System and method for facilitating design of a direct electrical heating system (Chevron)

CATEGORY: HYDRATES 
System and method for facilitating design of a direct electrical heating system (Chevron)

Type	Patent
Inventor	Masoud Hajiaghajani
Inventor	Steven Andre
Inventor	Nwamaka Nzeocha
URL	Free Full Text Full Text Source (Subscription or Fee): http://www.google.com/patents/US20140149086
Assignee	Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Patent Number	US20140149086 A1
Issue Date	May 29, 2014
Abstract	An interface is provided for a modeling application that determines required current required to deliver a target heat in a direct electrical heating system. The interface facilitates the input of input values implemented by the modeling application without requiring the configuration of an entire model. A technique for determining adjustments to required current between computational iterations reduces the number of iterations needed to converge on a solution. BACKGROUND Direct electrical heating systems are used in pipelines carrying petrochemicals to inhibit the formation of hydrates in the pipeline that could clog a pipeline, leading to various complications. Direct electrical heating systems are complex electrical systems that require costly computation in order to determine parameters that will enable a sufficient heat to be delivered to a given pipeline. Such parameters include an ac current to be generated through the direct electrical heating system to provide sufficient heat. Conventional design approaches leverage known computational and/or modeling applications, but are also costly in terms of man hours in setting up the requisite calculations. Further, conventional approaches tend to not search for enhanced adjustments to inputs to the calculation (like a proposed ac current) to reduce the number of calculations required to converge on a solution.