System and method for geothermal heat harvesting

• Main Authors: COOK RANDOLPH H, NICOLATO JOSEPH EDWARD, HALL JONATHAN JAMES, KANG SUKHVINDER S
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.10.2015
• Subjects: BLASTING; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GEOTHERMAL COLLECTORS; GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; RANGES; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; VENTILATING; WEAPONS

A system and method for deploying a heat harvesting system and for harvesting heat from a geothermal well using one or more heat pipes. A heat exchanger may receive heat from one or more heat pipes for transfer to a heat receiving component. The heat pipes may be thermally coupled to the heat exchanger via a thermal gap material having a relatively low thermal conductivity. A mounting component may engage heat pipes and define a thermal gap between the heat pipes and heat exchanger. A heat spreader, having a relatively high thermal conductivity, may be used to transfer heat from the heat pipes to the thermal gap material and help define a working temperature for the heat pipes. A heat pipe deployment system may include anti-buckling supports and/or a guide to help keep the heat pipes from buckling and to guide the heat pipes into corresponding well bores during deployment.