Flexible Helical Heater for Soil Remediation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal conduction heater wells are stiff, difficult to install, and lack the ability to adjust heating at different depth intervals, leading to inefficient energy usage and bulky designs that require large diameter borings and specialized equipment.
Innovation Solution
A flexible helical heater with a coiled electrical resistance heating wire and a current return wire, where the coil density or pitch can be adjusted using centralizers to provide customizable heat intensities, allowing for easier installation and modification during projects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stiff tubular heaters are used for thermal conduction heating, then uniform heating over the length of the heater is achieved, but the heater becomes difficult to install and requires large diameter casings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by replacing stiff tubular heaters with flexible helical heating elements that can be coiled around a central wire. This flexible design allows the heater to be easily installed in narrow casings and drilled holes without requiring large diameter casings or special installation equipment, while still providing effective thermal conduction heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies this principle by transforming the straight tubular heater into a helical (curved) configuration. The helical shape allows the heating element to fit within smaller casings while maintaining its heating functionality, and the curvature enables easier installation in confined spaces compared to rigid straight tubes.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional stiff heaters are used, then structural stability is maintained, but the heater cannot be modified to provide heating at different depth intervals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by dividing the heating element into multiple independent heating sections along the helical wire. Each section can be independently controlled to provide heating at different depth intervals, allowing customization of the heating profile while the overall helical structure maintains structural stability through the central support wire.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies this principle by making the heating system dynamically adjustable. The flexible helical design allows the heater to be configured with varying coil densities at different depths, enabling adaptation to different heating requirements at various depth intervals while maintaining structural integrity.
3Device complexity
If uniform heating is provided over the entire heater length, then simplicity is maintained, but the ability to alter and adjust heating at different intervals is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by segmenting the helical heating wire into multiple heating sections with different coil densities. Each section can be designed with a specific pitch to provide customized heating intensity at different depth intervals, allowing both simplicity in individual section design and versatility in overall heating profile adjustment.
4Manufacturing precision
If long heaters are pre-constructed, then manufacturing quality is ensured, but they become too long to ship and must be manufactured on-site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by nesting the helical heating wire around a flexible central support wire, creating a compact coil configuration. This nested structure allows long heating elements to be compressed into compact forms that can be easily shipped and transported, then expanded into their full operational length at the installation site while maintaining manufacturing quality.
5Power
If gas burners are used for hot gas injection heating, then heating capability is achieved, but heat loss to air and acidic condensate build-up occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by replacing the mechanical combustion system (gas burners) with an electrical resistance heating system. The helical heating wire converts electrical energy directly into thermal energy through Joule heating, eliminating the need for combustion and thereby preventing heat loss to exhaust gases and acidic condensate build-up while maintaining effective heating capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies this principle by changing the energy conversion parameter from chemical combustion to electrical resistance heating. This parameter change eliminates the harmful byproducts of combustion and reduces energy loss, while the helical configuration optimizes the electrical-to-thermal energy conversion efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easier shipping, installation, and adjustment of heating at various depths, reducing the need for heavy equipment and minimizing heat loss, while fitting into smaller casings, thus improving efficiency and flexibility in thermal conduction heating applications.
Implementation Method 1
a helical electrical resistance heating wire connected to a current return wire
Implementation Method 2
thermal conduction heater wells are heating devices that are typically placed into the ground or soil pile to deliver heat energy into a contaminated media
Data Source
AI summary
A heater having a helical electrical resistance heating wire connected to and coiled around a current return wire. The heater is employed in thermal conduction heater wells used for removing contaminants from soil, groundwater or rock.