METHOD OF TREATING SALINE WATER

摘要

Method of treating saline water, for example brine produced along with oil from an oil field, to remove hardness as a precipitate of calcium and/or magnesium salts, also in some cases iron salts. This is accomplished by direct introduction of energy in the form of steam or microwave energy or both. Efficient removal of hardness is accomplished. The resulting softened water, separated from solid precipitate (sludge) is used to generate steam for heating the saline water, to produce steam for injection into an oil field to promote recovery and/or for other purposes. The heating of saline water to precipitate hardness is separated from the generation of high or low pressure steam, thus facilitating the treatment of the saline water. In an offshore installation microwave energy is used for treating both to precipitate hardness and, in a separate vessel, to concentrate the slurry resulting from the first heating step to produce low pressure steam which can be condensed to provide a fresh water supply.