System and method for generation and extraction of fossil fuel and hydrogen from a geologic formation with increased energy efficiency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In-situ fuel conversion techniques in geologic formations face inefficiencies due to heat loss through heat conduction or advection to surrounding rock formations, leading to reduced energy efficiency and increased carbon footprint.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method and system that combines thermal conversion of precursor materials with geothermal energy harvesting to recover and reuse heat, utilizing open-loop or closed-loop geothermal systems to recycle heat for heating, fuel extraction, and energy storage, thereby enhancing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If in-situ thermal conversion is used to generate fuel from precursor material, then fuel production is achieved, but heat is lost to surrounding rock formations through conduction and advection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures the heat that would otherwise be lost to surrounding rock formations through conduction and advection, and converts this waste heat into a useful resource by using it to heat additional target volumes or preheat injection fluids, thereby improving overall process efficiency and reducing energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers heat from the geologic formation after fuel generation, capturing the thermal energy that would naturally dissipate, and reuses it for heating target volumes or other process requirements, effectively recovering what would otherwise be discarded energy
2Productivity
If more heat is supplied to increase fuel conversion efficiency, then thermal conversion rate improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers thermal energy from the geologic formation after fuel generation and reuses it to heat target volumes or preheat injection fluids, reducing the amount of primary energy input needed while maintaining or improving thermal conversion efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The recovered heat is utilized for multiple purposes including heating additional target volumes, preheating injection fluids, and maintaining formation temperature, allowing the same thermal energy to serve multiple functions and reduce overall energy consumption
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
The solution effectively recovers and reuses heat that would otherwise be lost, improving the energy efficiency of fuel extraction processes and reducing the carbon footprint by integrating thermal conversion with geothermal energy harvesting systems.
Implementation Method 1
heating a target volume in the geologic formation to generate the fuel via thermal conversion of a precursor material
Implementation Method 2
heat loss through heat conduction or advection to surrounding rock formations
Implementation Method 3
heat loss through heat conduction or advection to surrounding rock formations
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Abstract A method for extracting a fuel from a geologic formation comprises heating a target volume in the geologic formation to generate the fuel via thermal conversion of a precursor material, thereby also heating a part of the geologic formation, extracting the generated fuel from the geologic formation; recovering heat from the geologic formation; and using the recovered heat for one or more of: heating the target volume, heating a different target volume, extracting the fuel, recovering the heat from the geologic formation, processing the extracted fuel, and converting the recovered heat into another form of storable energy.