Systems and methods for extracting and processing gases from submerged sources

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9309473-B2
Application number	US-201414215767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2014
Priority date	Aug 12, 2011
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods for extracting and processing gases from submerged sources are disclosed. A system for removing and processing a gas from a submerged area in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a membrane or other open-bottom structure having a port and being disposed over at least a portion of the submerged area so as to at least partially enclose a volume of the gas. The system can further include a chemical reactor coupled to the open-bottom structure to receive the gas, and positioned to conduct a non-combustion reaction to dissociate a constituent from a donor substance of the gas.

First claim

I claim:

1. A system for removing and processing a gas from a submerged area, comprising:
a membrane disposed over at least a portion of the submerged area and at least partially enclosing a gas volume, the membrane having an extraction port;
an extraction conduit having first and second portions, the first portion being in fluid communication with the gas volume via the extraction port; and
a chemical reactor coupled to the second portion of the extraction conduit to receive gas from the gas volume, the chemical reactor having a reaction zone positioned to conduct a non-combustion reaction to dissociate a donor substance of the gas to produce at least one dissociated product, wherein the donor substance includes a hydrogen donor, and wherein the dissociated product includes a structural building block.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the membrane has a peripheral edge and a highest point located inwardly from the peripheral edge, and wherein the extraction port is positioned at the highest point of the membrane.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the membrane includes a gas release port positioned to release a portion of the gas volume from the membrane.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the membrane is deformable to define, at least in part, a reservoir enclosing the gas volume.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a floating support structure carrying the chemical reactor.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a turbine coupled between the extraction conduit and the chemical reactor to extract power from a flow of the gas through the extraction conduit.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a set of filters for separating harvested gas hydrates received from the extraction conduit.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a heat distributor operatively coupled to the extraction conduit for delivering warm water to the submerged area;
a moveable pickup bell operatively coupled to the extraction conduit for capturing the gas hydrates from an inner capture zone; and
an outer flexible skirt operatively coupled to the extraction conduit for capturing the gas hydrates from an outer capture zone.

9. A system for removing and processing a gas from a submerged area, comprising:
an open-bottom structure disposed over at least a portion of the submerged area and at least partially enclosing a gas volume, the structure having an extraction port; and
a chemical reactor coupled to the open-bottom structure to receive gas from the gas volume, the chemical reactor having a reaction zone positioned to conduct a non-combustion reaction to dissociate a constituent from a donor substance of the gas to produce at least one dissociated product, wherein the donor substance includes a hydrogen donor, and wherein the dissociated product includes a structural building block.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the open-bottom structure is a generally rigid structure.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the open-bottom structure includes a membrane.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the open-bottom structure has a peripheral edge and a highest point located inwardly from the peripheral edge, and wherein the extraction port is positioned at the highest point of the open-bottom structure.

13. A method of removing and processing a gas from a submerged area, comprising:
deploying an open-bottom structure over at least a portion of the submerged area to at least partially enclose a gas volume;
collecting the gas under the open-bottom structure;
delivering the gas from the submerged area; and
dissociating a constituent from a donor substance of the gas in a non-combustive reaction to produce at least one dissociated product, wherein the donor substance includes a hydrogen donor, and wherein the dissociated product includes a structural building block.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein deploying the open-bottom structure includes deploying a membrane, and positioning an inner region of the membrane at a higher elevation than a peripheral region of the membrane.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
releasing excess gas from the volume of gas via a gas release port in the membrane.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein collecting the gas includes:
deforming the open-bottom structure to define, at least in part, a reservoir enclosing the gas volume.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein delivering the gas includes delivering the gas through an extraction conduit between a port in the open-bottom structure and the surface of a body of water disposed over the submerged area.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein delivering the gas includes passing the gas through a turbine to extract work from the gas.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein dissociating the gas includes performing a first dissociation reaction when the gas has a first composition and performing a second dissociation reaction different than the first when the gas has a second composition different than the first composition.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
identifying a property of the gas;
routing a first portion of the gas to a first reactor when the gas has a first composition corresponding to the property;
dissociating a first hydrogen-bearing constituent from the first portion in a first non-combustion reaction;
routing a second portion of the gas to a second reactor when the gas has a second composition different than the first composition and corresponding to the property; and
dissociating a second hydrogen-bearing constituent from the second portion in a second non-combustion reaction different than the first non-combustion reaction.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
routing the gas to the first reactor when the gas has a carbon dioxide concentration below a threshold level; and
routing the gas to the second reactor when the gas has a carbon dioxide concentration above a threshold level.

22. The system of claim 1 , wherein the membrane further comprises a system of strong fibers such as glass or carbon-based filaments and/or carbon reinforced or metalized thin film.

23. The system of claim 1 , wherein the membrane is secured over the submerged area by placing weights over or within the membrane.

24. The system of claim 1 , wherein the membrane further comprises a membrane outlet port, wherein the extraction conduit extends through the membrane outlet port.

25. The system of claim 1 , wherein the chemical reactor includes a first chemical reactor and the reaction is a first reaction, and wherein the system further comprises:
a second chemical reactor coupled to the extraction conduit second portion, the second chemical reactor having a reaction zone positioned to conduct a second non-combustion dissociation reaction different than the first reaction;
a valve disposed between the extraction conduit second portion and the chemical reactors to route gas having a first composition to the first reactor and gas having a second composition different than the first to the second reactor;
a sensor in fluid communication with the extraction conduit; and
a controller coupled to the sensor and the valve to direct the gas to the second chemical reactor when the sensor detects a sufficient level of gas having the second composition.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the controller is coupled to the sensor and the valve to direct the gas to the fir

Assignees

• Mcalister Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Mcalister Roy Edward

Classifications

• E21B41/0099

  specially adapted for drilling for or production of natural hydrate or clathrate gas reservoirs; Drilling through or monitoring of formations containing gas hydrates or clathrates · CPC title

• E21B43/0122

  Collecting oil or the like from a submerged leakage (cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or the like E02B15/04) · CPC title

• F02M21/0287

  characterised by the transition from liquid to gaseous phase (F02M21/06 takes precedence); Injection in liquid phase; Cooling and low temperature storage · CPC title

• F02M21/0206

  Non-hydrocarbon fuels, e.g. hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide · CPC title

• F24T10/20

  using underground water as working fluid; using working fluid injected directly into the ground, e.g. using injection wells and recovery wells · CPC title