unit 12 also controls motor 14 which drives the water pump 15. By controlling the motor speed, the amount of water pumped into the steam unit 11, the pressure of the steam output is controlled. The control of the motor 14 from the control unit 12 is based upon, in part, the pressure information 20a from the pressure gage 20 returned to the control unit 12.
The steam system of
The present system can use impure water sources such as gray water, brine water, sewage water naturally occurring saline bodies of water. It can use clean water, but in some areas, clean water is limited or not available. Fracturing water from wells may be used, particularly when the steam unit is used to clean old wells. These impure water sources provide a better water to use in the steam unit as the impurities in the water provide more conductivity and provide a more efficient production of steam.
In regard to the power source 13 for the steam generation system, a portable generator may be used to supply the power to initially start the generation of steam. A steam driven turbine (not illustrated), which turns a generator, may be used after the initial start up of the steam generator. Upon start, the steam generator requires a larger amount of power until the steam generator has started producing steam. After the steam has reached it desired temperature and pressure, the amount of power required decreases. This results from the fact that once the current flowing through the water starts producing steam, the conductivity of the steam is less than the water, and the amount of current to maintain the desired flow of steam reduces. In a small initially produced steam unit the steam, using 220 Volt AC, the current was initially about 45 amps. After the steam flow was produced, the current fell to about 15 amps to maintain the desired flow of steam.
An important feature of the present invention is that a continuous flow of pressurized water is used. In the prior art steam generators, a container holds water and two electrical elements are at least partially emerged in the container of water. The container is supplied additional water as needed, but there is not continuous flow of pressurized water.