Hydrocarbon cracking antenna

• US 8,877,041 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2011
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parsche, Francis Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Boyer, Randy
• Assistant Examiner(s): VALENCIA, JUAN C
• Application Number:
  US13/079,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20120247945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 208/155, 208/402
• US Class Current: 208/106
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/129 Radiofrequency
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/1203 Incoherent waves
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/00 Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal mechanical winning of oil from oil-shales, oil-sand, or the like B03B
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1025 Natural gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1096 Aromatics or polyaromatics
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 9/00 Thermal non-catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/16 Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons

Abstract

An aspect of at least one embodiment of the present invention is a device for cracking heavy hydrocarbons. A linear applicator is positioned within heavy oil containing aromatic molecules. A radio frequency electrical current source is electrically connected to the applicator at a first connection point and a second connection point to create a closed electrical loop. The radio frequency source is configured to apply a signal to the applicator that is sufficient to create a magnetic field and an electric field relative to the axis of the linear applicator. The device also includes a chamber positioned around the applicator generally between the first connection point and the second connection point to concentrate the magnetic field within a region surrounding the applicator and containing the heavy hydrocarbons.

Claims

1. A method for upgrading heavy hydrocarbons comprising:

separating heavy hydrocarbons including aromatic molecules from water and sand in already extracted heavy hydrocarbons;

placing an applicator into the heavy hydrocarbons;

simultaneously applying;

a radio frequency electrical current to the applicator sufficient to create a magnetic field relative to the applicator to crack the aromatic molecules into polar molecules; and

applying hydrogen or natural gas to the heavy hydrocarbons to produce synthetic crude oil; and

processing the synthetic crude oil into fuels.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency of the electrical current applied corresponds to the resonance of the aromatic molecules.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency of the electrical current applied corresponds to the dielectric antiresonance of water molecules.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency of the electrical current applied corresponds to the 18 cm wavelength of the hydroxyl transition.

5. A method for making a hydrocarbon fuel from hydrocarbons already extracted from a formation comprising:

separating the hydrocarbons including aromatic molecules from another material;

applying a radio frequency (RF) electrical current to an RF applicator coupled to the separated hydrocarbons sufficient to create a field to crack at least some of the aromatic molecules into polar molecules, and while exposing the separated hydrocarbons to a hydrogen containing gas to produce synthetic crude oil; and

processing the synthetic crude oil into the hydrocarbon fuel.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the frequency of the electrical current applied corresponds to the resonance of the aromatic molecules.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the frequency of the electrical current applied corresponds to the dielectric antiresonance of water molecules.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the frequency of the electrical current applied corresponds to the 18 cm wavelength of the hydroxyl transition.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the another material comprises at least one of water and sand.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the hydrogen containing gas comprises hydrogen.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the hydrogen containing gas comprises natural gas.

12. A method for upgrading hydrocarbons already extracted from a formation comprising:

separating the hydrocarbons including aromatic molecules from another material; and

applying a radio frequency (RF) electrical current to an RF applicator coupled to the separated hydrocarbons sufficient to create a field to crack at least some of the aromatic molecules into polar molecules, and while exposing the separated hydrocarbons to a hydrogen containing gas to thereby upgrade the hydrocarbons.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the frequency of the electrical current applied corresponds to the resonance of the aromatic molecules.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the frequency of the electrical current applied corresponds to the dielectric antiresonance of water molecules.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the frequency of the electrical current applied corresponds to the 18 cm wavelength of the hydroxyl transition.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the another material comprises at least one of water and sand.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the hydrogen containing gas comprises hydrogen.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the hydrogen containing gas comprises natural gas.