Applicator and method for RF heating of material
First Claim
1. A radio frequency (RF) heater comprising:
- a multiphase RF Alternating Circuit (AC) source;
a plurality of petals arranged in side-by-side relation and having a concave shape to define a conically shaped hydrocarbon resource container configured to RF heat a hydrocarbon resource therein, each petal being electrically isolated from adjacent petals; and
a plurality of conductors electrically coupling said multiphase RF AC source to said plurality of petals;
said multiphase RF AC source being configured to supply multiphase RF AC to each petal and being 360/x degrees out of phase with respect to the multiphase RF AC at a next adjacent petal, wherein x is a number of phases of the multiphase RF AC.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A radio frequency heater is disclosed including a vessel for containing material to be heated and a radio frequency radiating surface. The vessel has a wall defining a reservoir. The radio frequency radiating surface at least partially surrounds the reservoir. The radiating surface includes two or more circumferentially spaced petals that are electrically isolated from other petals. The petals are positioned to irradiate at least a portion of the reservoir, and are adapted for connection to a source of radio frequency alternating current. A generally conical tank or tank segment having a conically wound radio frequency applicator is also contemplated. Also, a method of heating an oil-water process stream is disclosed. In this method a radio frequency heater and an oil-water process stream are provided. The process stream is irradiated with the heater, thus heating the water phase of the process stream.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A radio frequency (RF) heater comprising:
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a multiphase RF Alternating Circuit (AC) source; a plurality of petals arranged in side-by-side relation and having a concave shape to define a conically shaped hydrocarbon resource container configured to RF heat a hydrocarbon resource therein, each petal being electrically isolated from adjacent petals; and a plurality of conductors electrically coupling said multiphase RF AC source to said plurality of petals; said multiphase RF AC source being configured to supply multiphase RF AC to each petal and being 360/x degrees out of phase with respect to the multiphase RF AC at a next adjacent petal, wherein x is a number of phases of the multiphase RF AC. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A radio frequency (RF) heater comprising:
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an RF source; a conically shaped hydrocarbon resource container configured to carry a hydrocarbon resource therein; and a conically wound RF conductor coupled to said RF source and carried by said conically shaped hydrocarbon resource container to heat the hydrocarbon resource. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of heating a hydrocarbon resource comprising:
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providing a multiphase RF Alternating Circuit (AC) source; coupling a plurality of conductors electrically between the multiphase RF AC source and the plurality of petals; and supplying RF energy from the RF source to RF heat the hydrocarbon resource carried within a plurality of petals arranged in side-by-side relation and having a concave shape to define a conically shaped hydrocarbon resource container, each petal being electrically isolated from adjacent petals; the multiphase RF AC source supplying multiphase RF AC to each petal and being 360/x degrees out of phase with respect to the multiphase RF AC at each adjacent petal, wherein x is a number of phases of the multiphase RF AC. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification