Geographical Patents (Class 165/45)
  • Patent number: 11656002
    Abstract: A method for recompleting a well is applied to a well such that the recompleted well can thermally transfer geothermal energy to surface. The recompleting method can comprise steps to hydraulically isolate a wellbore using a hydraulic isolation means, and enhance the thermal conductivity of a reservoir in which the wellbore is located by inserting a thermal material into the reservoir that displaces a reservoir fluid having a lower thermal conductivity than the thermal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Element Coil Services Inc.
    Inventors: Grant Nevison, Josh Thompson
  • Patent number: 11633768
    Abstract: An in-situ reagents injection system comprises a compressed air storage tank, a remediation reagents storage tank, an injection adjusting valve, an injection pipe, an upper sealing device and a lower sealing device. When the reagents injection is carried out, the compressed air is injected before the remediation reagents is injected, the porosity of the aquifer medium is increased by utilizing the air pressure expansion technology to form a relatively uniform dominant channel, and the remediation reagents is injected to realize uniform and efficient conveying of the reagents. The in-situ reagents injection system and method can make the homogeneous and efficient conveying of the remediation reagents, and ensure the full utilization of the remediation reagents, with low energy consumption of injection equipment, simple process, and flexible operation. The injection is performed in sections from top to bottom according to the steps to improve the in-situ reagents injection efficiency and remediation efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences
    Inventors: Yonghai Jiang, Beidou Xi, Yu Yang, Xinying Lian, Xiangjian Xu, Yongfeng Jia, Fu Xia, Xu Han
  • Patent number: 11629863
    Abstract: A district energy distributing system comprising a geothermal power plant comprising a first and a second circuit. The first circuit comprises a feed conduit for an incoming flow of geothermally heated water from a geothermal heat source; a boiler comprising a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat from the incoming flow of geothermally heated water to superheat a working medium of a second circuit of the geothermal power plant; and a return conduit for a return flow of cooled water from the boiler to the geothermal heat source. The second circuit comprises the boiler configured to superheat the working medium of the second circuit; an expander configured to allow the superheated working medium to expand and to transform the expansion to mechanical work; and a condenser configured to transform the expanded working medium to liquid phase and to heat a heat transfer fluid of a district thermal energy circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: E.ON SVERIGE AB
    Inventors: Per Rosén, Fredrik Rosenqvist
  • Patent number: 11629889
    Abstract: A geothermal heat utilization system (10) includes a pumping well (20), a water injection well (30), a pipe (13) having two ends which are immersed in water stored in the pumping well (20) and the water injection well (30) so as to connect the pumping well (20) and the water injection well (30) to each other, a pump (21) and a pump (31) which are respectively provided inside the pumping well (20) and the water injection well (30) and pump up stored water through the pipe (13), a valve (25) and a valve (35) which are respectively provided on a pressurization side of the pump (21) inside the pumping well (20) and a pressurization side of the pump (31) inside the water injection well (30), and a heat exchanger (14) which is configured to exchange heat with the pipe (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignees: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD., OSAKA CITY UNIVERSITY, NEWJEC INC., THE KANSAI ELECTRIC POWER CO., INC., MORIKAWA SAKUSEN INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masanobu Sakai, Takeshi Fuchimoto, Rinnichi Sai, Masaki Nakao, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Yasuhisa Nakaso, Toshihide Morikawa, Shinsuke Sakae
  • Patent number: 11624510
    Abstract: A district energy distributing system is disclosed. The system comprises a geothermal heat source system comprising a geothermal heat source and a feed conduit for a flow of geothermally heated water from the geothermal heat source. The system further comprises a district feed conduit, a district return conduit and a plurality of local heating systems, each having an inlet connected to the district feed conduit and an outlet connected to the district return conduit, wherein each local heating system is configured to provide hot water and/or comfort heating to a building, A central heat exchanger is connected to the feed conduit of the geothermal heat source system such that an incoming flow of geothermally heated water is provided to the central heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: E.ON SVERIGE AB
    Inventors: Per Rosén, Fredrik Rosenqvist
  • Patent number: 11624530
    Abstract: A medium-deep non-interference geothermal heating system based on loose siltstone geology includes a water return pipe and a water inlet pipe. The system further includes a differential pressure overflow pipe, a gauge, a differential pressure controller, a first high area water return pipe, a first water return pipe, a third water return pipe, a bypass pipe, a high area water supply pipe, a second high area water return pipe, a geothermal well water return pipe, a geothermal well water supply pipe, a heat pump unit, a second water return pipe, a water supply pipe, a geothermal well water pump, a first geothermal well water supply pipe, a first geothermal well water return pipe, a second geothermal well water return pipe, a second geothermal well water supply pipe, a geothermal wellhead device, and a geothermal well that are combined for use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: SHAANXI XIXIAN NEW AREA FENGXI NEW CITY ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hongtao Liu, Teng Liu, Zhentao Xie, Panfeng Liu
  • Patent number: 11614259
    Abstract: A geothermal system includes an outer vessel having a sidewall that is in contact with surrounding ground material. A geothermal pile is disposed within an interior volume of the outer vessel, wherein a first heat conducting liquid at least partially fills a space between an inner surface of the sidewall of the outer vessel and an outer surface of the geothermal pile when in an installed condition. A conduit disposed within an interior space of the geothermal pile conducts a second heat conducting liquid along a flow path within the geothermal pile toward a bottom end thereof and then back to an outlet at a top end thereof. During operation, heat is transferred from the surrounding ground to the second heat conducting liquid via the first heat conducting liquid within the space between the inner surface of the sidewall of the outer vessel and the outer surface of the geothermal pile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: HC Properties Inc.
    Inventor: John Martin Halliwell
  • Patent number: 11612538
    Abstract: The present invention relates to tactile warning panels, and in particular to tactile warning panels that are designed and built with multifunction/multipurpose capabilities that serve the visually impaired and enable the deployment of smart city technology by integrating tactile warning systems and subsurface enclosures that can withstand pressures of five (5) tons up to and exceeding sixty (60) tons and incorporate small cells, beacons, sensors, Fog Computing, electric energy generation, rechargeable power supplies, wireless M2M communication and a plethora of other smart city technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Brandbumps, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Gary Henshue, Gary LaVerne Henshue, James Cyrus Rice
  • Patent number: 11578705
    Abstract: A method of processing electrical data and signals which comprises locating a site with a geothermal hot water resource which feeds hot water to an on-site heat engine that drives an on-site electricity generator which provides electrical power to an array of microprocessors, located in an enclosure structure, that processes data transmitted from a remote location at high speeds. The processed data is transmitted back to the remote locations at high speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Inventors: Gregory B. Stewart, Vincent B. Bunting, Glenn T Tucker, Gregory B. Raplee, Brian Hageman
  • Patent number: 11549222
    Abstract: A vertical ground heat exchanger for reducing the temperature in the carbonaceous shale rock mass and preventing roadbed frost heave includes a heating mechanism, a heat releasing component respectively connected to both ends of the heating mechanism and a refrigeration heat exchange mechanism. The refrigeration heat exchange mechanism is connected to the lower end of the heating mechanism through a heat transfer pipeline and communicates with the heat releasing component. The heat releasing component includes a double-layer heat exchange tube component, a gas-liquid separator and a branch tube, wherein the double-layer heat exchange tube component is respectively connected to the both ends of the heating mechanism, the gas-liquid separator is connected to the double-layer heat exchange tube component, and the branch tube is connected between the gas-liquid separator and the refrigeration heat exchange mechanism. The double-layer heat exchange tube component includes an upper bellows and a lower bellows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Baolong Zhu, Xin Li
  • Patent number: 11549495
    Abstract: It is provided a power generation model based on a transcritical cycle with an increasing-pressure endothermic process using CO2-based mixture working fluids for an enhanced geothermal system, including a geothermal water circulation, a mixture working fluid circulation and a cooling water circulation. A coaxial pipe-in-pipe downhole heat exchanger is provided in the mixture working fluid circulation. Innovations are reflected in that an increasing-pressure endothermic process is achieved due to making use of gravity and hence increase a heat quantity absorbed in a cycle, thereby improving power generation quantity of the cycle; and a binary mixture working fluid composed of CO2 and an organic working fluid is adopted to realize a transcritical power cycle with an increasing-pressure endothermic process and a decreasing-temperature exothermic process, thereby effectively reducing irreversibility of a heat transfer between a working fluid and a heat source and improving power cycle efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Tianjin University
    Inventors: Xinli Lu, Changyou Geng, Wei Zhang, Jiaqi Zhang, Hao Yu
  • Patent number: 11536472
    Abstract: A concentric pipe geothermal heat exchanger well head is described. The well head may include a riser pipe having an outer pipe and an inner core pipe, wherein an inner heat exchanger pipe is coupled to the inner core pipe, a reducer coupled to an outer heat exchanger pipe on one side and coupled to the outer pipe on a second opposite side to conduct fluid between the outer heat exchanger pipe and the outer pipe, a flow pipe parallel to and biaxial with the riser pipe configured to be coupled to a geothermal heat pump, and an elbow coupled to the outer pipe to couple fluid between the outer pipe and the well head pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventor: John P. Ballegeer
  • Patent number: 11460008
    Abstract: Methods for providing on demand power to an end user in a variety of embodiments are disclosed. Closed loop thermal recovery arrangements are disposed within a geologic formation having a predetermined potential thermal output capacity. A power generation device is incorporated in the loop to recover energy. A working fluid is circulated within the loop at varying flow rates to oscillate thermal output about the predetermined potential thermal output capacity, to produce on demand power where the average thermal output may equal the predetermined potential thermal output capacity. Integrations with intermittent renewable energy sources are provided which optimize performance and distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Eavor Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Toews, Bailey Schwarz, John Redfern, Paul Cairns
  • Patent number: 11441853
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bidirectional energy-transfer system comprising: a thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete, disposed in a structural object; a location of energy supply or demand that is physically isolated from, but in thermodynamic and/or electromagnetic communication with, the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete; and a means of transferring energy between the structural object and the location of energy supply or demand. The system can be a single node in a neural network. The thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete includes a conductive, shock-absorbing material, such as graphite. Preferred compositions are disclosed for the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Generative Technology Operatives, LLC
    Inventor: Brett P. Guarrero
  • Patent number: 11435115
    Abstract: A geothermal heat exchange apparatus is disclosed that includes a central conduit, a plurality of pipes, at least one fitting and a joint. The geothermal heat exchange apparatus is preassembled for insertion into a bore hole and for connection to a supply primary pipe and a return primary pipe that are in fluid communication with a heat pump. The geothermal heat exchange apparatus includes the plurality of pipes in a helical arrangement around the central conduit for geothermal heat exchange. The at least one fitting is fixedly connected to a first end portion of the central conduit in the bore hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Inventor: Robert Jensen
  • Patent number: 11428476
    Abstract: The invention provides, in some aspects, a thermal storage system that has one or more fluid-transport vias that contain a heat transfer fluid and that are disposed in thermal coupling with a form of graphite, e.g., expanded graphite. The graphite form is, in turn, disposed in thermal coupling with a bonded aggregate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventor: Kentwell Lee McCormick
  • Patent number: 11408614
    Abstract: A temperature management system for a private household or public building wherein there is one hot reservoir and one cold reservoir which are or can be coupled with at least one solar collector or outdoor heat exchanger that is installed outdoors for the purpose of heating or cooling the respective reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Inventor: Jan Franck
  • Patent number: 11371725
    Abstract: A dehumidification system includes a compressor, a primary evaporator, a primary condenser, a secondary evaporator, and a secondary condenser. The secondary evaporator receives an inlet airflow and outputs a first airflow to the primary evaporator. The primary evaporator receives the first airflow and outputs a second airflow to the secondary condenser. The secondary condenser receives the second airflow and outputs a third airflow to the primary condenser. The primary condenser receives the third airflow and outputs a dehumidified airflow. The compressor receives a flow of refrigerant from the primary evaporator and provides the flow of refrigerant to the primary condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: THERMA-STOR LLC
    Inventors: Scott E. Sloan, Weizhong Yu, Grant M. Lorang, Todd R. DeMonte, Timothy S. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 11346582
    Abstract: A heat exchange device for stabilizing the ambient temperature in large spaces is provided. The heat exchange device comprises an inner tube and an outer tube of rigid material. The outer tube is open at its upper part and closed at its lower part, with a diameter approximately sixty percent greater than the diameter of the inner tube and a length of more than ten meters. The inner tube is also open at its upper part and closed at its lower part, and the perimeter of its lower side has a series of holes. The inner tube is inserted into the outer tube and it has several clamps, which have at least three symmetrical legs located in the perpendicular plane of the axes of the tubes and ending in their respective wheels on free axes. In the upper part of the inner tube an air extractor device is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Inventor: Luis López Lorenzo
  • Patent number: 11346563
    Abstract: A superordinate controlling device for a heat source system (1) including a plurality of heat sources, the superordinate controlling device being applied to the heat source system (1) and controlling heat-pump type chillers (2a) and (2b) and absorption-type chillers (2c) and (2d) in such a manner that a heat transfer medium leaving temperature that is the temperature of a heat transfer medium supplied to an external load (6) is equal to a setting temperature. The heat-pump type chillers (2a) and (2b) each have a higher Coefficient of Performance (COP) than that of each of the absorption-type chillers (2c) and (2d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignees: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD., TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY HOLDINGS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Satoshi Nikaido, Koki Tateishi, Yusuke Hazui, Yutaka Takenaka, Hirotaka Hanasaki, Satoru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11266041
    Abstract: A printed circuit board includes one surface on which a plurality of electronic elements are mounted, at least one of the plurality of electronic elements generating heat during its operation, a board case which accommodates the printed circuit board, a cooling cover which has an inner surface and an outer surface, and a plurality of radial cooling bodies each formed to extend from the outer surface of the cooling cover so as to be inclined upward and configured to receive the heat generated from the printed circuit board to dissipate the heat externally. The inner surface of the cooling cover is in close contact with another surface of the printed circuit board while covering the board case. Each of the plurality of radial cooling bodies includes a unit heat pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: KMW INC.
    Inventors: Duk Yong Kim, Jun Woo Yang, Jin Soo Yeo, Chang Woo Yoo, Min Sik Park, Hye Yeon Kim
  • Patent number: 11224145
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method comprising a heat exchanger in thermal communication with a plurality of computing devices, a single or plurality of filtered coolant intake pipes and corresponding coolant exhaust pipes in thermal communication with the heat exchanger via a configurable filtration unit. The apparatus and method includes a geothermal heat sink comprised in a geothermal field, structured to transport heat away from the heat exchanger via the filtered coolant intake and exhaust pipes, and a coolant pump operatively coupled to the coolant intake and coolant exhaust pipes in a coolant circuit and configured to transport heat absorbed by the heat exchanger to the geological heat sink comprised in the geothermal field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Nautilus TRUE, LLC
    Inventors: Arnold Magcale, Byron Putnam Taylor, Chase Abercrombie Ott
  • Patent number: 11185901
    Abstract: A closed-loop system and method for heating of target contaminant zones having environmental contaminants of concern present in the groundwater and the soil by thermal conduction, and subsequent enhancements of physical, biological and chemical processes to attenuate, remove and degrade contaminants in the target contaminant treatment zones, is disclosed. The system and method collects solar or other heat and transfers the heat via a closed-loop and a set of borehole exchangers to subsurface soil in the proximity of and/or directly to the target contaminant treatment zones. The target contaminant treatment zone may comprise contaminated soil, contaminated groundwater in an aquifer, or industrial waste comprising water and/or solids. Solar collectors or heat exchangers capturing waste heat from industrial processes may be used as the heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: ARCADIS U.S., INC.
    Inventors: Cullen Flanders, Davinder Singh Randhawa, John LaChance, Philip W. Visser
  • Patent number: 11168946
    Abstract: A cooling system transfers thermal energy from a temperature-critical reservoir to a heat sink. The system has an intermediate reservoir which is thermally interposed between the temperature-critical reservoir and the heat sink. The intermediate reservoir serves as an energy buffer between the two reservoirs by accepting thermal energy from the temperature-critical reservoir, storing that energy, and then transferring it to a heat sink by means of a temperature-driven process rather than by means of a heat pump. Transfer of thermal energy from the intermediate reservoir to the heat sink is temporally coordinated with naturally occurring temperature variations of the heat sink so that all thermal energy transfer processes conducted by the system are temperature-driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Inventor: James T. Ganley
  • Patent number: 11085671
    Abstract: A system for extracting geothermal heat energy: includes a geothermal well formed in surrounding crust material and extending from a well top part down to a depth where the surrounding crust material has elevated geothermal temperatures. The geothermal well includes a heat medium contained within geothermal well walls. The heat medium is heated at a well bottom part by heat extracted from the surrounding crust material, evaporating and rising to carry heat energy towards the well top part. A heat extractor, extracts heat energy from the heat medium at the well top part. At least one heat conductive path extends outwardly from the geothermal well into the crust material to conduct geothermal heat from the crust material surrounding the path towards the well bottom part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: SIDLABZ
    Inventor: Simon Maurice Gheysens
  • Patent number: 11035593
    Abstract: A ground source heat exchanger (110) is described herein, The ground source heat exchanger (110) including: a first fluid conduit (112), the first fluid conduit having a first arcuate configuration with a first plurality of separate passages (114) extending therethrough; a second fluid conduit (116), the second fluid conduit having a second arcuate configuration with a second plurality of separate passages (118) extending therethrough; and an end cap (120) secured to a distal end (122) of the first fluid conduit and a distal end (124) of the second fluid conduit, wherein the end cap fluidly couples the first plurality of separate passages of the first fluid conduit to the second plurality of separate passages of the second fluid conduit, wherein the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit when secured to the end cap define an internal cavity (126) extending through the ground source heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Inventor: Robert Louis Sparks
  • Patent number: 11029046
    Abstract: An indoor cooling system kit can include aluminum beverage cans, flexible hoses, a fan, and instructions for forming the indoor cooling system. Further kit materials can include containers, dehumidifying material, a filter, and further instructions. A method of cooling an indoor region can include cutting tops and bottoms away from aluminum beverage cans, coupling the cans together in series to form two elongated airflow passages, coupling a flexible hose to open ends of both airflow passages, adjusting the hose so that both airflow passages and hose form a U-shaped airflow passage, forming a hole in the ground beneath the indoor region, inserting the U-shaped airflow passage into the hole with its inlet and outlet elevated out of the hole into the indoor region, and operating a fan to force air through the inlet. The air is cooled geothermally as it travels through the overall U-shaped airflow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Inventor: Gianni Martire
  • Patent number: 10859295
    Abstract: A cooling and heating platform is disclosed. An example cooling and heating platform includes an operating chamber with an operating liquid in the operating chamber. The example cooling and heating platform includes a heat exchanger in the operating chamber. The heat exchanger exchanges heat between the operating liquid and an application fluid in the heat exchanger to maintain the application fluid at a predetermined temperature for an application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: ZeoThermal Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James A. Hepp, Steven A. Schechter, Edward A. Perkins, David L. Basinger
  • Patent number: 10830016
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a subsea flow line and a two stage heat exchanger. The subsea flow line communicates a process flow that is associated with a subsea well, and the heat exchanger transfers thermal energy between the process flow and an ambient sea. The heat exchanger includes a primary circuit in communication with the flow line to transfer thermal energy with the process flow; and the heat exchanger includes a secondary circuit in thermal communication with the primary circuit to transfer thermal energy with the primary circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: OneSubsea IP UK Limited
    Inventors: Stig Kaare Kanstad, Nils-Egil Kangas
  • Patent number: 10808945
    Abstract: Energy recovery devices, systems and methods, and energy recovery control systems and methods for efficient extraction and reuse of waste heat from exhaust fumes generated from cooking appliances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: OY HALTON GROUP LTD.
    Inventors: Fuoad A. Parvin, Derek W. Schrock, Andrey V. Livchak
  • Patent number: 10793780
    Abstract: Systems and methods for heating material through cogeneration of thermal and electrical energy can include a heat source and an electric generator configured to produce hot exhaust gas and electricity. One or more heating conduits can carry the hot exhaust gas to one or more bodies of material. The electric generator can at least partially power one or more electric heaters configured to reheat the hot exhaust gas after a portion of heat has been transferred from the hot exhaust gas to the one or more bodies of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Red Leaf Resources, Inc.
    Inventor: James W. Patten
  • Patent number: 10739083
    Abstract: A system and method for storing thermal energy in a heated liquid in a pressurized vessel employs an inner and outer vessel. The inner vessel contains water or specific liquids for storage and potential use of thermal energy contained therein. An outer vessel encapsulates an inner vessel, with a vacuum formed there between. The inner vessel comprises an upper portion containing an unheated liquid and a lower portion containing a heated liquid. A sliding insulated barrier segregates liquids. The pressure generated by the heated liquid, and incompressibility of unheated liquid equalizes static pressure within the inner vessel, which helps prevent the heated liquid in the lower portion from forming a vapor phase. Heated liquid egresses the lower portion of inner vessel to pass through a vapor producing apparatus to become vapor, then an expander to become condensate, and finally to a heat source for reintroduction into the inner vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Inventor: Walter B. Freeman
  • Patent number: 10738600
    Abstract: A method for drilling a borehole penetrating an earth formation includes: drilling a first section of the borehole; notching a wall of the borehole in one or more selected locations with a selected type of notch using a notcher for defined local weakening of the formation; performing a local induced break-out test and/or local fracturing operation on an annulus section of the first section of the borehole between the drill string and a wall of the borehole using a test tool comprising a packer to provide formation stress-state data. The one or more locations is based on the formation stress-state data. The method further includes deriving stress-state of the formation and a fracturing parameter of the formation using the formation stress-state data and drilling a second section of the borehole using the derived stress-state and the fracturing parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Joerg Lehr, Harald Grimmer, Stefan Wessling
  • Patent number: 10690382
    Abstract: The invention relates to a geothermal exchanger comprising a casing containing a heat-transfer fluid with which it is in direct contact. The casing is flexible such as to be in direct contact with a wall of the borehole containing the exchanger under the effect of the pressure of the heat-transfer fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: BRGM
    Inventor: Denis Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10688545
    Abstract: A closed-loop system and method for heating of target contaminant zones having environmental contaminants of concern present in the groundwater and the soil by thermal conduction, and subsequent enhancements of physical, biological and chemical processes to attenuate, remove and degrade contaminants in the target contaminant treatment zones, is disclosed. The system and method collects solar or other heat and transfers the heat via a closed-loop and a set of borehole exchangers to subsurface soil in the proximity of and/or directly to the target contaminant treatment zones. The target contaminant treatment zone may comprise contaminated soil, contaminated groundwater in an aquifer, or industrial waste comprising water and/or solids. Solar collectors or heat exchangers capturing waste heat from industrial processes may be used as the heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: ARCADIS CORPORATE SERVICES INC.
    Inventors: Cullen Flanders, Davinder Singh Randhawa, John LaChance, Philip W. Visser
  • Patent number: 10683563
    Abstract: This invention relates to treated geothermal brine compositions containing reduced concentrations of iron, silica, and manganese compared to the untreated brines. Exemplary compositions contain a concentration of manganese less than 10 mg/kg, a concentration of silica ranging from less than 10 mg/kg, and a concentration of iron less than 10 mg/kg, and the treated geothermal brine is derived from a Salton Sea geothermal reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: TERRALITHIUM LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Harrison, John Burba, III
  • Patent number: 10668577
    Abstract: A cooling system which achieves temperature control of a heat affected portion of a pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: CRC-EVANS PIPELINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Marcus Janes, Jared Proegler, Brian Kirk
  • Patent number: 10655293
    Abstract: A method and device for freezing the ground are disclosed, including a freezing lance which extends along a longitudinal axis and has a pipe mantle that encloses an interior space, wherein the ground surrounding the freezing lance can be cooled by the refrigerant present in a first section of the interior space, a line for supplying the liquid refrigerant in the first section of the interior space, wherein the device has a first end section with a first opening for removing an exhaust gas formed by evaporation of the refrigerant from the interior space, wherein the interior space has a second section for holding the exhaust gas, wherein heat is exchangeable between the exhaust gas and the pipe mantle in the second section, so that the exhaust gas can be heated by heat exchange with the ground adjacent to the freezing lance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Ralf Schmand, Abraham Sliwo
  • Patent number: 10641510
    Abstract: A method and system for optimizing the operation of a geo-exchange system, by generating predictive models pertaining to energy demand and energy capacity for a particular building or district, based on data from sensors associated with components of a district geo-exchange system, historical and real-time operational data associated with district modules, including weather forecast data and current weather conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Groundswell Grid Energy Corp.
    Inventor: Daniel Adirim
  • Patent number: 10551091
    Abstract: A geothermal energy extraction subterranean system for extracting heat from a subterranean formation has an injection well in a first borehole and a first production well extracting the heated working fluid through a first production opening. The first well tubular metal structure has first and second annular barriers to isolate a production zone, each annular barrier including a tubular metal part having a first expansion opening and an outer face, an expandable metal sleeve surrounding the tubular metal part and having an inner face facing the tubular metal part and an outer face facing the wall, each end of the expandable metal sleeve being connected with the tubular metal part. The first production zone is arranged between the first and second well tubular metal structures so that the heated working fluid is extracted in the second well tubular metal structure through the first production opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Welltec Oilfield Solutions AG
    Inventor: Christian Krüger
  • Patent number: 10527319
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a geothermal heat exchange system and a method of constructing a geothermal heat exchange system, and more specifically, to a geothermal heat exchange system which is to be installed in a borehole in the ground, the borehole being divided into a ground surface section and a shallow geothermal source section, the shallow geothermal source section of the borehole, which is hardly influenced by the atmospheric or ground surface temperatures, is filled with conventional heat conductive grouting material with high thermal conductivity, and the ground surface section of the borehole is filled with thermal insulation grouting material or thermal insulation cartridges to prevent the heat transferring medium in the geothermal heat exchange system, which has the geothermal heat obtained from the shallow geothermal source, from losing heat in the winter time or obtaining heat in the summer time when it passes through the ground surface section which is much influenced by the atmospheric
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: BIC INC.
    Inventor: Min Bai
  • Patent number: 10513846
    Abstract: The invention relates to an environmental noise shielding apparatus in which the internal temperature can be matched to the external temperature by means of a cooling element which is arranged within the environmental noise shielding apparatus. This allows a better sound protection effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: INTEGRATED DYNAMICS ENGINEERING GMBH
    Inventor: Peter Heiland
  • Patent number: 10508517
    Abstract: Supercritical carbon dioxide is directed into a wellbore to a specified depth. The supercritical carbon dioxide is directed at an inner surface of the wellbore at the specified depth. Scale is removed from the wall of the wellbore with the supercritical carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Aslan Bulekbay, Sultan Attiah, Talal Al-Mutairi, Abdulrahman Alsousy
  • Patent number: 10465651
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for generating energy. The system is incorporated into a disposal or injection well. A conduit is extended down in the well from the surface. Water disposed in the well is used to drive some sort of mechanical-energy creating device that has an axis that runs up the wellbore. The device is used to turn a shaft that extends up in the well, and is used to either generate electrical power, or be used for some mechanical purpose outside the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Inventor: Drue Herl
  • Patent number: 10384246
    Abstract: A closed-loop system and method for heating of target contaminant treatment zones (150) having environmental contaminants of concern present in the groundwater and the soil by thermal conduction, and subsequent enhancement of physical, biological and chemical processes to attenuate, remove and degrade contaminants in the target contaminant treatment zones, is disclosed. The system and method collects solar or other heat and transfers that heat via a closed-loop and a set of borehole exchangers (120) to subsurface soil in the proximity of and/or directly to the target contaminant treatment zones. The target contaminant treatment zone may comprise contaminated soil, contaminated groundwater in an aquifer, or industrial waste comprising water and/or solids. Solar collectors or heat exchangers capturing waste heat from industrial processes may be used as the heat source (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Arcadis Corporate Services Inc.
    Inventors: Cullen Flanders, Davinder Singh Randhawa, John LaChance, Philip W. Visser
  • Patent number: 10386098
    Abstract: Device for heating and cooling, respectively, more than one house, where at least two small houses (1) are connected to a common energy storage (2) in the ground and where a control device (3) is arranged to transport a heat carrier in a pipe work (4) connected to the energy storage (2). The small houses (1) are each arranged to have a separate respective heat pump device, and in each heat pump device is connected to the pipe work (4), so that, firstly, the heat carrier can flow through the heat pump device and, secondly, the small houses (1) are connected in parallel in relation to each other to the pipe work (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: SENS GEOENERGY STORAGE AB
    Inventor: Thomas Wildig
  • Patent number: 10330349
    Abstract: Thermal energy system, coupled to a building energy system, which selectively provides heating and/or cooling to a building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: ERDA MASTER IPCO LIMITED
    Inventors: Dmitriy Zaynulin, Kevin Stickney
  • Patent number: 10287092
    Abstract: A liquid containment structure such as a frac pond has a perimeter wall; a floor liner bounded by the perimeter wall; and a platform underneath the floor liner, the platform formed of a plurality of mats laid edge to edge and whose upper faces collectively define a support surface. Related methods of use of the structure include installing the structure at a well site, and in some cases using the structure as a frac water pond. A drain channel may be defined in the support surface below a portion of the floor liner, with the portion of the floor liner extending downward into the drain channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: A.O.S SERVICES LTD.
    Inventors: Dustin Daubert, Brian Daubert
  • Patent number: 10219415
    Abstract: Technology is provided for a server facility cooling system. The system can include a coolant tank containing an electrically insulating liquid and one or more servers submerged in the liquid. At least a portion of the heat generated by the servers is transferred to the liquid. An elongate cooling loop extends vertically between a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is located in the air and the second end is located underground. A heat exchanger is positioned between the coolant tank and the cooling loop to transfer heat from the liquid to the cooling loop. A cylindrical cooling tower is positioned around the first end of the cooling loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott C. Wiley
  • Patent number: 10196792
    Abstract: A method and a device for freezing the ground are provided with a freeze pipe closed on one front side, and an inner pipe extending into the freeze pipe for supplying a cooling agent, and wherein a hollow body is provided, whose inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the freeze pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ralf Schmand, Abraham Sliwo