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Title: Apparatus and Method for In Situ Heat Processing of Hydrocarbonaceous Formations
Creator: Bridges, Jack, Taflove, Allen
Date: 2009-05-08, 1979-03-20
Description: The disclosure describes a technique for uniform heating of relatively large blocks of hydrocarbonaceous formations in situ using radio...
Show moreThe disclosure describes a technique for uniform heating of relatively large blocks of hydrocarbonaceous formations in situ using radio frequency (RF) electrical energy that is substantially confined to the volume to be heated and effects of dielectric heating of the formations. An important aspect of the disclosure relates to the fact that certain hydrocarbonaceous earth formations, for example raw unheated oil shale, exhibit dielectric absorption characteristics in the radio frequency range. In accordance with the system of the invention, a plurality of conductors are inserted in the formations and bound a particular volume of the formations. The phrase "bounding a particular volume" is intended to mean that the volume is enclosed on at least two sides thereof. Electrical excitation is provided for establishing alternating electric fields in the volume. The frequency of the excitation is selected as a function of the dimensions of the volume so as to establish a substantially non-radiating electric field which is substantially confined in the volume. In this manner, volumetric dielectric heating of the formations will occur to effect approximately uniform controlled heating of the volume
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
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Title: In Situ Decontamination of Spills and Landiflls by Radio Frequency Heating
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Dev, Harsh, Snow, Richard H., Taflove, Allen
Date: 2009-05-08, 1987-06-02
Description: A water-containing region at or near the surface of the earth, such as a landfill, that is contaminated with hazardous materials is...
Show moreA water-containing region at or near the surface of the earth, such as a landfill, that is contaminated with hazardous materials is decontaminated by heating the region with bound radio frequency energy from a bound-wave transmission line excitor array disposed outside the region to a temperature to boil water and thereby increase the permeability of the region. The heating is continued by dielectric heating after water has boiled from at least a portion of the region to heat the portion to elevated temperatures substantially above the boiling point of water. The materials may then be rendered innocuous in situ in a number of ways, as by pyrolysis, thermally assisted decomposition, or reaction with an introduced reagent, such as oxygen. The materials may also be driven from the region, as by distillation or by evaporation and steam drive and then collected and disposed of, as by incineration.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
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Title: Method and Apparatus for Mitigation of Radio Frequency Electric Field Peaking in Controlled Heat Processing of Hydrocarbonaceous Formations In Situ
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Taflove, Allen
Date: 2009-05-08, 1984-10-16
Description: The effects of radio frequency electric field peaking in the earth formations surrounding a conductor excited by radio frequency energy in the...
Show moreThe effects of radio frequency electric field peaking in the earth formations surrounding a conductor excited by radio frequency energy in the controlled in situ heat processing of hydrocarbonaceous earth formations are mitigated by providing an inert buffer region around the conductor to which radio frequency electromagnetic energy is supplied to produce an electric field within the earth formations. A portion of the earth formations is removed to accommodate insertion of the conductor at a desired location in the earth formations and to provide a buffer region between the conductor and the surrounding earth formations. The conductor is supported at the desired location in spaced relationship to the surrounding earth formations, the buffer region encompassing the principal region of the electric field enhancement region around the conductor where the probability of breakdown in the earth formations over the period of application of the radio frequency energy would be above a tolerable level. The buffer region is filled with dielectric material having an electric field breakdown level greater than that of the surrounding earth formation medium such that the probability of breakdown in the buffer region over the period of application of the radio frequency energy is tolerable. Preferably the filler medium has a power dissipation characteristic less than that of the surrounding earth formations.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
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Title: Apparatus and Method for In Situ Controlled Heat Processing of Hydrocarbonaceous Formations
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Taflove, Allen
Date: 2009-05-08, 1984-05-22
Description: A system and method for the controlled in situ heat processing of hydrocarbonaceous earth formations involves the application of...
Show moreA system and method for the controlled in situ heat processing of hydrocarbonaceous earth formations involves the application of electromagnetic energy at a selected frequency or at selected frequencies to a waveguide structure formed by electrodes bounding a particular volume of hydrocarbonaceous material. Terminating one end of the structure with different impedances at different times produces electric field standing waves of different respective phase at that end at a selected frequency. Two standing waves substantially 90.degree. out of phase in formations having relatively uniform dielectric properties result in substantially uniform application of heating power if the product of the amplitude-squared of the electric field standing wave and dwell time is substantially the same in each of the two modes. Feeding the line at both ends provides partial offset for attenuation. Various desired controlled heating patterns other than uniform may be effected by utilizing different dwell times or applied fields. Different frequencies provide further flexibility, particularly where the line is terminated differently at the respective frequencies. Energy at the different frequencies may be applied simultaneously.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
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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
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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
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Title: Conduction Heating of Hydrocarbonaceous Formations
Creator: Bridges, Jack E., Taflove, Allen
Date: 2009-05-08, 1985-10-08
Description: A waveguide structure is emplanted in the earth to bound a particular volume of an earth formation with a waveguide structure formed of...
Show moreA waveguide structure is emplanted in the earth to bound a particular volume of an earth formation with a waveguide structure formed of respective rows of discrete elongated electrodes wherein the spacing between rows is greater than the distance between electrodes in a respective row and in the case of vertical electrodes substantially less than the thickness of the hydrocarbonaceous earth formation. Electrical power at no more than a relatively low frequency is applied between respective rows of the electrodes to deliver power to the formation while producing relatively uniform heating thereof and limiting the relative loss of heat to adjacent barren regions to less than a tolerable amount. At the same time the temperature of the electrodes is controlled near the vaporization point of water thereat to maintain an electrically conductive path between the electrodes and the formation.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
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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
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Title: Method for In Situ Heat Processing of Hydrocarbonaceous Formations
Creator: Bridges, Jack, Taflove, Allen, Snow, Richard
Date: 2009-05-08, 1979-02-20
Description: The disclosure describes a technique for uniform heating of relatively large blocks of hydrocarbonaceous formations in situ using radio...
Show moreThe disclosure describes a technique for uniform heating of relatively large blocks of hydrocarbonaceous formations in situ using radio frequency (RF) electrical energy that is substantially confined to the volume to be heated and effects dielectric heating of the formations. An important aspect of the disclosure relates to the fact that certain hydrocarbonaceous earth formations, for example raw unheated oil shale, exhibit dielectric absorption characteristics in the radio frequency range. In accordance with the system of the invention, a plurality of conductors are inserted in the formations and bound a particular volume of the formations. The phrase "bounding a particular volume" is intended to mean that the volume is enclosed on at least two sides thereof. Electrical excitation is provided for establishing alternating electric fields in the volume. The frequency of the excitation is selected as a function of the dimensions of the volume so as to establish a substantially non-radiating electric field which is substantially confined in the volume. In this manner, volumetric dielectric heating of the formations will occur to effect approximately uniform controlled heating of the volume.
Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute
United States Patent
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