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US 2017/0248345 A1Published application
Heat Pipes for a Single Well Engineered Geothermal System
AssigneeGtherm Geo, Inc.
InventorsMichael J. PARRELLA, Martin A. SHIMKO, Bart A. SIEGEL
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat pipe or a bundle of heat pipes for transporting geothermal heat in a well is provided. As the temperature rises at one end of the heat pipe, the operating fluid turns to a vapor which absorbs the latent heat. The hot vapor within the heat pipe flows to the cooler end of the heat pipe where it then condenses and releases the latent heat. The condensed fluid then flows back to the hot side of the heat pipe and the process repeats itself.
Claims16
An apparatus for transporting geothermal heat from a geothermal well to a surface comprising:
- at least one heat pipe comprising a wall surrounding a central tube or chamber;
- a fluid contained within the central tube or chamber;
- a first apparatus end that is closed and positioned at a first end of the heat pipe, and a second apparatus end that is closed and positioned at a second end of the heat pipe;
- wherein the apparatus is configured to be in a vertical or inclined position in the geothermal well, and
- wherein the fluid absorbs geothermal heat at the first apparatus end as it transitions to a vapor, rises to the second apparatus end, releases geothermal heat at the second apparatus end as it condenses back to a liquid state, and returns to the first apparatus end.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.