Technical and Economic Analysis of Solid Particle Thermal Energy Storage Technology in Heavy Oil Thermal Recovery

doi:10.12388/j.issn.1673-2677.2025.04.011

Abstract

Abstract:

Review of the current status of molten salt thermal energy storage，concrete and magnesia brick thermal energy storage，and fluidized solid particle thermal energy storage revealed that molten salt thermal energy storage has defects such as low energy density and high pipeline corrosion rates，while concrete and magnesia brick thermal storage suffers from low contact surface heat transfer efficiency. The basic situation of thermal storage was analyzed for an oil field，and a new technical route based on solid particle electric thermal storage was proposed，given the bottlenecks of frequently-used molten salt thermal storage such as high solidification risks，severe corrosion，and high costs. In this technical proposal，sand proppants for fracturing with particle sizes of 0.3~0.7 mm were used as the thermal storage media，and the co-production of steam through efficient electric heating and gravity flow heat exchange was experimentally investigated，which determined a suitable electric thermal conversion efficiency of 85% at an unloading frequency of 2 Hz. Compared with molten salt systems，this technology breaks through the upper temperature limit，avoids the risk of phase transformation （solidification） and reduces the corrosion rate to almost zero. Calculation showed that the payback period of a double-tank flowing solid particle steam production system with a steam output of 100 t/h is about 11.61 years，and the levelized steam costs over a 30-year life cycle is about 172.36 CNY/ton.

Key words:

molten salt thermal energy storage, heavy oil thermal recovery, solid particle thermal energy storage, wind and solar curtailment

摘要：

对熔盐储热技术、混凝土及镁砖储热技术与流化式固体颗粒储热技术现状研究分析发现，熔盐储热技术存在能量密度低、管道腐蚀率大等缺陷，混凝土及镁砖储热技术存在接触面传热效率不高的缺陷。在对某油田储热技术进行基本情况分析时，针对其常用的熔盐储热技术存在凝固风险大、腐蚀性强及成本高等瓶颈问题，提出了基于固体颗粒电储热的新型技术路径，即采用粒径0.3～0.7 mm的压裂砂颗粒作为储热介质，通过高效电加热与重力流动式换热协同开展联产蒸汽的实验研究，在2 Hz卸料频率下得到适宜电热转换效率为85%，相较于熔盐系统，该固体颗粒电储热技术能突破温度上限，规避相变凝固风险，并将腐蚀速率降低至近乎零。经过测算，蒸汽产量为100 t/h的双罐式固体颗粒流动产汽装置系统经济回收期约为11.61年，30年全生命周期内的平准化蒸汽成本约为172.36元/t。

关键词:

熔盐储热, 稠油热采, 固体颗粒储热, 弃风弃光

CLC Number:

TE09

MA Haichao, ZHANG Yunlong, MA Wencheng, Xiao Yixin, CHEN Yiwei.

Technical and Economic Analysis of Solid Particle Thermal Energy Storage Technology in Heavy Oil Thermal Recovery [J]. Xinjiang Oil & Gas, 2025, 21(4): 90-98.

马海超, 张云龙, 马文成, 肖懿心, 陈毅巍.

固体颗粒电储热技术在稠油热采的技术性和经济性分析 [J]. 新疆石油天然气, 2025, 21(4): 90-98.

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