Search results

Title: Apparatus for Electrode Heating of Earth for Recovery of Subsurface Volatiles and Semi-Volatiles
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Sresty, Guggilam C.
Date: 2009-05-11, 1997-04-15
Description: Improved methods and apparatus are disclosed for confining ohmic heating currents to a subsurface formation in the use of in situ ohmic...
Show moreImproved methods and apparatus are disclosed for confining ohmic heating currents to a subsurface formation in the use of in situ ohmic heating for recovery of volatile and semi-volatile materials, such as hazardous waste, hydrocarbon-like materials, and valuable minerals having thermally responsive properties. Spacing between emplaced electrodes and the number of electrodes employed are controlled to cause coupling between electrodes for more uniform and higher temperature heating. Electrode designs are disclosed which suppress spurious earth currents which would heat other formations not of interest. Suppression of electrode end currents is accomplished by the use of distinct rings of insulation, control of the applied potential along the electrode, and injection or withdrawal of fluids at distinct locations along the electrode.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
Show less

Title: Ionic Contact Media for Electrodes and Soil in Conduction Heating
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Sresty, Guggilam C., Dev, Harsh, Jambor, Richard
Date: 2009-05-11, 1996-12-17
Description: Ionic contact is established and maintained between electrodes and soil in ohmic heating of a subsurface formation for recovery of volatile...
Show moreIonic contact is established and maintained between electrodes and soil in ohmic heating of a subsurface formation for recovery of volatile and semi-volatile materials, such as hazardous waste, hydrocarbon-like materials, and valuable minerals having thermally responsive properties. A compressed, dry sponge is wrapped around an electrode, which is then inserted into a bore hole. A conductive liquid is added to the bore hole, causing the sponge to swell, creating a stable and substantial interface for the flow of heating currents.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
Show less

Title: Method for Recovery of Viscous Hydrocarbons by Electromagnetic Heating In Situ
Creator: Sresty, Guggilam C., Dev, Harsh, Snow, Richard H., Bridges, Jack E.
Date: 2009-05-08, 1984-12-04
Description: A method of electromagnetic heating in situ recovers liquid hydrocarbons from an earth formation containing viscous hydrocarbonaceous liquid...
Show moreA method of electromagnetic heating in situ recovers liquid hydrocarbons from an earth formation containing viscous hydrocarbonaceous liquid and water in an inorganic matrix where the formation is substantially impermeable to fluids under native conditions. A block of the earth formation is substantially uniformly heated with electromagnetic power to a temperature at which the viscous hydrocarbonaceous liquid is relatively fluid and a portion of the water vaporizes to water vapor at a pressure sufficient to overcome the capillary pressure of the liquid in the matrix. Water vapor thereupon escaping from the block under such pressure is recovered with hydrocarbonaceous liquid driven thereby. The magnitude of the electromagnetic power is controlled to limit the current recovery ratio of water vapor to hydrocarbonaceous liquid below a predetermined limit assuring substantial recovery of the hydrocarbonaceous liquid prior to the driving off of substantially all the water.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
Show less

Title: Recovery of Liquid Hydrocarbons from Oil Shale by Electromagnetic Heating In Situ
Creator: Sresty, Guggilam C., Snow, Richard H., Bridges, Jack E.
Date: 2009-05-08, 1984-12-04
Description: A method of electromagnetic heating in situ recovers liquid hydrocarbons from an oil shale formation containing kerogen in an inorganic matrix...
Show moreA method of electromagnetic heating in situ recovers liquid hydrocarbons from an oil shale formation containing kerogen in an inorganic matrix where the formation is substantially impermeable to fluids under native conditions. A block of the oil shale formation is substantially uniformly heated in situ with electromagnetic power to a temperature of about 275.degree. C. where there is pyrolysis of a portion of the kerogen to gas and shale oil at a pressure sufficient to overcome the capillary pressure of the shale oil in the matrix, thereby providing substantial fluid permeability to the formation. The gas thereupon escaping from said block and the shale oil driven thereby are recovered, thereby further increasing the permeability of the formation. The magnitude of the electromagnetic power is controlled to raise the temperature of the block relatively slowly to increase the rate of pyrolysis of the kerogen as the permeability of the formation increases to produce gas at pressures above the necessary to overcome the capillary pressure and below that at which there is substantial escape of the gas bypassing shale oil within the formation rather than driving the oil before it.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
Show less

Title: Method and Apparatus for Rendering Medical Materials Safe
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Sresty, Guggilam C., Held, Jeffery S., Sharp, James W., Bajzek, Thomas J.
Date: 2009-05-11, 1995-12-19
Description: Infectious medical materials is rendered innocuous by heating heterogeneous medical materials having wet and dry portions with a radio...
Show moreInfectious medical materials is rendered innocuous by heating heterogeneous medical materials having wet and dry portions with a radio frequency electric field. The medical materials are exposed to the radio frequency electric field in order to heat the medical waste. The medical waste may include sorted medical or veterinary waste which after heat treatment may be shredded and recycled.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
Sponsorship: Held, Jeffery S.
Sponsorship: Sharp, James W.
United States Patent
Show less

Title: Method for Recycling Electric Arc Furnace Dust
Creator: Sresty, Guggilam C.
Date: 2009-05-08, 1991-05-07
Description: This invention relates to the metallurgy of iron and particularly to the separation and recovery of metals from electric arc furnace (EAF)...
Show moreThis invention relates to the metallurgy of iron and particularly to the separation and recovery of metals from electric arc furnace (EAF) dusts. While the invention discloses a process for the separation and recovery applicable to zinc, lead, cadmium and antimony contained in such EAF dusts, the invention is particularly applicable to the separation and recovery of zinc. This invention describes a method for reducing the zinc contained in an EAF dust, volatilizing the metallic zinc so produced from the mass of the dust, and reoxidizing the metallic zinc to zinc oxide along with the simultaneous regeneration of hydrogen which can be recycled to treat additional EAF dust.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
Show less

Title: Method for Treating Radioactive Waste
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Sresty, Guggilam C.
Date: 2009-05-11, 1998-11-10
Description: Ion exchange resins contaminated with a radioactive component are treated by exposing the contaminated ion exchange resins to a bound radio...
Show moreIon exchange resins contaminated with a radioactive component are treated by exposing the contaminated ion exchange resins to a bound radio frequency electric field for uniformly heating them to drive off water. The dried ion exchange resins are then uniformly heated by a transversely uniform bound radio frequency electric field to a second higher temperature which chemically inactivates the functional groups of the ion exchange resins to destroy their hydrophilic property and convert them to a stabilized product for long-term safe storage.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
Show less

Title: Method and Apparatus for In Situ Decontamination of a Site Contaminated with a Volatile Material
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Sresty, Guggilam C., Dev, Harsh
Date: 2009-05-11, 1997-09-09
Description: A method for removing a contaminant from a treatment region of a contaminated region of a site in the earth having water therein and being...
Show moreA method for removing a contaminant from a treatment region of a contaminated region of a site in the earth having water therein and being contaminated with the contaminant includes heating the earth by establishing an electric field through the treatment region. The electric field gives rise to an electric conduction or displacement current through the treatment region. The electric current electrically heats at least a portion of the treatment region to a temperature below the boiling point of water to evaporate the water. A vacuum is drawn in a nether region of the site to collect water vapor evolved from the water and contaminant vapor evolved from the contaminant by movement of air from the surface of the earth, while the water vapor strips the contaminant from the earth. The contaminant vapor is disposed of in an innocuous manner.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
Show less

Title: Method and Apparatus for Rendering Medical Materials Safe
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Sresty, Guggilam C., Held, Jeffery S., Sharp, James W., Bajzek, Thomas J.
Date: 2009-05-11, 1996-08-06
Description: Infectious medical materials are rendered harmless by heating heterogeneous medical materials having wet and dry portions with a radio...
Show moreInfectious medical materials are rendered harmless by heating heterogeneous medical materials having wet and dry portions with a radio-frequency electric field. The medical materials may be comminuted prior to heating. The medical materials are exposed to the radio-frequency electric field in order to heat the medical materials. The medical materials may include sorted medical or veterinary waste which after heat treatment may be recycled.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
Show less

Title: Single Well Stimulation for the Recovery of Liquid Hydrocarbons from Subsurface Formations
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Taflove, Allen, Sresty, Guggilam C.
Date: 2009-05-08, 1985-06-25
Description: Water is vaporized in an annular upper region of a subsurface formation into which borehole extends from the surface. This creates a...
Show moreWater is vaporized in an annular upper region of a subsurface formation into which borehole extends from the surface. This creates a substantially nonconducting dielectric in such region extending outwardly from the borehole. Such vaporization is preferably achieved by the application of electrical power to an electrode disposed in the borehole. Liquid is produced through the borehole from a lower region of the formation to cool the lower region near the borehole and maintain an electrically conductive path between the formation and the electrode in such lower region through which electrical power is applied to the formation.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
Show less

Title: Method and Apparatus for Treating Hazardous Waste or Other Hydrocarbonaceous Material
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Sresty, Guggilam C., Taflove, Allen
Date: 2009-05-11, 1996-01-30
Description: Methods and apparatus for treating waste with radio frequency include a wall defining a radio frequency treatment chamber through which waste...
Show moreMethods and apparatus for treating waste with radio frequency include a wall defining a radio frequency treatment chamber through which waste may be passed. A source of radio frequency energy energizes the radio frequency treatment chamber to heat the waste and drive off vapors therefrom leaving solid residue to be disposed of. A guard heater and/or insulation maintains the wall at substantially the same temperature as the waste being heated by the radio frequency to prevent vapors from condensing on the waste.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
Show less

Title: Electro-Osmotic Production of Hydrocarbons Utilizing Conduction Heating of Hydrocarbonaceous Formations
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Taflove, Allen, Sresty, Guggilam C.
Date: 2009-05-08, 1987-02-24
Description: An electro-osmotic method for the production of hydrocarbons utilizes in situ heating of earth formations having substantial electrical...
Show moreAn electro-osmotic method for the production of hydrocarbons utilizes in situ heating of earth formations having substantial electrical conductivity. A particular volume of an earth formation is bounded with a waveguide structure formed of respective rows of discrete elongated electrodes in a dense array wherein the active electrode area and the row separation are chosen in reference to the deposit thickness to avoid heating barren layers. Electrical power is applied at no more than a relatively low frequency between respective rows of electrodes to deliver power to the formation while producing relatively uniform heating thereof and limiting the relative loss of heat to adjacent regions to less than a predetermined amount. At the same time the temperature of the electrodes is controlled near the vaporization point of water to maintain an electrically conductive path between the electrodes and the formation. A heat sink is provided by supplying aqueous liquid electrolyte to space between the electrodes and the adjacent formation, thereby maintaining the temperature thereat no greater than about the boiling point of water and maintaining a conductive path between said formation. A d.c. polarized potential is applied to enhance flow of reservoir fluid into a preselected row of electrodes, and collected reservoir fluids are removed from the electrodes in the preselected row.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
Show less

Title: Method and Apparatus to Confine Earth Currents for Recovery of Subsurface Volatiles and Semi-Volatiles
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Sresty, Guggilam C.
Date: 2009-05-08, 1995-05-30
Description: Improved methods and apparatus are disclosed for confining ohmic heating currents to a subsurface formation in the use of in situ ohmic...
Show moreImproved methods and apparatus are disclosed for confining ohmic heating currents to a subsurface formation in the use of in situ ohmic heating for recovery of volatile and semi-volatile materials, such as hazardous waste, hydrocarbon-like materials, and valuable minerals having thermally responsive properties. Spacing between emplaced electrodes and the number of electrodes employed are controlled to cause coupling between electrodes for more uniform and higher temperature heating. Electrode designs are disclosed which suppress spurious earth currents which would heat other formations not of interest. Suppression of electrode end currents is accomplished by the use of distinct rings of insulation, control of the applied potential along the electrode, and injection or withdrawal of fluids at distinct locations along the electrode.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
Show less

repository.iit

Search the repository

Enabled Filters

Refine Results

Type

Date

Creator

Rights