Systems and methods for collecting and processing permafrost gases, and for cooling permafrost
AssigneeMcAlister Technologies, LLC
InventorRoy Edward McAlister
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for collecting and processing permafrost gases and for cooling permafrost are disclosed herein. A method in accordance with a particular embodiment for processing gas in a permafrost region includes obtaining a gas from a sacrificial area of a thawing permafrost region, dissociating the gas in a non-combustive chemical process, and circulating a constituent of the gas through a savable area of the thawing permafrost region to cool the savable area. In particular embodiments, this process can be used to cool selected areas of permafrost and/or create clean-burning fuels and/or other products from permafrost gases.
Claims43
A system for cooling permafrost, comprising:
- a first conduit coupled to a source of sub-surface donor gas at a first permafrost region;
- a chemical reactor coupled to the first conduit to receive the donor gas and conduct a non-combustion reaction that dissociates the donor gas into first and second constituents;
- a second conduit coupled to the reactor to receive the dissociated first constituent;
- a first heat exchanger coupled to the second conduit to receive the dissociated first constituent, at least a portion of the first heat exchanger being exposed to ambient air to cool the first constituent;
- and
- a sub-surface second heat exchanger coupled to the second conduit to receive the cooled first constituent from the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger being positioned to transfer heat from a second permafrost region to the cooled first constituent.
A system for collecting and processing a gas released from permafrost, comprising:
- a plurality of conduits disposed at a permafrost area, with individual conduits having a lower portion disposed at a depth within the permafrost area and an upper portion disposed above a surface of the permafrost area, and with the individual conduits having a wall that is permeable to the gas released from the permafrost;
- a barrier disposed over the permafrost area, the barrier having a peripheral region and a gas exit port;
- a seal disposed at the peripheral region of the barrier to at least restrict the gas from exiting the barrier;
- and
- a chemical reactor operatively coupled to the gas exit port to receive the gas, the chemical reactor having a reaction zone positioned to conduct a non-combustion reaction that dissociates a hydrogen-bearing constituent from the gas.
A system for cooling permafrost, comprising:
- a first barrier disposed over a sacrificial area of the permafrost and having a gas exit port;
- a plurality of subterranean conduits positioned at the sacrificial area under the first barrier to receive gases released from the permafrost and conduct the gases to the gas exit port, the gases including at least a methane gas;
- at least one chemical reactor in fluid communication with the gas exit port to receive the gases from the plurality of conduits, the at least one chemical reactor having a reaction zone positioned to conduct a non-combustion reaction that dissociates hydrogen gas from the methane gas;
- a second barrier disposed over a savable area of the permafrost;
- a subterranean heat exchanger at the savable area under the second barrier, the heat exchanger being positioned to receive the dissociated hydrogen gas to cool the savable area by directing the dissociated hydrogen gas through the savable area;
- a radiator in fluid communication with the heat exchanger, the second barrier disposed between the radiator and the savable area;
- and
- a pump in fluid communication with the heat exchanger to circulate the dissociated hydrogen gas through the radiator.
A system for cooling permafrost, comprising:
- a first heat exchanger positioned at a first permafrost region to provide heat from the first permafrost region;
- and
- a second heat exchanger positioned at a second permafrost region to receive heat from the second permafrost region, the second heat exchanger being in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger to transfer heat from the second permafrost region to the first permafrost region.
A method for cooling permafrost, comprising:
- obtaining a gas from a sacrificial area of a permafrost region;
- dissociating a constituent from the gas in a non-combustive chemical process;
- and
- circulating the constituent through a savable area of the permafrost region to cool the savable area.
A method for cooling a savable area of permafrost, comprising:
- collecting a permafrost gas from at least one of the savable area of permafrost and a sacrificial area of permafrost;
- supplying the collected gas to at least one of a first non-combustive chemical reactor and a second non-combustive chemical reactor;
- dissociating hydrogen from the collected gas in a non-combustive chemical process;
- cooling the dissociated hydrogen with at least one of a heat exchanger and a solar collector;
- and
- circulating the dissociated hydrogen through the savable area of permafrost to cool the savable area of permafrost.
A method for cooling a permafrost region, comprising:
- receiving heat from a savable region of permafrost;
- and
- transferring at least a portion of the heat received from the savable region of permafrost to a sacrificial region of permafrost.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.