Convective flow barrier for heating of bulk hydrocarbonaceous materials
AssigneeRed Leaf Resources, Inc.
InventorJames W. Patten
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Abstract
A system for disrupting convective heat flow within a body of hydrocarbonaceous material includes a body of hydrocarbonaceous material which is sufficiently porous that convective currents can form in void spaces of the material. A bulk fluid occupies these void spaces and the bulk fluid is heated by a heat source, causing the bulk fluid to flow through the void spaces in convective currents. A convective barrier is placed in an upper portion of the body of hydrocarbonaceous material. This convective barrier is configured to disrupt convective flow of the bulk fluid.
Claims21
A system for disrupting convective heat flow within a body of hydrocarbonaceous material comprising:
- a) a body of hydrocarbonaceous material having a distributed void space therein with sufficient porosity to allow convective flow within the void space;
- b) a bulk fluid oriented in the void space of the body of hydrocarbonaceous material;
- c) a heat source configured to induce convective flow of the bulk fluid;
- and
- d) a convective barrier oriented near or within an upper portion of the body of hydrocarbonaceous material configured to disrupt the convective flow.
A method for disrupting convective heat flow within a body of hydrocarbonaceous material comprising the steps of
- a) heating a body of hydrocarbonaceous material sufficiently to induce convective flow within the body of hydrocarbonaceous material;
- and
- b) providing a convective barrier in an upper portion of the body of hydro carbonaceous material, wherein the convective barrier is configured to disrupt the convective flow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.