Method and apparatus for controlling fluency of high viscosity hydrocarbon fluids

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling .Iadd.the .Iaddend.fluency of hydrocarbon fluids having a kinematic viscosity in the range of 350 seconds Saybolt Universal to 10,000 seconds Saybolt Universal at 100° F. Electromagnetic waves generated by a power source are directed through a dielectric medium towards a contained hydrocarbon fluid of the foregoing type. The electromagnetic energy is converted into thermal energy within the hydrocarbon fluid for controlling its fluency. .Iadd.The hydrocarbon fluid whose fluency is to be controlled may be located within a geological substrate to which the electromagnetic energy is applied. .Iaddend.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A heating apparatus comprising: a. a source of electromagnetic energy;   b. container means in which a .Iadd.hydrocarbon .Iaddend.fluid is confined, said container means having an inlet port and an outlet port through which said fluid flows;   c. means for directing said electromagnetic energy towards said confined .Iadd.hydrocarbon .Iaddend.fluid, said means for directing including a horn which is disposed within said container means, .Iadd.in sealing relationship therewith, .Iaddend.said horn .Iadd.having a base and an apex with walls converging toward said apex from said base and .Iaddend.composed of a material that is impervious to said .Iadd.hydrocarbon .Iaddend.fluid and is permeable to said electromagnetic energy, said electromagnetic energy .Iadd.being .Iaddend.converted into thermal energy within said .Iadd.hydrocarbon .Iaddend.fluid; and   d. control means operatively connected to said source .[.for regulating the.]. .Iadd.of .Iaddend.electromagnetic energy .[.and controlling the viscosity of said fluid by elevating its temperature.]. .Iadd.for regulating the same in response to the temperature of said hydrocarbon fluid.Iaddend..   
     
     
       2. A heating system comprising: a. oil burner means;   b. a storage tank operatively connected to said oil burner means;   c. a preheater chamber operatively connected to said oil burner means and said storage tank;   d. said storage tank and said preheater chamber configured to contain a hydrocarbon fluid;   e. source means for generating electromagnetic energy; and   f. means for directing said electromagnetic energy towards said fluid within said preheater chamber, said electromagnetic energy converted into thermal energy within said fluid for elevating the temperature of said fluid in said preheater chamber, said means for directing including a waveguide and a horn defining an open ended enclosure having an enlarged exit port through which said electromagnetic energy is transmitted, said preheater chamber formed with an opening corresponding to said exit port, a panel disposed between said exit port and said opening for sealing said open ended enclosure and said preheater chamber, said panel composed of a material that is impervious to said fluid and is permeable to said electromagnetic energy.   
     
     
       3. A method for heating a contained hydrocarbon fluid comprising the steps of: a. generating electromagnetic energy .Iadd.in the frequency range from of about 300 megahertz to about 300 gigahertz; .Iaddend.   b. .[.coupling.]. .Iadd.propagating .Iaddend.said electromagnetic energy through conduit means;   c. positioning deflection means .Iadd.relative to said conduit means and .Iaddend.within a geological substrate.[.;.]..Iadd., which includes contained hydrocarbon fluid, for controlling the direction of deflection of substantially all of said electromagnetic energy propagated through said conduit means; .Iaddend.   d. directing said electromagnetic energy .[.towards.]. .Iadd.relative to said conduit means toward .Iaddend.said deflection means, said electromagnetic energy .Iadd.thereby being .Iaddend.deflected .[.towards.]. .Iadd.from said deflection means toward .Iaddend.said geological substrate;   .[.d..]. .Iadd.e. .Iaddend.releasing the contained hydrocarbon fluid by elevating the temperature of the hydrocarbon fluid with said electromagnetic energy which is converted into thermal energy within the .Iadd.hydrocarbon .Iaddend.fluid; and   .[.e..]. .Iadd.f. .Iaddend.pumping said .[.released.]. hydrocarbon fluid .Iadd.which as been released from said geological substrate .Iaddend.to a container.   
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in claim 3 including the step of inserting said conduit means into a geological substrate in which the hydrocarbon fluid is confined. 
     
     
       5. A heating apparatus comprising: a. a source of electromagnetic energy;   b. a confined fluid having a viscosity in the approximate range of 350 to 10,000 seconds Saybolt Universal at 100° F.;   c. means for directing said electromagnetic energy towards said confined fluid, said electromagnetic energy converted into thermal energy within said fluid;   d. control means operatively connected to said source for regulating the electromagnetic energy and controlling the viscosity of said fluid by elevating its temperature; and   e. container means in which said fluid is confined, said container means having an inlet port and an outlet port through which said fluid flows, said means for directing is disposed within said container means;   f. said means for directing including a horn having a substantially pyramidal profile, said horn disposed within said container means, said horn composed of a material that is impervious to said fluid and is permeable to said electromagnetic energy, abutting surfaces of said horn and said container means being sealed to prevent leakage of said fluid .Iadd.from said container means.Iaddend..   
     
     
       6. A heating apparatus comprising: a. a source of electromagnetic energy;   b. a confined fluid having a viscosity in the approximate range of 350 to 10,000 seconds Saybolt Universal at 100° F.;   c. means for directing said electromagnetic energy towards said confined fluid, said electromagnetic energy converted into thermal energy within said fluid;   d. control means operatively connected to said source for regulating the electromagnetic energy and controlling the viscosity of said fluid by elevating its temperature; .[.and.].   e. container means in which said fluid is confined, said container means having an inlet and an outlet port through which said fluid flows, said means for directing is disposed within said container means.[...]..Iadd.; and .Iaddend.   f. said means for directing including a rectangular waveguide and a solid cone horn, said waveguide and horn constituting a sealed chamber, said electromagnetic energy introduced into said waveguide and .[.propogated.]. .Iadd.propagated .Iaddend.towards an apex of said horn, said container means formed with an opening that is configured to snugly receive said means for directing, said waveguide mounted external to said container means and said horn mounted internal of said container means, seal means provided at the abutting surfaces of said means for directing and .Iadd.said .Iaddend.container means.   
     
     
       7. The heating apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said horn is composed of a dielectric material that is impervious to said fluid and permeable to said electromagnetic energy. 
     
     
       8. The heating apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said fluid is a hydrocarbon fluid. 
     
     
       9. A heating system comprising: a. oil burner means;   b. a storage tank operatively connected to said oil burner means;   c. a preheater chamber operatively connected to said oil burner means .[.on.]. .Iadd.and .Iaddend.said storage tank;   d. a hydrocarbon fluid having a viscosity in the approximate range of 350 to 10,000 seconds Saybolt Universal .[.of.]. .Iadd.at .Iaddend.100° F. within said storage tank and said preheater chamber;   e. source means for generating electromagnetic energy; and   f. means for directing said electromagnetic energy towards said fluid within said preheater chamber, said electromagnetic energy converted into thermal energy within said fluid for elevating the temperature of said fluid in said preheater chamber, said means for directing including a waveguide and a horn defining an open ended enclosure having an enlarged exit port through which said electromagnetic energy is transmitted, said preheater chamber formed with an opening corresponding to said exit port, a panel disposed between said preheater chamber, said panel composed of a material that is impervious to said fluid and is permeable to said electromagnetic energy.   
     
     
       10. The heating apparatus as claimed in claim 9 including means for directing said electromagnetic energy towards said fluid within said storage tank, said electromagnetic energy converted into thermal energy within said fluid in said storage tank for elevating the temperature of said fluid in said storage tank. 
     
     
       11. The heating apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said source means includes a first magnetron for generating microwave energy which is directed towards said fluid in said preheater chamber and a second magnetron for generating microwave energy which is directed towards said fluid in said storage tank. 
     
     
       12. A method for heating a contained hydrocarbon fluid comprising the steps of: a. generating electromagnetic energy .Iadd.in the frequency range of about 300 megahertz to about 300 gigahertz.Iaddend.;   b. .[.coupling.]. .Iadd.propagating .Iaddend.said electromagnetic energy through conduit means;   c. inserting said conduit means into a geological substrate in which the hydrocarbon fluid is confined;   d. positioning deflection means within said geological substrate .Iadd.relative to said conduit means to control deflection of substantially all of the electromagnetic energy exiting from said conduit means.Iaddend., said electromagnetic .Iadd.energy being .Iaddend.directed .[.towards.]. .Iadd.toward .Iaddend.said deflection means .[.and deflected thereby towards said geological substrate.]. .Iadd.from said conduit means.Iaddend.;   e. .[.directing.]. .Iadd.deflecting .Iaddend.said electromagnetic energy .Iadd.in a direction substantially outwardly and upwardly from said deflection means .Iaddend.towards the contained hydrocarbon fluid.[.;.]. .Iadd.in said geological substrate .Iaddend.   f. releasing the .[.contrained.]. .Iadd.contained .Iaddend.hydrocarbon fluid by elevating the temperature of the hydrocarbon fluid with said electromagnetic energy which is converted into thermal energy within the .Iadd.hydrocarbon .Iaddend.fluid; and   g. pumping said released hydrocarbon fluid .Iadd.from said geological substrate .Iaddend.to a container. .Iadd. 13. A method for heating hydrocarbon material to increase the fluency thereof, comprising the steps of:   a. generating electromagnetic energy in the frequency range of about 300 megahertz to about 300 gigahertz;   b. directing the electromagnetic energy through a waveguide toward the hydrocarbon material; and   c. converting the electromagnetic energy into thermal energy within the hydrocarbon material to elevate the temperature of the hydrocarbon material thereby increasing the fluency of the hydrocarbon material. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the hydrocarbon material includes coal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the hydrocarbon material includes shale oil. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the   
     
     
        hydrocarbon material includes tar sand. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17.  An electromagnetic heating apparatus for heating hydrocarbon material, comprising: a. a source of electromagnetic energy for generating electromagnetic energy in the frequency range of about 300 megahertz to about 300 gigahertz;   b. a container for holding the hydrocarbon material;   c. coupling means for coupling the electromagnetic energy from said source of electromagnetic energy to the hydrocarbon material wherein the electromagnetic energy is converted into thermal energy within the hydrocarbon material to elevate the temperature of the hydrocarbon material thereby increasing the fluency of the hydrocarbon material. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the hydrocarbon material includes coal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The apparatus claimed in claim 17, wherein the hydrocarbon material includes shale oil.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.20.  The apparatus claimed in claim 17, wherein the hydrocarbon material includes tar sand. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. A method for recovering hydrocarbon fluid from a geological formation, comprising the steps of: a. generating electromagnetic energy in the frequency range of about 300 megahertz to about 300 gigahertz;   b. directing the electromagnetic energy through a conduit toward the geological formation which includes the hydrocarbon fluid;   c. deflecting the electromagnetic energy exiting from the conduit to control its entry into the geological formation;   
     
     
       d. converting the electromagnetic energy into thermal energy within the hydrocarbon fluid to elevate the temperature of the hydrocarbon fluid thereby increasing the fluency of the hydrocarbon fluid; and e. removing the hydrocarbon fluid subsequent to the converting step d.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.22.  A method for recovering oil and gases from oil shale, comprising the steps of: a. generating electromagnetic energy in the frequency range of about 300 megahertz to about 300 gigahertz;   b. directing the electromagnetic energy through a conduit toward the oil shale;   c. deflecting the electromagnetic energy exiting from the conduit to control its entry into the oil shale;   d. converting the electromagnetic energy into thermal energy within the oil and gases present in the oil shale to elevate the temperature of the oil and gases thereby increasing the fluency of the oil and gases; and   e. removing the oil and gases from the oil shale subsequent to the converting step d. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. A method for recovering oil and gases from tar sand, comprising the steps of:   a. generating electromagnetic energy in the frequency range of about 300 megahertz to about 300 gigahertz;   b. directing the electromagnetic energy through a conduit toward the tar sand;   c. deflecting the electromagnetic energy exiting from the conduit to control its entry into the tar sand;   d. converting the electromagnetic energy into thermal energy within the oil and gases present in the tar sand to elevate the temperature of the oil and gases thereby increasing the fluency of the oil and gases; and   e. removing the oil and gases from the tar sand subsequent to the   
     
     
        converting step d. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24.  A method for recovering hydrocarbon fluid from coal, comprising the steps of: a. generating electromagnetic energy in the frequency range of about 300 megahertz to about 300 gigahertz;   b. directing the electromagnetic energy through a conduit toward the coal;   c. deflecting the electromagnetic energy exiting from the conduit to control its entry into the coal;   d. converting the electromagnetic energy into thermal energy within the coal to elevate the temperature of the coal thereby increasing the fluency of the coal; and   e. removing hydrocarbon fluid resulting from the coal due to steps a. through d. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. A method of recovering hydrocarbon fluid from a geological substrate which includes the hydrocarbon fluid, comprising the steps of:   a. generating electromagnetic energy in the frequency range of about 300 megahertz to about 300 gigahertz;   b. directing the electromagnetic energy through a conduit toward the geological substrate;   c. releasing the hydrocarbon fluid from the geological substrate by elevating the temperature of the hydrocarbon fluid within the geological substrate by the action of the electromagnetic energy within the hydrocarbon fluid to increase the fluency of the hydrocarbon fluid; and   
     
     
       d. removing the released hydrocarbon fluid. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26.  The method recited in claim 25, including the step of: deflecting the generated electromagnetic energy that is directed toward the geological substrate. .Iaddend.