Abstract: Devices and methods for setting a packer inside a wellbore with little appreciable reduction of the useable area of the wellbore. The outer casing or liner of the wellbore contains one or more integrated casing coupler joints having an increased diameter chamber portion. A large bore packing element is carried within the increased diameter chamber portion. The packing element may be selectively actuated to form a seal against an interior tubular member. Because the packing element is located within the chamber portion of the casing coupler, the packer may be set while saving useable cross-sectional area within the casing.

Abstract: A fin tube assembly has a core tube of elongated transverse cross-section having rounded leading and trailing sides, opposite flat faces, and opposite open ends for flow through the tube. A plurality of fins project in opposite directions from finned areas of the opposite flat faces. The finned areas terminate short of the rounded sides of the core tube. A first internal rib extends across the interior of the core tube adjacent one rounded side and a second internal rib extends across the interior of the core tube adjacent the opposite rounded side to separate the interior of the core tube into a larger central channel between the ribs and separate side channels between each rib and the adjacent rounded side of the core tube.

Abstract: A liner hanger includes an annular slip seat that radially surrounds a section of the liner being hung. The slip seat contains a plurality of windows that each accommodates at least one intermediate slip seat. The intermediate slip seats, in turn, each contain windows that accommodate a slip element. There are tongue and groove arrangements between the slip seat and the intermediate slip seat as well as between the intermediate slip seat and the slip element that allow axial movement of the slip element to be translated by camming surfaces into radial outward movement of both the intermediate slip seat and the slip element. The imposition of one or more intermediate slip seats, in an embedded or nested relationship, allows for greater radial expansion of the slip elements with respect to the interior liner.

Abstract: An air-cooled condenser has a first stage comprising both a K and a D section with fin tubes fed with steam at both ends, and a second stage comprising a D section. Each core tube in the first stage has at least one extraction channel at the trailing edge of the core tube located in an unfinned section of the core tube and separated from the main section of the core tube by a rib or baffle. Extraction channels may be provided at both the leading and trailing edges or rounded ends of the core tube, or at the trailing edge only. Openings in the rib connect at least a central portion of the main section to the extraction channel. The upper end of each extraction channel of each core tube is connected via an extraction passageway and transfer duct to the lower ends of the D-section fin tubes. The D-section creates a strong suction action to draw steam and non-condensibles out of the first stage.

Abstract: A packer includes one or more anchors for securing the packer in a wellbore and a pair of seal elements that form a fluid seal. The packer assembly is hydraulically set and, thus, it can be located at any desired position within the wellbore. The packer assembly is secured within the wellbore by a staged setting process through use of shear pins that have increasingly stepped shear values. Redundancy in packer sealing is provided by the use of two seal elements to establish fluid sealing. The design of the packer assembly also provides hydraulic isolation of the actuating portions of the packer assembly upon setting.

Abstract: A picture hanging system comprising a permanently installed array of tensioned vertical cables spaced at uniform intervals that are attached both at the top and bottom of a wall on which pictures are to be displayed. In the preferred embodiment pictures are hung from bracket assemblies that are attached with integral clamping means to the cables at the desired locations on the wall. An integral picture hook on each bracket assembly that can be slid on the bracket assembly to adjust the desired horizontal position. Thus the hanging system permits quick and accurate installation of pictures anywhere on the wall. A single-cable clamp assembly is employed to hang very small pictures or small items on a wall.

Abstract: A cooling tower is described employing a heat exchanger and duct means defining a passage for directing the air over the heat exchanger for cooling same. The duct means have upper and lower air intake orifices, the former being positioned a substantial distance above ground level and the latter being positioned substantially at ground level. Means are provided for selectively drawing air into the duct means through either of said orifices.