METHODS, DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR EXTRACTION OF THERMAL ENERGY FROM A HEAT CONDUCTING METAL CONDUIT

• US 20110308259A1
• Filed: 06/15/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biofilm Ip, LLC
• Original Assignee: Biofilm Ip, LLC
• Inventors: Wray, Daniel X., Wray, Robert J., Cutbirth, Henry
• Granted Patent: US 8,763,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.3
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/103 by temporarily freezing liquid sections in the pipe
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/002 by using magneto-caloric effects
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 15/00 Devices not covered by group F25D11/00 or F25D13/00, e.g. non-self-contained movable devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/10 using liquefied gases, e.g. liquid air for cooling semiconductor devices H01L23/445
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/10 the conduits being arranged one within the other, e.g. concentrically multiple wall tubes for leak detection F28F1/003
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/06 by affecting the pattern of flow of the heat-exchange media F28F13/003 takes precedence; static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/192 using a modification of the thermal impedance between a source and the load
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/10 Geothermal energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0391 Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy

Abstract

Provided are methods, devices and systems for controlled removal of thermal energy from a fluid within a thermally conducting metal conduit. The system allows for the in situ formation of a reversible plug that can stop the flow of fluid through the conduit, particularly without inducing thermally induced stress fractures or breaches in the conduit. The devices and systems include a thermal transfer device that can be adapted to be in thermal communication with a thermal conducting metal conduit containing a fluid, particularly a flowing fluid. The devices and systems allows for controlled re-heating of the conduit without inducing thermally induced stress fractures or breaches in the conduit to restore fluid flow through the conduit.

Claims

1. A thermal transfer device for modulating thermal energy of a thermally conducting conduit containing a fluid, comprising:

a thermal transfer surface; and

particles of a thermally conductive material;

wherein, when the thermal transfer device is attached to the conduit, the thermal transfer surface is in thermal communication with the conduit and at least a portion of the particles are in thermal communication with the thermal transfer surface.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a Peltier device, a magnetic refrigerator, a fluid-containing heat exchange unit or combinations thereof.

3. The device of claim 2, comprising a heat exchange unit through which a fluid refrigerant flows;

wherein the fluid refrigerant flows across the surface of the particles of thermally conductive material and the thermal transfer surface of the heat exchange unit.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer surface or the particles or both comprise a thermally conductive material selected from among copper, brass, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, chrome nickel steel, gold, silver, iridium, iron, lead, magnesium, molybdenum, nickel, platinum, tin, zinc, carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum and any combination or alloy thereof.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cryogen injection device for injecting a cryogen through an injector into the fluid in the conduit.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising an auxiliary injection device for injecting a surfactant or bridging fluid or a combination thereof through an injector into the fluid in the conduit.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange unit comprises:

a first wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface is in thermal contact with the conduit;

a second wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface is oriented toward the environment; and

a space between the inner surface of the first wall and the inner surface of the second wall, wherein;

the space has a width that is between about 0.05 inches and about 500 inches;

or

the space has a width that is between about 10% and about 500% of the inner diameter of the heat exchange unit.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange unit further comprises one or more heating channels that traverse a portion of the length or the full length of the heat exchange unit, wherein:

the heating channels are configured to contain a fluid;

or

the heating channels are configured to comprise one or more heating units.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the heating unit is selected from among a Curie temperature heater, a temperature limited heater, a conductor-in-conduit heat source, a heater strip, a resistive heating strip, a Positive Thermal Coefficient ceramic heater, a thick film ceramic heater, a resistance wire or a resistance ribbon heating device.

28. A system for extracting thermal energy from a conduit containing a fluid, comprising:

a thermal transfer device of claim 1; and

a control system adapted to adjust the heat extraction from the conduit by the thermal transfer device in response to a targeted temperature within the conduit.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

an intake circuit coupled to a liquid refrigerant supply module and adapted for providing a flow of refrigerant liquid to the heat exchange unit; and

an exhaust circuit including a vent tube adapted to vent the liquid refrigerant from the system.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the refrigerant comprises a cryogen, a liquid solvent or combinations thereof.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the cryogen comprises liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, liquid helium, liquid neon, liquid methane, liquid natural gas, liquid argon, liquid nitrous oxide, liquid carbon dioxide or solid carbon dioxide or combinations thereof.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the solvent comprises carbon tetrachloride, m-dichlorobenzene, nitromethane, bromobenzene, acetonitrile, chlorobenzene, m-xylene, n-butyl amine, n-octane, chloroform, t-butyl amine, trichloroethylene, butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, heptane, cyclopentane, hexane, methanol, cyclohexane, isooctane, acetaldehyde, methyl cyclohexane, m-pentane, 1,5-hexadiene, isopentane, 3-heptanone, cyclohexanone, diethyl carbitol, carbitol acetate, ethanol, acetone, isopropanol, ethyl methyl ketone, diethyl ether and combinations thereof.

33. The system of claim 28, further comprising a thermal isolation means for thermally isolating the thermal exchange unit, the underlying conduit and at least a portion of the conduit on one or both sides of a point of attachment of the thermal exchange unit from the environment.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the thermal isolation means comprises a thermally insulating layer or coating that comprises bitumen, cement, clay, concrete, ceramic filled corian, cork, cotton wool insulation, diatomaceous earth, epoxy, fiberglass, foam glass, glass pearls or beads, glass wool, gypsum, magnesite, magnesia insulation, mineral insulation, nylon, perlite, foamed plastic insulation, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, porcelain, PTFE, PVC, pyrex glass, sand, silica aerogel, styrofoam, urethane foam, vermiculite, vinyl ester, non-thermally conducting gases that have a lower thermal conductivity than air, such as butane, krypton, trichloromethane, xenon, 1,1,2-trichloro-trifluoroethane, 1,2-dichloro-tetrafluoroethane, tetrafluoroethane, argon, carbon dioxide, diethyl ether, isobutane, pentane, perfluoro-cyclobutane, propane and tetrafluoromethane, and liquids with low thermal conductivity, such as CFC-11, HCFC-141b, methanol, ethanol, glycerol, ether, acetone, ethylene glycol, thermally non-conducting silicone fluid containing glass, such as glass fibers or glass beads, and propylene glycol, and combinations thereof.

35. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

one or more than one heating element;

or

one or more than one thermal monitoring devices;

or

a pump for pumping refrigerant through the system;

or

one or more flow-control metering valves;

or

any combination of a heating element, thermal monitoring device, pump, flow-control metering valve and computer module.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein the refrigerant supply module comprises:

a source of cryogen;

or

a combination, comprising;

a source of cryogen;

a source of one or more solvents;

a mixing device to mix the cryogen with one or more solvents; and

a computer module;

wherein the computer module in communication with the cryogen source, solvent source and mixing device varies the proportion and type of solvent mixed with the cryogen.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein:

the thermal transfer device comprises;

a Peltier module with a cold side and a hot side;

a system for supplying electrical energy to the Peltier module;

a cooling head thermally coupled to the cold side of the Peltier module, wherein the cooling head has a concave curved surface;

a heat dissipation element thermally coupled to the hot side of the Peltier module; and

a reservoir for a thermally conductive liquid thermally coupled to the heat dissipation element.

38. A method of controlled rate freezing or chilling of a fluid within a thermally conductive conduit, comprising the steps of:

attaching a thermal transfer device of claim 1 to the conduit; and

activating the thermal transfer device to extract thermal energy from the conduit and the fluid contained therein.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the activation step comprises introducing cryogen or a refrigerant into the thermal transfer device, wherein the heat is extracted from the conduit and the fluid therein by a flowing the refrigerant or cryogen through the heat exchange unit and removing the warmed refrigerant or cryogen from the heat exchange unit.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the cryogen is selected from among liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, liquid helium, liquid neon, liquid argon, liquid nitrous oxide, liquid carbon dioxide or solid carbon dioxide or combinations thereof.

10. A heat exchange device, comprising:

an inner conduit 2 having diameter D2;

an outer conduit 2c having diameter Dc2;

an end plate 3 and an end plate 4;

an inlet port 12 for introducing cryogen or refrigerant into the heat exchange device; and

an outlet port 13 for venting cryogen or refrigerant from the heat exchange device;

wherein;

the inner conduit 2 comprises;

a pipe 2f having an outer diameter 2fD;

a pipe 2a_left at the left distal end of finned pipe 2f and a pipe 2a_right at the right distal end of the pipe 2f;

the end plate 3 has an opening through which a portion of conduit 2a_left passes;

the end plate 4 has an opening through which a portion of conduit 2a_right passes;

the end plate 3 is attached at the left of the outer conduit 2c and around conduit 2a_left;

the end plate 4 is attached at the right of the outer conduit 2c and around conduit 2a_right;

the inner conduit 2 and the outer conduit 2c form a cavity having a width of approximately Dc2 minus D2 minus the thickness of D2 minus the thickness of Dc2;

the cavity between the inner conduit 2 and the outer conduit 2c is filled with particles, filings, turnings, shavings, pellets or beads of a thermally conductive metal; and

the pipe 2f is in thermal communication with one or more of the particles, filings, turnings, shavings, pellets or beads of the thermally conductive metal.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein pipe 2f comprises thermally conducting fins.

12. The device of claim 10, further comprising one or more heating channels that traverse a portion of the length or the full length of the heat exchange unit and that are in thermal communication with the inner conduit 2, wherein:

the heating channels are configured to contain a fluid;

or

the heating channels are configured to comprise one or more than one heating unit.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the heating unit is selected from among a Curie temperature heater, a temperature limited heater, a conductor-in-conduit heat source, a heater strip, a resistive heating strip, a Positive Thermal Coefficient ceramic heater, a thick film ceramic heater, a resistance wire and a resistance ribbon heating device.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the input port 12 comprises an input manifold attached to 2 or more openings in the heat exchange unit to distribute the cryogen or refrigerant to two or more injection sites in the heat exchange unit.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein:

the input manifold distributes the cryogen or refrigerant to two or more injection sites radially located in the heat exchange unit;

or

the input manifold distributes the cryogen or refrigerant to two or more injection sites longitudinally located in the heat exchange unit;

or

the input manifold distributes the cryogen or refrigerant to two or more injection sites longitudinally located in the heat exchange unit and to two or more injection sites axially located in the heat exchange unit.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the output port 13 comprises a vent manifold that vents the cryogen or refrigerant from the heat exchange unit at two or more vent sites in the heat exchange unit.

17. The device of claim 10, further comprising one or more baffles that modulate the flow of cryogen or refrigerant within the heat exchange unit.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the finned pipe 2f comprises:

fins disposed radially along the pipe;

or

fins disposed longitudinally along the pipe;

or

fins disposed radially and longitudinally along the pipe, wherein;

the fins are configured to have the same length;

or

the fins are configured to have two or more different lengths.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the fins of finned pipe 2f are notched or perforated or both.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein two or more of the fins of finned pipe 2f extend the width or length of the cavity within the heat exchange unit, thereby creating one or more channels.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein multiple channels are formed by the fins of finned pipe 2f.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the channels are adjacent to each other or are staggered around the radius of the inner conduit 2 or about the length of inner conduit 2.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein cryogen injectors are attached to the heat exchange unit to inject cryogen into the channels formed by the fins of finned pipe 2f.

24. A cryo-thermodynamic valve device, comprising:

a heat exchange device of claim 10; and

a cryogen injector device positioned upstream of the heat exchange device.

25. The cryo-thermodynamic valve device of claim 24, further comprising an auxiliary injector device positioned upstream of the cryogen injector device.

26. The cryo-thermodynamic valve device of claim 24, wherein the heat exchange unit further comprises one or more heating channels that traverse a portion of the length or the full length of the heat exchange unit, wherein:

the heating channels are configured to contain a fluid;

or

the heating channels comprise one or more that one heating unit.

27. The cryo-thermodynamic valve device of claim 26, wherein the heating unit is selected from among a Curie temperature heater, a temperature limited heater, a conductor-in-conduit heat source, a heater strip, a resistive heating strip, a Positive Thermal Coefficient ceramic heater, a thick film ceramic heater, a resistance wire and a resistance ribbon heating device.

41. A system for cooling or freezing a fluid within a thermally conducting conduit, comprising:

a thermal transfer device comprising one or more heat exchange units of claim 10 thermally coupled to the conduit, wherein the thermal transfer device receives cooled liquid refrigerant and generates heated liquid refrigerant by transfer of heat from the conduit and fluid therein to the liquid refrigerant;

a liquid refrigerant supply module;

a liquid refrigerant pathway for delivery of the liquid refrigerant from the liquid refrigerant supply module to the heat exchange unit;

a venting pathway for delivery of the liquid refrigerant from the heat exchange unit to an output vent; and

a forced circulation means disposed between the heat exchange unit and the liquid refrigerant supply module forcing transportation of cooled liquid refrigerant from the liquid refrigerant supply module to the heat transfer units and of heated liquid coolant from the heat exchange units to the venting pathway;

wherein;

the circulation means produces a pressure and a flow rate; and

the pressure and flow rate of the liquid refrigerant can be modulated to provide unidirectional flow through the heat exchange unit.

42. A cryo-thermodynamic valve system for forming a plug in a thermally conducting conduit containing a fluid, the system comprising:

a thermal transfer device of claim 10 in thermal communication with the conduit;

a cryogen injection device for injecting cryogen through an injector into the fluid in the conduit;

a cryogen supply module; and

a control system to adjust the flow of a cryogen from the supply module to the thermal transfer device or the flow of cryogen through the injector or both.

43. The system of claim 42, further comprising one or more components selected from among:

one or more flow-control metering valves to control or modulate the flow of cryogen through the heat exchange unit or the flow of cryogen to the cryogen injector unit or both;

one or more thermal monitoring devices;

an auxiliary injector that injects into the fluid in the conduit a composition comprising a bridging fluid or surface active agent or a combination thereof;

an exhaust circuit, comprising;

a vent tube adapted to vent the cryogen from the system after it has absorbed thermal energy from the conduit;

or

a recirculating circuit that directs the cryogen from the system after it has absorbed thermal energy from the conduit to a refrigeration system that removes the absorbed thermal energy from the cryogen and recirculates the cryogen back to the cryogen supply module; and

a computer module with a computer processor in communication with one or more of the components of the system.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the cryogen is liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, liquid helium, liquid neon, liquid methane, liquid natural gas, liquid argon, liquid nitrous oxide, liquid carbon dioxide or solid carbon dioxide or combinations thereof.

45. A method for temporarily preventing the flow of a fluid in a pipeline, comprising:

attaching a thermal transfer device of claim 10 to the pipeline so that it is in thermal contact with at least one portion of the pipeline;

installing a cryogen injector module that when activated injects cryogen into the fluid in the pipeline; and

activating the thermal exchange device and cryogen injector,

wherein the thermal transfer device and injection of cryogen remove sufficient thermal energy to cause the fluid in the pipeline to foam a plug that prevents fluid from flowing through the pipeline.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein:

the cryo-thermodynamic valve system is attached to an intact conduit and is activated as an emergency shut off mechanism of the conduit in case of failure or breach of the conduit;

or

the cryo-thermodynamic valve system is attached to a breached or broken conduit as an emergency shut off mechanism.

47. A method for temporarily preventing flow of a fluid in a production tubing, comprising the steps of:

attaching a thermal transfer device of claim 10 to a portion of the production tubing so that it is in thermal contact with at least one portion of the production tubing; and

installing a cryogen injector module to a portion of the production tubing so that when activated the injector module injects cryogen into the oil in the producing tubular, wherein;

the injection of cryogen into the fluid reduces the temperature of the fluid before it comes into contact with the area of the production tubing to which the thermal transfer device is attached, and

the thermal transfer device extracts sufficient thermal energy from the fluid that it freezes and forms a plug of frozen fluid that reversibly attaches to the side walls of the production tubing.

48. A method for producing a controlled rate of freezing of a fluid that is contained in a thermally conducting metal conduit, comprising the steps of:

(a) installing a cryogen injector unit that when activated injects cryogen into the fluid;

(b) installing a thermal exchange unit of claim 10 in thermal contact with a conduit containing a fluid therein at a point downstream from the cryogen injector unit;

(c) activating the cryogen injector unit to inject cryogen into the fluid;

(d) activating the thermal exchange unit to absorb thermal energy from the conduit and the fluid therein and transferred to the thermal exchange unit; and

(e) dissipating the heat absorbed by the thermal exchange unit.

49. A method for producing a reversible plug in a fluid contained in a thermally conducting metal conduit, comprising the steps of:

(a) installing one or more injector unit(s) that when activated inject(s) a material into the fluid within the conduit, wherein;

i) the injector unit comprises a cryogen injector that when activated injects cryogen; and

ii) the injector unit comprises an auxiliary injector that injects a composition comprising a bridging fluid or surface active agent or a combination thereof;

(b) installing a thermal exchange unit of claim 10 in thermal contact with a conduit containing a fluid therein at a point downstream from the cryogen injector unit;

(c) activating the thermal exchange unit to absorb thermal energy from the conduit and the fluid therein by the cryogen to form a spent cryogen thereby withdrawing thermal energy from the conduit and the fluid therein, wherein the thermal energy is transferred from the fluid to the thermal exchange unit; and

(d) activating the one or more injector units to inject cryogen and bridging fluid or surface active agent or a combination thereof into the fluid to form a plug therein.

50. A method for producing a reversible plug in a fluid contained in a thermally conducting metal conduit, comprising the steps of:

(a) installing a thermal exchange unit of claim 10 in thermal contact with a conduit containing a fluid therein;

(b) activating the thermal exchange unit by introducing cryogen into the thermal exchange unit to absorb thermal energy from the conduit and the fluid therein, wherein;

the cryogen flows into the thermal exchange unit through an inlet port and absorbs thermal energy to foam a warmed cryogen; and

the warmed cryogen exits the thermal exchange unit through an outlet port, thereby withdrawing thermal energy from the conduit and the fluid therein to form a frozen plug of fluid.