One of the main challenges in oil production is the transportation and unloading of viscous heavy oil. Once the shipment of heavy oil has arrived at its destination, unloading can take a considerable amount of time due to the viscosity nature of the oil. Increasing temperature in order to reduce viscosity of the oil is one of the most common methods for reducing viscosity of the heavy oil and this accelerates unloading of the oil. Hence, several means and methods, including electromagnetic heating have been suggested.
CN201842413 discloses an electromagnetic heating device with an oil storage tank as provided with bases, a heat preservation layer, an electromagnetic induction plate, the oil storage tank and an oil outlet. The oil outlet is mounted on the lateral surface of the lower portion of the oil storage tank. The three bases are placed evenly and the electromagnetic induction plate is arranged among the bases. The heat preservation layer is distributed below the electromagnetic induction plate.
CN201753171 discloses an integrated induction heating type oil storage tank system comprising a temperature controller, an alternating current power supply, an induction heating coil and a ferromagnetic oil storage tank. The alternating current power supply and the induction heating coil form a heating loop, and a sensor of the temperature controller is connected to a control end of the alternating current power supply. Cables of the induction heating coil are laid on the outer side of the oil storage tank and the tank body of the oil storage tank is connected with the ground.
CN202328726 discloses an induction type fluid heating furnace. The induction type fluid heating furnace comprises an induction coil and magnet-yoke magnetizers which are fixed on the induction heating coil, wherein a heating pipe is arranged on an inner layer of the induction heating coil. A fluid inlet and a fluid outlet end are arranged at two ends of the heating pipe. The temperature of the heating pipe is less than 760° C. Alternating induction current is applied to the induction heating coil. The heating pipe is heated through electromagnetic induction and then exchange heated with the internal fluid so an effect of heating the fluid is achieved. The magnet-yoke magnetizers are arranged on the outer part of the induction heating coil to improve heating efficiency and suppressed magnetic leakage loss. Temperature detection thermoelectric couplers are arranged on the heating pipe and at the fluid inlet and outlet end to detect temperature of the fluid.
CN201657384 discloses an electromagnetic induction wire plate comprising a cover board, a bottom board, a cable wound between the cover board and the bottom board, a plurality of locking pieces for locking the cover board and the bottom board. The cover board and the bottom board are in a shape of an arched elongated plate. The cover board is overlapped on the bottom board and the locking pieces lock the cover board and the bottom board.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative electromagnetic oil tank heating unit and electromagnetic oil tank heating system to reduce viscosity of heavy oil.