Abstract:
A fluid heating process which does not utilize an open flame, heat is created by a rotating prime mover(s) driving a hydraulic heat generator. Heat is also collected from the prime mover cooling system, and any exhaust heat generated by the prime mover. The heat energy is collected from all these sources, and transmitted through heat exchangers to generate a hot fluid, which can be used to heat other fluids and used for any application where heat is required.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This invention generally relates to processes used to heat and pump industrial fluids, where the heating process does not require an open flame. 
         [0002]    Certain industrial applications require large volumes of heated fluid, such as water, glycol, hydrocarbons or caustic solutions. Although the present application is not limited to any one of these fluids, this application will refer to glycol as the heated fluid. Also, although many types of fluids, such as glycol and oil, may be used as a hydraulic heat generator fluid, this application will refer to oil as the heating fluid. 
         [0003]    Specific environments may require that an open flame not be present. This commonly occurs in the energy industry. This fluid heating system and process described herein was created to heat fluids in these environments. 
         [0004]    Common practice has been to truck water to several tanks located at an oil or gas well location. The water is heated by open flamed trucks which utilize diesel or propane fired burners. However, these burners are energy inefficient (e.g., utilizing excessive amounts of fuel) and hazardous (e.g., causing fires, severe burns, and fatalities). 
         [0005]    A flameless heating system removes these hazards by supplying hot glycol (e.g., temperature less than  100  degrees Celsius). There is no risk of explosion or burns due to open flames or high temperature steam. With the flameless heating system, once the tanks are filled, the heater is moved to the tank site, and heats the water, or any other fluid contained in the tanks, to a desired temperature. The heater generates hot glycol, which is pumped to the tanks The tanks are equipped with a steam tube or similar heat exchanger that allows the hot glycol to transfer heat to the fluid in the tank. Multiple tanks can be heated, for example, by connecting them in series with hoses and quick connect couplers or with the use of a manifold and connected in parallel. The heating process is efficient and safe, making the best use of fuel in a flameless environment. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    One aspect of the present invention consists of a number of components connected in such a way that the process provides efficient and flameless heat. The components are generally trailer mounted, but may also be truck or skid mounted. 
         [0007]    The largest component is a prime mover. The prime mover is most often a diesel engine; however, gasoline or natural gas engines, or an electric drive may also be used depending on the environmental considerations. Connected directly to a drive shaft of the prime mover is a hydraulic heat generator. This component utilizes a majority of power available from the prime mover, and converts this energy into heat. The hydraulic heat generator can either be built as one or more components. It consists of a hydraulic pump to provide pressure and flow for the heat generator. 
         [0008]    The heat generator can be attached to the hydraulic pump or standalone and connected via a hydraulic hose. The heat generator provides heat, for example, by shearing oil. One way this is accomplished is by pumping the oil at high pressure and volume and forcing it through different sizes of orifices. This heat is transferred to the glycol through a liquid to liquid heat exchanger. 
         [0009]    Also driven by the prime mover is the main pump to move the glycol through the system. This pump, for example, is typically a centrifugal pump, and allows movement of glycol through the heating unit, out to wherever it is needed by using hoses and is returned back to the heating unit. This is a closed loop system, so there is no contamination or loss of the glycol. 
         [0010]    The remaining major components to the system are heat exchangers. 
         [0011]    A first heat exchanger, for example, is a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, mentioned above, that transfers heat from the oil, generated by the hydraulic heat generator, to the glycol. 
         [0012]    A second heat exchanger, for example, is also a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, which transfers heat generated in the engine coolant to the glycol. This fluid is pumped by the main pump, as mentioned above. 
         [0013]    A third heat exchanger, for example, is an air-to-liquid heat exchanger, (e.g., an intercooler) which transfers heat generated in the turbocharger compressor of the prime mover to the glycol. 
         [0014]    A fourth heat exchanger, for example, is also an air-to-liquid heat exchanger, which transfers the heat generated in the engine exhaust to the glycol. 
         [0015]    Other system components include, for example, a fuel tank to operate the engine, glycol and oil reservoirs, a trailer to house the components, and a control system to maintain operation of the system and alarm in the event of a mechanical failure. 
         [0016]    The closed loop glycol heating process of the present invention has a capability of approximately 1.2M Btu. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0017]    The following drawing illustrates an example of various components of the invention disclosed herein, and is for illustrative purposes only. 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a schematic of one embodiment of a flameless glycol heater. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    While the present invention may be embodied in many different forms, a number of illustrative embodiments are described herein with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as providing examples of the principles of the invention and such examples are not intended to limit the invention to preferred embodiments described herein and/or illustrated herein. 
         [0020]    Reference will now be made to  FIG. 1 , a more detailed description of the flameless heat generation process. Each component will be described in detail, followed by an overview of the heat generation process. 
         [0021]    The largest component of the flameless process, for example, is prime mover  10 . The prime mover  10  can be any type of engine, fueled by a variety of fuels such as diesel, propane or natural gas. It can be electrical in certain applications. The fuel driven engines, for example, are typically set up like a marine engine, which will have a liquid cooled intercooler to cool and increase the density of the air travelling from the compressor side of the turbocharger to the engine intake. It will also have a liquid/engine coolant heat exchanger to keep the engine running within its ideal temperature range. For the purpose of this application the liquid used is glycol. 
         [0022]    Attached to the prime mover  10  are heat generator  20  and hydraulic pump  30 . Oil is pumped by the hydraulic pump  30  through the heat generator  20 . In the heat generator  20  the oil is sheared under high pressure and volume by pumping it through orifices of different sizes. As stated previously, this hydraulic heat generator can be a combined unit or separate components. Between the engine  10  and hydraulic heat generator, for example, is a torsional vibration dampener (not shown), which is used to smooth out vibrations created by the prime mover  10 . The use of the torsional vibration dampener, for example, extends the life of the output shaft and the hydraulic heat generator. 
         [0023]    Centrifugal pump  40  (e.g., glycol pump) is configured to pump glycol to the various components within the flameless heater and to wherever the hot glycol is needed. This is a closed loop system, where the glycol is continually circulated within the system. 
         [0024]    Exhaust heat exchanger  50 , in communication with the prime mover  10 , is constructed, for example, of stainless steel or similar non corrosive material. In this example, the exhaust of the prime mover  10  enters the bottom of the heat exchanger  50 , where it is directed upward to heat tube bundles containing glycol. Typically the exhaust gases enter the exhaust heat exchanger  50  at temperatures of up to 700 F (400 C) and exit the exhaust heat exchanger  50  at 70 F (25 C). 
         [0025]    In this example, glycol is pumped through engine coolant/glycol heat exchanger  60  in order to keep the engine coolant within the appropriate operating range of the engine. This heat exchanger  60  is constructed, for example, of marine grade material. 
         [0026]    In this example, heat exchanger  70  is configured to transfer heat from the oil to the glycol. Heat exchanger  70  is constructed, for example, of marine grade material. 
         [0027]    In this example, reservoir tank  80  (e.g., oil reservoir) is configured to hold the oil. Reservoir tank  80  is typically 50 gallons (200 litres) in size and has an attached filter for filtering the oil. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize varying sizes that are appropriate. 
         [0028]    In this example, reservoir tank  100  (e.g., glycol reservoir) is configured to hold the glycol. Reservoir tank  100  is typically 50 gallons (200 Litres) in size and has an attached filter for filtering the glycol. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize varying sizes that are appropriate. 
         [0029]    In this example, hose  110  and hose  120  are configured to transfer the glycol. Each of hoses  110  and  120  can be of various lengths and may be connected to other hoses with, for example, quick connect couplers. 
         [0030]    In one example, the heating process consists of collecting heat from four different components and transferring it to the glycol. For example, the four heat source components are the hydraulic heat generator  20 , engine coolant heat exchanger  60 , engine intercooler  90  and the exhaust heat exchanger  50 . The sequence of glycol flow can be in any order, for example, mostly depending on ease of piping within the flameless heater. 
         [0031]    In this example, the heating process begins by starting the prime mover  10 . Once the prime mover  10  has warmed up, the prime mover  10  is throttled up to maximum power and rpm. At this time the hydraulic heat generator begins to generate heat and the heat is transferred to the oil, which is pumped from the reservoir  80 , through the hydraulic pump  30 , through the heat generator  20 , and through the heat exchanger  70 . It is at the heat exchanger  70 , for example, that heat is transferred from the oil to the glycol. 
         [0032]    Once the fluid has passed through the heat exchanger  70 , it is returned to the reservoir  80 , where it is stored and filtered until it is pumped back through the cycle. The oil is in a closed system that continually follows this route. This is one source of heat. 
         [0033]    From the outlet of the centrifugal pump  40 , the glycol is pumped to the oil/glycol heat exchanger  70 . In this example, the glycol is then pumped to intercooler  90 . The purpose of the intercooler  90 , for example, is to cool the air coming from the compressor side of the turbocharger. As the air is compressed by the turbocharger it is heated. By passing through the intercooler  90 , this air is cooled by the glycol. This results in the air being cooled as well as the glycol being heated at the same time. This is the second source of heat. 
         [0034]    The glycol continues from the intercooler  90  to the engine coolant heat exchanger  60 . The heat exchanger  60  allows the heat from the hot coolant to be transferred to the glycol. Sufficient volume of glycol is pumped to keep the engine operating within its specified temperature range. This is the third source of heat. 
         [0035]    After exiting the engine heat exchanger  60 , the glycol is pumped to the exhaust heat exchanger  50 . In this exchanger  50 , the hot exhaust from the engine which can be at 700 F (400 C) is allowed to flow across a series of pipes that the glycol flows through. This exchanger  60  is sized so that the exhaust output temperature is at approximately 70 F (20-25 C). From the outlet of this heat exchanger  60  the glycol is pumped to the water tank  130  where the heat from the hot glycol is transferred to the water. From there it is returned to the glycol reservoir  100  until it is pumped through the system  1  again. 
         [0036]    Although an embodiment of the instant invention has been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in order to be more clearly understood, the above description is made by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the instant invention. It is contemplated that various modifications apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art could be made without departing from the scope of the invention which is to be determined by the following claims.