US3762469A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Concatenated jacket refrigeration system for oil and gas
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-07-28
•
Granted: 1973-10-02
•
Expires: 1992-07-28
Abstract
Abstract Heat transfer system for obtaining essentially constant temperature control over a long vertical heat transfer surface which includes a series of shallow depth, open-topped jacket segments on the inside diameter of an intermediate refrigeration casing between an inner casing and an outer casing. The jackets are filled with liquid refrigerant and are provided with overflow pipes so that refrigerant liquid can flow down through the entire series of jackets and keep each one full. Each of the jackets communicates with a common vapor space or annulus. As heat is absorbed the liquid boils and vaporizes and passes into and upwardly through the vapor annulus. By maintaining an essentially constant pressure in the vapor space an essentially constant boiling temperature is maintained in each segment and thus the heat transfer surface to which the jacket segments are fastened is also maintained at that constant temperature. The vapor is condensed at the well head and returned to the system as liquid.
Inventors
- 👤 A Babb
- 👤 R Means
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 01:11
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B36/00; E21B36/003; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S166/00; Y10S166/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
270 words
A concatenated jacket refrigeration system for the stabilization of soils contiguous to oil and gas wells, comprising: a. an inner first series of casings and an outer second series of casings generally concentric with and radially spaced from said first casings, b. an intermediate series of casings disposed between and spaced from each of said first and second series of casings, c. a series of jacket segments having a jacket wall spaced from the inner surface of said intermediate casing and a bottom wall secured to the inner surface of said intermediate casing to define a refrigerant liquid cavity having an open top, said jacket segments having a relatively shallow depth and being located seriatim one below the other so that the open top of one is generally closely spaced below the bottom wall of the segment next above, said series of segments extending downwardly into said well at least through that depth of the well which is to have the contiguous soils stabilized, d. at least one overflow tube in each jacket segment extending from near the open top down through the liquid cavity and through the bottom wall to permit flow of refrigerant liquid from one segment to the segment next below, e. The jacket walls of the jacket segments also being spaced from said inner series of casings to define a continuous refrigerant vapor annulus extending from the bottommost to the topmost jacket segment to permit vaporized refrigerant to carry off heat from said well, and f. means at the head of said well for condensing said vapor and returning it as liquid to the jacket segments.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
270 words
A concatenated jacket refrigeration system for the stabilization of soils contiguous to oil and gas wells, comprising: a. an inner first series of casings and an outer second series of casings generally concentric with and radially spaced from said first casings, b. an intermediate series of casings disposed between and spaced from each of said first and second series of casings, c. a series of jacket segments having a jacket wall spaced from the inner surface of said intermediate casing and a bottom wall secured to the inner surface of said intermediate casing to define a refrigerant liquid cavity having an open top, said jacket segments having a relatively shallow depth and being located seriatim one below the other so that the open top of one is generally closely spaced below the bottom wall of the segment next above, said series of segments extending downwardly into said well at least through that depth of the well which is to have the contiguous soils stabilized, d. at least one overflow tube in each jacket segment extending from near the open top down through the liquid cavity and through the bottom wall to permit flow of refrigerant liquid from one segment to the segment next below, e. The jacket walls of the jacket segments also being spaced from said inner series of casings to define a continuous refrigerant vapor annulus extending from the bottommost to the topmost jacket segment to permit vaporized refrigerant to carry off heat from said well, and f. means at the head of said well for condensing said vapor and returning it as liquid to the jacket segments.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The refrigeration system according to claim 1 and in which said jacket segments extend substantially completely around the inner surface of said intermediate casing to form a substantially complete annular refrigerant liquid cavity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The refrigeration system according to claim 1 and in which said jacket segments form a substantially complete annulus which is subdivided into arcuate sectors, each of which includes at least one overflow tube therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The refrigeration systeM according to claim 1 and in which said jacket segments have a depth of from about 2 to about 20 feet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The refrigeration system according to claim 1 and in which said jacket segments have a depth of from about 9 to 13 feet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
227 words
A concatenated jacket refrigeration system for the stabilization of soils contiguous to oil and gas wells, comprising: a. a first series of inner casings from which heat is radiated, b. a series of refrigeration casings disposed around and generally concentrically with and radially spaced from said first series of casings, c. a seris of open topped, relatively shallow jacket segments secured at their lower ends to the inner surface of said refrigeration casings and shaped to define a liquid refrigerant cavity between said jacket and said refrigeration casing, said jacket segments being located so that the top of one segment is generally closely spaced below the bottom of the segment next above, each of said segments also including at least one overflow tube extending from near the top of said segment and extending downwardly to and opening through the bottom thereof so that refrigerant liquid runs through said tube and flows into the segment next below, d. the jacket segments being spaced from said inner series of casings to define a substantially continuous refrigerant vapor annulus extending from the bottommost to above the topmost jacket segment to permit refrigerant vaporized by said heat from said inner casings to be carried upwardly through said vapor annulus, and e. means at the head of said well for condensing said vapor and returning it as liquid to the jacket segments.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
227 words
A concatenated jacket refrigeration system for the stabilization of soils contiguous to oil and gas wells, comprising: a. a first series of inner casings from which heat is radiated, b. a series of refrigeration casings disposed around and generally concentrically with and radially spaced from said first series of casings, c. a seris of open topped, relatively shallow jacket segments secured at their lower ends to the inner surface of said refrigeration casings and shaped to define a liquid refrigerant cavity between said jacket and said refrigeration casing, said jacket segments being located so that the top of one segment is generally closely spaced below the bottom of the segment next above, each of said segments also including at least one overflow tube extending from near the top of said segment and extending downwardly to and opening through the bottom thereof so that refrigerant liquid runs through said tube and flows into the segment next below, d. the jacket segments being spaced from said inner series of casings to define a substantially continuous refrigerant vapor annulus extending from the bottommost to above the topmost jacket segment to permit refrigerant vaporized by said heat from said inner casings to be carried upwardly through said vapor annulus, and e. means at the head of said well for condensing said vapor and returning it as liquid to the jacket segments.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The refrigeration system according to claim 6 and in which said jacket segments extend substantially completely around the inner surface of said intermediate casing to form a substantially complete annular refrigerant liquid cavity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The refrigeration system according to claim 6 and in which said jacket segments form a substantially complete annulus which is subdivided into arcuate sectors, each of which includes at least one overflow tube therein.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The refrigeration system according to claim 6 and in which said jacket segments have a depth of from about 2 to about 20 feet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The refrigeration system according to claim 6 and in which said jacket segments have a depth of from about 9 to 13 feet.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-01 | 1977-04-02 | 1977-10-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-01 | 1981-04-02 | 1981-10-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-01 | 1985-04-02 | 1985-10-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |