Bottom member and heat loops

• US 6,860,320 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2004
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Enlink Geoenergy Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Enlink Geoenergy Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Amerman, Thomas R., Johnson, Howard E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mckinnon, Terrell
• Application Number:
  US10/751,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20040194914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 166/57, 166/302, 166/77.1, 165/45, 165/142, 165/46, 622/60
• US Class Current: 165/45
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/00 Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/13 Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F24T 10/15 using bent tubes; using tubes assembled with connectors or with return headers
• CPC Class Codes: F24T 2010/53 Methods for installation
• CPC Class Codes: F24T 2010/56 Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 30/06 characterised by the source of low potential heat
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/0052 using the ground body or aquifers as heat storage medium
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/062 the heat-exchange apparatus employing tubular conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 27/00 Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus control arrangements in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/10 Geothermal energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

Bottom members for a heat loop for an earth energy transfer system with a moving energy transfer fluid and heat loops with such a bottom member; the bottom member in one aspect including a body with a top surface and a bottom surface, the body configured for connection at a lower end of the heat loop, the bottom surface shaped to facilitate passage of the heat loop through a borehole extending down into the earth.

Claims

1. A bottom member for connection to a lowermost end of a heat loop for an underground heat exchange system, the heat loop having a lowermost end, the bottom member comprising

a body with a top surface and a bottom surface, the body configured for connection at the lowermost end of the heat loop,

tubular member reception means on the body for releasably receiving an end of a tubular member, the tubular member reception means located so that the tubular member is positionable separate from and outside the heat loop.

2. The bottom member of claim 1 wherein the bottom surface has a shape to facilitate passage of the heat loop through a borehole extending down into the earth, and the shape of the bottom member'"'"'s bottom surface is from the group of shapes consisting of curved, pointed, spherical, hemispherical, and tapered.

3. The bottom member of claim 1 wherein the tubular member is from the group consisting of pipe and coiled tubing.

4. The bottom member of claim 1 further comprising

a plurality of flow channels through the bottom member for facilitating insertion of the heat loop into a borehole.

5. The bottom member of claim 1 further comprising

the tubular member reception means including a flow bore therethrough disposed for fluid communication with the tubular member so that material is flowable through the tubular member, through the flow bore, and then out from the bottom member into a borehole which encompasses the heat loop.

6. The bottom member of claim 1 wherein the bottom member is made of plastic and has sides configured for facilitating flow of material past the bottom member.

7. The bottom member of claim 1 wherein the tubular member reception means comprises a bore in the body member, said bore sized and located for receipt therein of a lower end of the tubular member.

8. A bottom member for connection to a lowermost end of a heat loop for an underground heat exchange system, the heat loop having a lower end, the bottom member comprising

a body with a top surface and a bottom surface, the body configured for connection at the lowermost end of the heat loop,

the bottom surface having a shape to facilitate passage of the heat loop through a borehole extending down into the earth,

wherein the shape of the bottom member'"'"'s bottom surface is from the group of shapes consisting of curved, pointed, spherical, hemispherical, and tapered,

tubular member reception means on the body for releasably receiving an end of a tubular member, the tubular member reception means located so that the tubular member is positionable separate from and outside the heat loop when the tubular member is releasably received by the tubular member reception means.

9. A heat loop system for an underground heat exchange system, the heat loop system comprising

a heat loop with an upper end and a lower end,

a bottom member at the lower end of the heat loop, the bottom member comprising

a body with a top surface and a bottom surface, the body configured for connection at the lowermost end of the heat loop,

tubular member reception means on the body for releasably receiving an end of a tubular member, the tubular member reception means located so that the tubular member is positionable separate from and outside the heat loop.

10. The heat loop system of claim 9 wherein the bottom surface has a shape to facilitate passage of the heat loop through a borehole extending down into the earth, and the shape of the bottom member'"'"'s bottom surface is from the group of shapes consisting of curved, pointed, spherical, hemispherical, and tapered.

11. The heat loop of claim 9 wherein the bottom member has a heat exchange fluid flow channel therethrough and the heat loop has a first hollow tubular member and a second hollow tubular member, each hollow tubular member in fluid communication with the heat exchange fluid flow channel of the bottom member so that heat exchange fluid is flowable through the first hollow member, through the bottom member'"'"'s heat exchange fluid flow channel, and then through the second hollow tubular member.

12. The heat loop of claim 9 further comprising

at least one fluid flow channels through the bottom member located so that material in a borehole is flowable through the bottom member as the bottom member is moved within the borehole to facilitate movement of the heat loop into the borehole.

13. The heat loop of claim 9 wherein the bottom member further comprises

the tubular member reception means including a flow bore therethrough disposed for fluid communication with the tubular member so that material is flowable through the tubular member, through the flow bore, and then out from the bottom member into a borehole which encompasses the heat loop.

14. The heat loop of claim 9 wherein the tubular member reception means comprises a bore in the body member, said bore sized and located for receipt therein of a lower end of the tubular member.

15. A method for installing a heat loop in a borehole extending down into the earth, the heat loop having a lower end, the method comprising

connecting a bottom member to the lower end of the heat loop, the bottom member comprising a body with a top surface and a bottom surface, the body configured for connection at the lowermost end of the heat loop, tubular member reception means on the body for releasably receiving an end of a tubular member, the tubular member reception means located so that the tubular member is positionable separate from and outside the heat loop,

connecting an end of a tubular member to the tubular member reception means so that the tubular member is separate from and outside the heat loop, and

moving the heat loop and the tubular member into the borehole, the bottom member facilitating movement of the heat loop through the borehole.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the bottom member has a heat exchange fluid flow channel therethrough and the heat loop has a first hollow tubular member and a second hollow tubular member, each hollow tubular member in fluid communication with the heat exchange fluid flow channel of the bottom member so that heat exchange fluid is flowable through the first hollow member, through the bottom member'"'"'s heat exchange fluid flow channel, and then through the second hollow tubular member, the method further comprising

flowing the heat exchange fluid through the first hollow member, through the bottom member'"'"'s heat exchange fluid flow channel, and then through the second hollow tubular member.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein there is at least one fluid flow channels through the bottom member located so that material in a borehole is flowable through the bottom member as the bottom member is moved within the borehole to facilitate movement of the heat loop through the borehole, the method further comprising

flowing fluid through the at least one fluid flow channel of the bottom member to facilitate movement of the heat loop through the borehole with the bottom member.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the tubular member reception means includes a flow bore therethrough disposed for fluid communication with the tubular member so that material is flowable through the tubular member, through the flow bore, and then out from the bottom member into a borehole which encompasses the heat loop, the method further comprising

flowing fluid through the tubular member and then flowing said fluid through the bottom member into the borehole.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the tubular member is coiled tubing.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the tubular member is coiled tubing and the method further comprising

flowing grout material through the coiled tubing and through the bottom member as the heat loop is inserted into the borehole.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising

releasing the coiled tubing from the tubular member reception means after the heat loop is inserted into the borehole,

removing the coiled tubing from the borehole, and

flowing grout material through the coiled tubing as the coiled tubing is removed from the borehole.