# US 2013/0156504 A1 · Systems and methods for collecting and processing permafrost gases, and for cooling permafrost

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- Number: US 2013/0156504 A1
- Document ID: US20130156504A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/764,063
- Filed: 2013-02-11
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-12
- Assignees: McAlister Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Roy Edward McAlister
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130156504A1

## CPC

- F24S 23/74: with trough-shaped or cylindro-parabolic reflective surfaces
- B01J 4/002: {Nozzle-type elements (nozzle-type reactors B01J19/26)}
- B01J 19/244: {Concentric tubes}
- B09C 1/06: thermally
- C01B 3/02: Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen
- C01B 3/24: of hydrocarbons
- C01B 3/34: by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
- E02D 3/11: by thermal, electrical or electro-chemical means (freezing soil for interrupting passage of underground water E02D19/14)
- E02D 3/115: by freezing
- E21B 36/001: {Cooling arrangements}
- F24S 20/20: Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
- F24S 23/71: with parabolic reflective surfaces (with cylindro-parabolic reflective surfaces F24S23/74)
- F28D 15/02: in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes {(heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257)}
- B01J 2219/00081: Tubes
- B01J 2219/00117: with two or more reactions in heat exchange with each other, such as an endothermic reaction in heat exchange with an exothermic reaction
- B01J 2219/00135: Electric resistance heaters
- C01B 2203/0233: the reforming step being a steam reforming step
- C01B 2203/0266: containing a decomposition step
- Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B09C: RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL (gatherers for removing stone or the like from the soil A01B43/00; sterilising soil by steam A01G11/00; removing undesirable matter, e.g. rubbish, from the land E01H15/00)
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- E02D: FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS (specially adapted for hydraulic engineering E02B); UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES {(tunnels, tunnelling, mining E21)}
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for cooling permafrost, comprising:
a chemical reactor coupled to a source of gas located at a first permafrost region to conduct a non-combustion reaction that dissociates the gas into first and second constituents;
a first conduit portion coupled to the chemical reactor to convey the first constituent in a gas phase to an intermediate location, the intermediate location having a higher elevation than an elevation of the chemical reactor;
a phase change device located at the intermediate location to change the phase of the first constituent from the gas phase to a liquid phase;
a second conduit coupled to the phase change device to convey the first constituent in the liquid phase to a second permafrost region; and
a heat exchanger coupled to the second conduit to receive the first constituent in the liquid phase, the heat exchanger being positioned to transfer heat from the second permafrost region to the first constituent, the heat exchanger having a lower elevation than the elevation of the intermediate location.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the phase change device includes a heat exchanger.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the phase change device includes a condenser.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the phase change device includes a compressor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the constituent is a first constituent, and wherein the system further comprises a mixer positioned at the intermediate location and coupled to at least one of the first and second conduits to mix a second constituent with the first constituent.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second conduits is formed from carbon obtained from a reaction conducted at the reactor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the intermediate location is positioned at least 500 feet above the first location, the second location, or both the first and second locations.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger extends into the second permafrost region via vertical holes bored into permafrost at the second permafrost region.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the gas is a hydrogen-bearing donor, and wherein the first constituent includes hydrogen.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the gas is a hydrocarbon, the first constituent includes hydrogen, and the second constituent includes carbon.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a barrier disposed over the first permafrost region, 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 coupling connected between the chemical reactor and the gas exit port to convey the gas to the chemical reactor, the chemical reactor having a reaction zone positioned to conduct a non-combustion reaction that dissociates a hydrogen-bearing constituent from the gas.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 wherein the barrier includes a film.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the chemical reactor has a reaction zone to process methane into a carbon-bearing constituent and a hydrogen bearing constituent.

### Claim 14

A system for cooling permafrost, comprising:
a first heat exchanger having a first elevation and being positioned at a first permafrost region to provide heat to the first permafrost region;
a second heat exchanger having a second elevation and being 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 phase change device positioned between the first permafrost region and the second permafrost region, the phase change device being positioned at a third elevation greater than the first elevation and greater than the second elevation;
a first conduit coupled between the first heat exchanger and the phase change device to deliver a heat transfer fluid in gas phase to the phase change device; and
a second conduit coupled between the phase change device and the second heat exchanger to deliver the heat transfer fluid in liquid phase to the second heat exchanger.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising a chemical reactor coupled to the first permafrost region to receive a donor gas from the first permafrost region and conduct a non-combustion reaction that dissociates the donor gas into first and second constituents.

### Claim 16

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;
elevating the constituent in a gas phase from a first elevation to an intermediate elevation higher than the first elevation;
at the intermediate elevation, changing the phase of the constituent from gas phase to liquid phase;
under the force of gravity, directing the constituent in liquid phase from the intermediate elevation to a second elevation lower than the intermediate elevation; and
circulating the constituent through a savable area of the permafrost region at the second elevation to cool the savable area.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein changing the phase of the constituent includes cooling the constituent.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 wherein an outside temperature at the second elevation is less than an outside temperature at the first elevation.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein changing the phase of the constituent includes compressing the constituent.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the second elevation is at least 500 feet above the first elevation.

### Claim 21 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein obtaining the gas from the sacrificial area includes collecting the gas within a barrier disposed over the sacrificial area.

### Claim 22 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the constituent includes hydrogen.

### Claim 23 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the gas includes a hydrocarbon, the constituent is a first constituent that includes hydrogen, and wherein the method further comprises dissociating a second constituent from the gas, the second constituent including carbon.

### Claim 24 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising:
forming a structural building block from a product of the non-combustive chemical process; and
forming a durable good from the structural building block.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24 further comprising using the durable good to collect additional permafrost gas.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25 wherein the durable good includes a film, and wherein using the durable good to collect additional permafrost gas includes disposing the film over a permafrost region.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25 wherein the durable good includes a conduit, and wherein using the durable good to collect additional permafrost gas includes directing a gas through the conduit.