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Virginia Tech

Desalination of Produced Water via Gas Hydrate Formation and Post Treatment

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This study presents a two-step desalination process, in which produced water is cleaned by forming gas hydrate in it and subsequently dewatering the hydrate to remove the residual produced water trapped in between the hydrate crystals. All experiments were performed with pressure in the range of 450 to 800psi and temperature in the range of -1 to 1°C using CO? as guest molecule for the hydrate crystals. The experiments were conducted using artificial produced waters containing different amounts of NaCl, CaCl₂ and MgCl₂ at varying temperature (T) and pressure (P). The results are presented as functions of %Reduction of difference chemical elements, CO? requirements and applied T and P conditions. The impact of dewatering techniques, including centrifuge and filtration process, on gas hydrate solid product is studied. The results showed that over 99% of dissolved NaCl and MgCl2 can be removed from artificial saline water in laboratory experiments. This was achieved in a process involving a single-stage hydrate formation step, followed by a single-step solid-liquid separation (or dewatering). The results also show that the %Reduction (percentage of the concentration decrease) of artificial produced water increases with centrifugation time and rotational speed (rpm). The %Reduction was increased considerably after hydrate crystals were crushed and filtered, indicating that the artificial process water was entrapped in between the hydrate crystals. It was found also that the finer the particle size, the higher the extent of salt removal. In general, filtration was a better than centrifugation for the removal of TDS (Total Dissolved Solids).

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Mining and Minerals Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Mining and Minerals Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2012

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Niu, Jing
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Yoon, Roe-Hoan
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Luttrell, Gerald H.
  • Adel, Gregory T.
  • Gandour, Richard D.

Subjects

dc:subject × 2

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en_US

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-07122012-172310
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/76822

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Niu, Jing. Desalination of Produced Water via Gas Hydrate Formation and Post Treatment. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/76822