US895612A - Apparatus for extracting the volatilizable contents of sedimentary strata. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908. D. R. BAKER.

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0P SEDIMENTARY STRATA. APPLIOATIOI nun JUII. 11, 1002.

WITNESSES:

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING THE VOLATILIZABLE CONTENTS INVENTOR IATFORNEY UNITEDSTATES .,PATENT OFFICE. ELos-a. BAKER, or DELAWARE, 01110.

.LPPLBATUB FOB- EXTRAQTING YOLATEIZABLE CONTENTS OF BEDDE ENTAEY i 1 STRATA.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug; 11, 1908.

lA umion and June 11,1902. Serial No. 111,093.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, DsLos R. BAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Delaware in the countyof "Delaware, and

I State of bhio, have invented a certain new of a iparatus for the extraction and recovery of t e volatilisablo contents of sedimentary strata; and the objects of my invention are to provide apparatus and means of novel construction for the purpose above set forth, and to produce certain improvements 1n details of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter. These objects accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a vertical section through two connected earth wells or channels and their contents. Fi 2 is a transverse section on line :0 aof l ig. 1. Fig.3 is a detail plan'view of one of the lower guide rings and ig. 4 is a section on line gig of Fig. 3.

imilar numerals refer to simi ar, parts throughout the several views. t

In carrying out my invention, I employ a channel .or well 1 formedin the earth, which althou h preferably vertical may extend instead in other directions, if desired. 'The well thus emplo ed preferably has its lower ortion of less iamoter than its upper porion as indicated at l. The up er and larger portion of the well is rovidm with a wateright casing 2 which ts therein said casing' being formed of sections which are arra ed one uponthe other as shown. Within the lower end of the-en argedup or portion of the well 1 and seated upon' he shoulder formed b the junction of the enlargedand reduce portions of said well, isa plate 3 preferably of metal and u on and about the latter is arranged a sea ing diaphragm 4 of cement, concrete or similar 1nateria plate 7. Bearing upon this cap-plate is t to upon which is an ierimposed a layer of, dried and pulverized c ay or its e uivalentlower end of a casing 8, the latter extending upward throu h the central portion of the casing 1, as s iown. Extending downward and centrally through the casing 8 is a tube or pipe 9, the latter having its lower portion extendin throu h the caplate 7 and into the tubu ar pe 'orated bOt y 5, said lower pipe ortion' being perforated. Bearing u on t 1e sealing diaphragm 4 is a casing 10 o greater diameter than the casing 8, and between said casings 8 and 10 are arranged tubes or 'pipes 11 and 12, said pipes 11 and 12 leading upward through a top plate 13 of the'exiternal casing 1. The pipe 11 passes downward through the lower end portion of the well 1 on the outer side of the tubular body 5, and has its lower portion perforated asindicated at 11'. The pipe 12 has its lower termination preferab a short distance below the plate 3. s indicated in the drawing, the spaces between the central pipe -9 and easing S and between the casing 10 and easing 1, are filled with sand-or other suitable'heabinsulating material.

Atintervals within the casing 10, and fittin l'oosely within the said casing, I preferably pr vide guide-rings such as are indicated at 14, each of which as shown more clearly in Fig, 2 'of the drawing, .is in the nature of an openwork ring having openings for the reception of the tubes or pipes 11 and 12. In the lower portion of the well,-I likewise provide at suitable intervals guide-rings or frames 15, each of the latter consisting of a central ring portion from which project radially one or more T-arms 16, one of said arms being enlarged and formed with an opening 16 for the reception of the pipe 11 '1 10 heads of the T-arms 1(1' are adapted to bear against the inner surface of the well.

In connection with the well 1, I em loy one or more additional wells 17, each 0 the latter bein as prescribed for said well 1 formed wit a lower reduced portion 17.

These additiona wells arelocated at a distance from well 1' and cominunicato with well 1 only through. the seams, veins, pores or other natural openings in said strata. I .The

35 the natural element of said seal.

likewise passes through the central opening in the plate-21 and has its portion within the' I also provide tubular body 2", perforated. an outlet pipe 24', which as is the case with 5 the pipe '23, passes through an opening intho topplate 25, thence di'm'nward within and through the casing 19 through the sealing diaphragm 26 in the loivcr end of the. en-

larged portion of the well, thence through a plate 2,7 corresponding with the plate 3 and terminating in the lower end of the well, said terminal portion being perforated as indicated at 28. The reduced portion of the well may be provided as prescribed for the well portion 1 with a desirable number of guiderings or frrunes 15. The seaiin diapli 'agms 4 and 26-fit so loosely about 1. 1e tubes, and

casings WhlCllPE-lfOllttG the said diaphrairms, as to allow of vertical motion of sa d tubes and casings without breaking the seal made the superiucumbeat layer of pulverized s prescribed for the casings of the well 1, those ortions of the interior of the casings (F20 which are not occupied by the material formin the casing 20 'and tubes 23 and 24Jare provided with. a suitable beet-insulat-.

ingfillmg 29. The said seal of that part 01" the said strata mtervoment between the n1- qo nermost portions of said wells respei'ztivcly,

is eiiected partlyby the impervious strata already naturally super-incumbent upon said innermost stratawhioh is to he opera ted upon, the said superincumbcnt strata constituting ll artly also itis cilectcd by the said desiccated and .uil'verizcd'clay which I supcriniposc u pon tae sealing diaphragm l, wluch elaylayer is the artificial element of the said seal. This artificial 40- element of said seal is by its own nature and condition defended against any disruptive action upon itof'lieat conveyed in any of the ttlb0S.W1lCll enetrnte tberethrough But that )art of t re natural element of said seal wine 1 lies immediately contiguous to cit-her the entrance well or the cxitdvll would be speedily disrupted by the dcsiccating and dcstructively distilling action oi lieatradi' ated from said tubes to said casings and from said casings into said ccnti inms pin-ts. of said natural elementof said sea), and th n, would defeat the operation of the invent-hm, unless some adiathermic defense of srl ll casings and thereb of said contiguous pm of said not- 65 ural cement of said. seal were provided.

Hence for this purpose I arrange to iniorpose between said tubes and-the sides of said wells the adiathcrmic defenses above shown and described. incidentally also said whether-- rule defenses operate to conserve the heat of said (laid agents doling their possum through said; tubes into and out of the innermost (scaled) portions of said wells. But this conservatieu of boat in passage is but a (WP-" l iary and incidental et l'cct, the primary and 'the earths surface, I provide a Qchief function of said defenses being the preservation, as said above, of the said seal against the disruptive action of heat upon those parts of the said natural element of said seal situate contiguous to said wells.

At a suitable point above or adpiccnt to Miller 30 which through a pipe 31 connects with a coiled pipe 32 arranged in a chamber 33, said coiled iipe' at its lower end being connected through a pipe 34 with the upper end of the pipe 9. Below the coiled p' )B'I employ tire supporting grate-bars 35. \"ith the up )0! ehd of the pipe 23 is connected a suita le reservoir 36.

he apparatus above described is designed 'to he iili izcd for the purpose hcreinbcfore set forth, as follows: Steam. or other vapor, generated in the boiler 30 and passed through the coil 3'2 is super-heated from the fire on the grate-bars 35, said super-heated steam, or other-vapor or gas passing through the pipes '3 killt 9 and through the perforations of the latter and the perforations of the body 5 and thence by means of dilferencoof pressure maintained in the two wells respcctively through the veins, pores, interstices or other natural channels in said strata to well 1.7, with the resultthat the sedimentary strata. in place in the earth, is operated upon by the heated vapor or gas thus lurnishcd, this operation in turn resulting in the extraction or the volatilizable contents of the strata in the manner fully set forth in my former a-p )licatirm for patent, Serial N umber 109,835, iled June 2nd, 1902. The operation referred to is briefly as follows: The'heat conveyed by said heated fluids during their passage through said strata, distil therefrom any contents of said strata of ii er boiling point than the temperature of the said fluids.

The said distillation by lessening the cubical contents of the said strata, disrupts the said strata and opens up therein, crevices and cavities in all directions, thereby exposin progressivel; ever'new surfaces to the oak process of distillation until at length the said strata bythis operation becomes exhausted of its said volatilizable contents. As set'forth in said former applicationgthe volatilizable con ents thus extracted may use outward through the pipe 23 of the we 1 17 and col lected in the reservoir 36. Suehliquid" rodact as may result from the action 0, the heated vaponor gas'on the rocks may be withdrawn by suitable means through. the pipe 1.}. or'pi )c 24.

Although have described the use of the means and apparatus herein shown in 0011-.

n rtiou with uteri-in or other vane: geiuirai li super-imam! and conveyed its escribcd, said apparatus is as set forth in my said former ti pllfit'tilifin, adapted for the purpose of com vcyiug to ilk sedimentary ol-ifl-lfl in place in the earth, heated gasea vapors or fumes and for the recovery of the volatilizable products of the operation of said heated gases, vapors or fumes upon the said rocks in place.

In order to effect and maintain a difference 5 of pressure in the inlet and outlet )ipes or tubes and thereby provide a desirab e circulation of said gases, vapors or fumes and of the products of their operation, it is evident that I may employ in connection with said outlef tube, any desirable or well known form of exhaust puin or engine.

Havin now fully escribed my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

In an apparatus for extracting the volatilizable contents of sedimentary strata in place in the earth, the combination with two earth wells intercommunicating subterraneously only through natural openin s in said strata, and with conduits for the circulation of a heated aeriform lluid from the earth's surface through one of said wells to said o )enings, thence through said openin 's, and thence through the other of said wells back to the earth's surface again, of a well seal consisting of both a natural and an artificial element saidartificial element being composed oi adiatherinic material which is interposed betweerfsaid conduits and said natural element.

DELOS It. BAKER. In the presence of- C. (J. SHEPHERD, W. L. Moimow.

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