Downhole electric steam or hot water generator for oil wells
First Claim
1. A downhole heating generator for use in an oil well bore for the heating of water or the vaporization of water to steam wherein there is a cylindrical tube string within said bore which extends between the surface and the bottom of the bore, and there are cable mean adapted to be secured to the generator to raise and lower the generator within the tube string to an area where it is desired to either apply boiling water to steam directly to openings in the tube string or to a geological formation adjacent the tube string comprising:
- a hollow elongated cylindrical housing adapted to be inserted into the tube string of a well and having a diameter less than that of the tube string and including a cylindrical vertical side wall and a closed bottom forming therewith a container adapted to receive and hold a quantity of water and at least one exit opening at the upper end of said housing for discharge of steam or boiling water, said upper end coupled to said cable means;
an electric heater within said housing said heater including a single pair of non-concentric electrodes in electrically insulated spaced relationship one from the other, said electrodes each including at least some portions adapted to be submerged in and surrounded by water adapted to be received in said container;
electrical coupling means on said housing for electrically connecting said electrodes to an electric cable adapted to extend through the tube string to an electrical transformer adapted to be located at the surface;
water supply means associated with said housing terminating in a discharge means in said housing and adapted to carry water from the surface to assure a continual flow of water into said housing during the heating of said water by said heater; and
wherein said electrodes are upper and lower rods mounted within said housing in end to end spaced aligned relationship one from the other at a distance sufficient to prevent arcing applied at voltages necessary to heat a continuous volume of water therearound.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A downhole heating generator for producing steam or hot water in oil wells to aid in the recovery of oil includes an elongated cylindrical housing suspended by a cable within the tube string of an oil well bore at the level of a geological formation to be heated. The housing has a closed bottom forming a container continously receiving water through a hose from a ground level source and contains a pair of electrode rods, preferably of carbon, mounted in end-to-end spaced aligned relationship and immersed at least partially in the water received in the housing for boiling the water and/or generating steam. The electrodes are connected to a ground level electrical transformer and are arranged to be capable of being energized at at least 2300 volts without arcing therebetween. The steam or hot water is discharged from the housing through an upper exit opening and is directed through openings in the tube string to the geological formation to be heated. A plurality of generators may be suspended in tandem in the tube string.
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. A downhole heating generator for use in an oil well bore for the heating of water or the vaporization of water to steam wherein there is a cylindrical tube string within said bore which extends between the surface and the bottom of the bore, and there are cable mean adapted to be secured to the generator to raise and lower the generator within the tube string to an area where it is desired to either apply boiling water to steam directly to openings in the tube string or to a geological formation adjacent the tube string comprising:
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a hollow elongated cylindrical housing adapted to be inserted into the tube string of a well and having a diameter less than that of the tube string and including a cylindrical vertical side wall and a closed bottom forming therewith a container adapted to receive and hold a quantity of water and at least one exit opening at the upper end of said housing for discharge of steam or boiling water, said upper end coupled to said cable means; an electric heater within said housing said heater including a single pair of non-concentric electrodes in electrically insulated spaced relationship one from the other, said electrodes each including at least some portions adapted to be submerged in and surrounded by water adapted to be received in said container; electrical coupling means on said housing for electrically connecting said electrodes to an electric cable adapted to extend through the tube string to an electrical transformer adapted to be located at the surface; water supply means associated with said housing terminating in a discharge means in said housing and adapted to carry water from the surface to assure a continual flow of water into said housing during the heating of said water by said heater; and
wherein said electrodes are upper and lower rods mounted within said housing in end to end spaced aligned relationship one from the other at a distance sufficient to prevent arcing applied at voltages necessary to heat a continuous volume of water therearound. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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Specification