Other

Iit Research Institute

Krone Aktiengesellschaft

Pyrophase, Inc.

Baker Hughes Corporation

Baker Hughes, a Ge Compnay, LLC

Haworth, Inc.

Krone Gmbh

Richard H Snow

Jack E Bridges

Ross S Johnson

Timothy James Pickles

Geoffrey Presley

Silviu Livescu

Guggilam C Sresty

Ralph E Reddig

Allen Taflove

Thomas J Watkins

David E Emery

Harsh Dev

Armin Hassanzadeh

Jesse Mohrbacher

Tim Pickles

C Dino Pappas

Arthur Handelman

The present invention reduces viscosity of highly viscous materials before entering a pump inlet by applying radio-frequency heating to the volume of material in a cage of rods that serve as electrodes surrounding a perforated inlet conduit. Applications include heavy hydrocarbonaceous materials such as tar and pitch in reservoirs, and sludge accumulating within oil storage tanks, ships, and barges. A mixer can be added to aid the process.

Radiofrequency pump inlet electric heater

Heavy hydro-carbonaceous materials such as bitumen are upgraded in supercritical water in a continuous-flow reactor system. The present invention provides a reactor arrangement for and a method of converting bitumen and other highly viscous hydrocarbon containing materials into pumpable liquids to enable further processing of such materials while avoiding production of char. The process can be carried out in an underground reactor based on oil well technology. The reactor design and method facilitates mass transfer to dissolve bitumen in heated water and breaks down heavy hydrocarbons by controlling the temperature and pressure in zones within the flowing stream. The reactor may include an embedded electric heater.

Reactor and method for upgrading heavy hydrocarbons with supercritical fluids

Arrangements for transmitting electrical operating power to a downhole electrically operated tool via a dual-walled conductive running string.

Dual-walled running string for electric devices with power transmission through running string

An electric barrier to limit crossing of a border or perimeter. It consists of rows of vertical electrodes installed underground or above ground. It has two modes of operation. In an RF heating mode a generator powers electric fields to heat the ground in a pattern around the fence. A temperature may be reached which makes human occupation of tunnels untenable. Humans may also be subjected to RF radiation effects, especially if the frequency is tuned to a resonant frequency of tunnel cavities. Detection of a resonant frequency by suitable instrumentation may also indicate the presence of tunnels. In another mode occupants of a tunnel may be subjected to shock from an electric pulse, without heating, depending on small amounts of moisture to transmit the pulse through soil to the tunnel.

Electric defense field

A dipole antenna system emplaced in a subsurface formation is configured to produce radio frequency (RF) fields for recovery of thermally responsive constituents in a subsurface formation. Coaxially disposed inner and outer conductors connected at an earth surface to an RF power source form a transmission line carrying power from the earth surface to a dipole antenna proximate said formation. The inner conductor protrudes from the outer conductor at a junction forming one pole of the antenna. The system also includes at least one choke structure attached to the outer conductor at a distance at least &#xbc; wavelength above said junction, confining the RF fields such that the exposed portion of the outer conductor between the junction and the choke forms a second pole of the antenna. The dipole system is configured to confine a majority of said RF fields in a volume of said formation situated adjacent to the antenna. The antenna deposits heat into the formation around an oil well independent of the flow of oil carrying heat back into the well. Such heating provides several mechanisms to enhance the flow of oil into a well.

Stimulating production from oil wells using an RF dipole antenna

Hydrocarbon production from subterranean formations is stimulated by heating. A dual-walled coiled tubing radio frequency heating arrangement is described that can be disposed into a wellbore and energized to heat the surrounding formation.

Subterranean heating with dual-walled coiled tubing

A method and system of buying a product for delivery to a specific individual or entity using a customized picture frame which includes selecting and placing an order for a specific item to be prepared and delivered. A photographic image of the provider is transmitted by the entity where the purchase was made to the intended recipient at the time of the order or when the order is ready for delivery. The provider and preparation and delivery entity both have a supply of the customized picture frames, and whoever is making the delivery of the product places the photographic image of the provider in one of these frames in one of several available ways to secure the framed picture along with an accompanying written message to the product for delivery. The framed picture is easily removed from the product and can be placed on a desk or mantle for viewing or used in any other way for the enjoyment of the recipient.

Method and system for ordering and delivering a product

A communication cabling system wherein elongate communication distribution assemblies (CDAs) are joined serially together by connector units at opposite ends thereof. The interconnected CDAs include access ports or openings into which a tap unit may be inserted and connected to a circuit which is accessible through the access port. Each CDA can be adapted to carry a selected number of circuits wherein each connector unit at an opposite end of a CDA includes a block-like shielded housing having a predetermined number of mounting sockets on a back end thereof. A plurality of modular cable assemblies are provided which have plugs that plug into a respective one of the mounting sockets of the shielded housing so as to assemble a CDA. This system provides for the ready construction, installation and reconfiguration of the communication cabling system.

Telecommunications cabling arrangement

A contact alignment body (,) is provided with a plurality of alignment region grooves (,) and wire openings (,). A plurality of contact elements (,) are provided, each having a wire side end positioned in one of the alignment region grooves (,) with the wire side end extending into the wire openings (,) of the contact alignment body (,). A contact displacement member (,) is connected to the contact elements. A wire guide (,) is positioned adjacent the contact alignment body (,) and includes a plurality of wire channels (,). The wire guide (,) has a cable end of a small width and a contact alignment body end of a larger width. The wire channels (,) provide wire paths of substantially identical lengths extending from the cable end to the contact alignment body end. A cable (,) with wire terminating ends (,) are inserted in the wire channels (,) of the wire guide (,) with a contact portion of the wire terminating ends (,) extending out of the wire channels (,). The contact portions of the wire terminating ends (,) are electrically connected with corresponding contact elements (,), at the wire side ends of the contact elements (,). The cable (,), the wire guide (,) and the contact alignment body (,) are joined by positioning a portion of the cable (,), the wire guide (,) and a portion of the contact alignment body (,) in a mold and injecting material in the mold to form an overlay molded housing.

High density high performance telecommunications/data link and connector with tap and contact displacement assembly

A telecommunications/data link and connector assembly is provided including a transmission cable comprising a plurality of transmission lines, a first interface end assembly and a second interface end assembly. The first interface end assembly comprises a first contact alignment body including a line connection end and an opposite end. A first end plurality of contact elements is provided with each of the contact elements being positioned and aligned by the first contact alignment body and extending from adjacent to the line connection end toward the opposite end. Each of the first side contact elements is movable between a contact position and a non-contact position. Each of the first side contact elements includes a contact area and a line connection area for an electrical connection with a line. A first end shield housing is provided wherein the first contact alignment body is disposed in the first end shield housing in a locked position. The contact alignment body may be removed from the first shield upon unlocking. The second interface end assembly has a second contact alignment body including a line connection end and an opposite end. A second end plurality of contact elements is provided with each of the contact elements being positioned and aligned by the second contact alignment body and extending from adjacent to the line connection end toward the opposite end. Each of the second side contact elements is movable between a contact position and a non-contact position, each of the second side contact elements including a contact area and a line connection area for an electrical connection with a line. A second end shield housing is provided wherein the second contact alignment body is disposed in the second end shield housing in a locked position.

A telecommunications and data connector with a connector first side assembly having a first side base portion formed of plastic and defining a plurality of grooves. The connector first side assembly also includes a first side plurality of contact elements. Each of the contacts extend from a wire end toward an assembly connection end. Each of the first side contact elements is movable between a contact position, and a non-contact position. A connector second side assembly is provided which is substantially identical to the connector first side assembly. The connector first side assembly and the connector second side assembly are connectable in a mated position wherein individual contact areas of the first side plurality of contacts make electrical contact with the corresponding individual contact areas of the second plurality of electrical contacts. The contact assemblies each include a hermaphroditic connector for coupling the assemblies together. A tap is insertable between the first side base portion and the second side base portion for tapping signals carried by one or more of the first side plurality of contacts.

High density high performance connector

An apparatus for scooping up and depositing a golf ball on a permanent golf range tee includes a ball retaining platform member having an upper surface and a lower surface, and having an edge including a ball-retaining notch for receiving and retaining a golf ball, a tee locating member joined to the platform member by a hinge or sliding posts for permitting the tee locating member and the platform member to move toward each other and away from each other to a predetermined extent while remaining structurally connected, so that the tee locating member may be slidably spaced below the lower surface, the tee locating member having an edge with a tee-receiving notch, and an elongate handle member having a first end and a second end and secured to the platform member at the first end. A method of positioning a golf ball onto an upright golf range tee, using the above-described apparatus, includes the steps of gripping a second end of the handle member and placing the platform member near a golf ball, maneuvering the ball onto the platform member upper surface and into the notch, lifting the apparatus and ball with the handle member, fitting the tee locating member notch around and against the shank portion of a mounted golf range tee, thereby automatically positioning the ball directly over the tee, and lowering the handle and platform members until the ball rests on the tee, and then maneuvering the platform member out from under the ball, leaving the ball mounted on the tee.

Golf range ball positioner

A water-containing region at or near the surface of the earth, such as a landfill, that is contaminated with hazardous materials is decontaminated by heating the region with bound radio frequency energy from a bound-wave transmission line excitor array disposed outside the region to a temperature to boil water and thereby increase the permeability of the region. The heating is continued by dielectric heating after water has boiled from at least a portion of the region to heat the portion to elevated temperatures substantially above the boiling point of water. The materials may then be rendered innocuous in situ in a number of ways, as by pyrolysis, thermally assisted decomposition, or reaction with an introduced reagent, such as oxygen. The materials may also be driven from the region, as by distillation or by evaporation and steam drive and then collected and disposed of, as by incineration.

In situ decontamination of spills and landfills by radio frequency

A method of electromagnetic heating in situ recovers liquid hydrocarbons from an earth formation containing viscous hydrocarbonaceous liquid and water in an inorganic matrix where the formation is substantially impermeable to fluids under native conditions. A block of the earth formation is substantially uniformly heated with electromagnetic power to a temperature at which the viscous hydrocarbonaceous liquid is relatively fluid and a portion of the water vaporizes to water vapor at a pressure sufficient to overcome the capillary pressure of the liquid in the matrix. Water vapor thereupon escaping from the block under such pressure is recovered with hydrocarbonaceous liquid driven thereby. The magnitude of the electromagnetic power is controlled to limit the current recovery ratio of water vapor to hydrocarbonaceous liquid below a predetermined limit assuring substantial recovery of the hydrocarbonaceous liquid prior to the driving off of substantially all the water.

Growing community of inventors

Chicago, IL, United States of America

Richard H Snow