Abstract: A looped, pump assisted heat pipe system is provided including an underground well bore providing a vertical distance between an evaporator and a condenser of the system. The system includes a fluid loop with a circulating fluid, an evaporator arranged in the fluid loop configured to evaporate circulating fluid in a liquid state to a vapor and a condenser arranged in the fluid loop in the underground well bore configured to condense the vapor into the liquid state. A pump can be arranged at the base of the well bore, in the fluid loop between the condenser and the evaporator configured to pump circulating fluid in the liquid state to the evaporator. The system can be used in heating or cooling air for buildings and structures and water sources.

Abstract: Greenhouses designed for optimized thermal control are provided, incorporating various elements for controlling the temperature and air quality in the greenhouse. The greenhouses are configured with structural insulation in the roof, walls, and floor of the greenhouse which use particular materials, such as concrete, glass or polycarbonate, and design implementations for thermal control of the greenhouse. The airflow and environment in the greenhouse is also managed by providing air circulation systems controlling the fresh air flow and temperature and humidity of the air in the greenhouse.

Abstract: A comprehensive enhanced oil recovery system that combines a plurality of different implementations of several enhanced oil recovery methods in an integrated system. The enhanced oil recovery system includes heating an underground reservoir having a heat transfer matrix to increase the temperature of the reservoir around a production well. The heat transfer matrix includes thermal injection wells, production wells and heat delivery wells.

Abstract: A comprehensive enhanced oil recovery system that combines a plurality of different implementations of several enhanced oil recovery methods in an integrated system. The enhanced oil recovery system includes heating an underground reservoir having a heat transfer matrix to increase the temperature of the reservoir around a production well. The heat transfer matrix includes thermal injection wells, production wells and heat delivery wells.

Abstract: A comprehensive enhanced oil recovery system is provided that combines a plurality of different implementations of several enhanced oil recovery methods in an integrated system that results in oil extraction rates and total recoverable oil that exceeds any individually implemented methods. The individual techniques of the enhanced oil recovery system create compounded recovery effects to improve oil and gas recovery in a reservoir.

Abstract: A heat pipe or a bundle of heat pipes for transporting geothermal heat in a well is provided. As the temperature rises at one end of the heat pipe, the operating fluid turns to a vapor which absorbs the latent heat. The hot vapor within the heat pipe flows to the cooler end of the heat pipe where it then condenses and releases the latent heat. The condensed fluid then flows back to the hot side of the heat pipe and the process repeats itself.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided having one or more SWEGS that may be configured to heat air in a draft power tower arrangement. In a closed loop, cold fluid may be pumped into the SWEGS and heated to a temperature in a range of e.g., 100° C.-300° C., and hot fluid pumped out of the SWEGS. This fluid flows through a heating element (e.g., a radiator or specially designed heat exchanger) that heats the air in the draft power tower arrangement.

Abstract: A process is shown to efficiently drill multiple, short-length, medium-radius lateral holes from a vertical well shaft. The disclosed process may be performed without the need to repeatedly pull down-hole equipment for every lateral hole drilled so as to make the lateral hole drilling process efficient. A heat pipe assembly is shown inserted into each drilled hole. The disclosed drilling and heat pipe insertion may be performed multiple times at a given vertical depth location in the well shaft. The process may be performed without the need to repeatedly pull down-hole equipment for insertion of multiple heat pipes at a same vertical level in the well level for each lateral hole drilled at that level so as to make for an efficient heat pipe insertion process. The described process may be performed multiple times at a large number of vertical depth locations.

Abstract: Apparatus includes a heat extraction system (SWEGS) in combination with some further apparatus for implementing some further functionality, e.g., associated with cooling/heating, remediation, mining, pasteurization and brewing applications.

Abstract: In combination, an electrical generation system has a condenser configured to receive a condenser cooling fluid for cooling the condenser and provide the condenser cooling fluid for re-cooling; a cooling reservoir receives a re-cooled condenser cooling fluid and provides the re-cooled condenser cooling fluid as the condenser cooling fluid; and a multiphase cooling nest receives in a first cooling phase the condenser cooling fluid; and either provides a first cooling phase fluid as the re-cooled condenser cooling fluid to the cooling reservoir for recirculating to the condenser, or provides the first fluid cooling fluid for further cooling by the multiphase cooling nest, based on the temperature of the first stage cooling fluid.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided having one or more SWEGS that may be configured to heat air in a draft power tower arrangement. In a closed loop, cold fluid may be pumped into the SWEGS and heated to a temperature in a range of e.g., 100° C.-300° C., and hot fluid pumped out of the SWEGS. This fluid flows through a heating element (e.g., a radiator or specially designed heat exchanger) that heats the air in the draft power tower arrangement.

Abstract: A process is shown to efficiently drill multiple, short-length, medium-radius lateral holes from a vertical well shaft. The disclosed process may be performed without the need to repeatedly pull down-hole equipment for every lateral hole drilled so as to make the lateral hole drilling process efficient. A heat pipe assembly is shown inserted into each drilled hole. The disclosed drilling and heat pipe insertion may be performed multiple times at a given vertical depth location in the well shaft. The process may be performed without the need to repeatedly pull down-hole equipment for insertion of multiple heat pipes at a same vertical level in the well level for each lateral hole drilled at that level so as to make for an efficient heat pipe insertion process. The described process may be performed multiple times at a large number of vertical depth locations.

Abstract: An electrolyzer cell (10) for the electrolysis of water comprises a cathode (12) of generally tubular configuration within which is disposed an anode (16) separated from the cathode (12) by a separation membrane (14) of generally tubular configuration which divides the electrolyte chamber (15) into an anode sub-chamber 15a and a cathode sub-chamber (15b). An electrolyzer apparatus (36) includes an array (38) of individual cells (10)across each of which an electric potential is imposed by a DC generator (40) via electrical leads (42a, 42b). Hydrogen gas generated within cells (10) from electrolyte (18) is removed via hydrogen gas take-off lines (20) and hydrogen manifold line (21). By-product oxygen is removed from cells (10) by oxygen gas take-off lines (22) and oxygen manifold line (23). The electrolyzer apparatus (36) may be configured to operate either batchwise or in a continuous electrolyterecycle operation to produce high purity hydrogen at high pressure, e.g.

Abstract: An electrolyzer cell (10) for the electrolysis of water comprises a cathode (12) of generally tubular configuration within which is disposed an anode (16) separated from the cathode (12) by a separation membrane (14) of generally tubular configuration which divides the electrolyte chamber (15) into an anode sub-chamber 15a and a cathode sub-chamber (15b). An electrolyzer apparatus (36) includes an array (38) of individual cells (10)across each of which an electric potential is imposed by a DC generator (40) via electrical leads (42a, 42b). Hydrogen gas generated within cells (10) from electrolyte (18) is removed via hydrogen gas take-off lines (20) and hydrogen manifold line (21). By-product oxygen is removed from cells (10) by oxygen gas take-off lines (22) and oxygen manifold line (23). The electrolyzer apparatus (36) may be configured to operate either batchwise or in a continuous electrolyterecycle operation to produce high purity hydrogen at high pressure, e.g.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for inerting the gas present in the ullage region of a storage tank for combustible liquids, e.g., a fuel tank containing a hydrocarbon liquid fuel, utilizes a molecular sieve zone (2, beds 12/14) which either (a) selectively adsorbs oxygen from the ullage gas to provide an oxygen-depleted return ullage gas, or (b) selectively adsorbs nitrogen from the ullage gas, which nitrogen is desorbed and conveyed by a purge gas to provide a nitrogen-enriched gas. The return ullage gas or the nitrogen-enriched gas is flowed to the ullage region (30, 130) in quantity sufficient to render the overall composition of gas in the ullage region (30, 130) non-combustible and non-explosive. The apparatus may include a compressor (22) or a vacuum pump to flow the ullage gas through the system, and a valving arrangement (16, 18) is used to control the flow of gases.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for inerting the gas present in the ullage region of a storage tank for combustible liquids, e.g., a fuel tank containing a hydrocarbon liquid fuel, utilizes a molecular sieve zone (2, beds 12/14) which either (a) selectively adsorbs oxygen from the ullage gas to provide an oxygen-depleted return ullage gas, or (b) selectively adsorbs nitrogen from the ullage gas, which nitrogen is desorbed and conveyed by a purge gas to provide a nitrogen-enriched gas. The return ullage gas or the nitrogen-enriched gas is flowed to the ullage region (30, 130) in quantity sufficient to render the overall composition of gas in the ullage region (30, 130) non-combustible and non-explosive. The apparatus may include a compressor (22) or a vacuum pump to flow the ullage gas through the system, and a valving arrangement (16, 18) is used to control the flow of gases.