Harris Corporation

Tim Dittmer

Brian N Wright

Murray Hann

Verlin A Hibner

Raymond C Hewit

Mark Alan Trautman

George Cabrera

Peter John Poggi

Schuyler R Ayers

A transmission line segment coupler is for coupling together first and second coaxial transmission line segments each including an inner tubular conductor and an outer tubular conductor surrounding the inner tubular conductor and a dielectric therebetween. The coupler apparatus includes an outer tubular bearing body to be positioned within adjacent open ends of the inner tubular conductors of the first and second coaxial transmission line segments, and an inner tubular bearing body configured to slidably move within the outer tubular bearing body to define a linear bearing therewith. The inner tubular bearing body is configured to define a fluid passageway in communication with the adjacent open ends of the inner tubular conductors of the first and second coaxial transmission line segments.

Transmission line segment coupler defining fluid passage ways and related methods

An RF antenna assembly may be positioned within a wellbore in a subterranean formation for hydrocarbon resource recovery. The RF antenna assembly includes first and second tubular conductors and a feed structure therebetween defining a dipole antenna to be positioned within the wellbore, and an RF transmission line extending within one of the tubular conductors. The feed structure includes a dielectric tube, a first connector coupling the RF transmission line to the first tubular conductor, and a second connector coupling the RF transmission line to the second tubular conductor.

RF antenna assembly with feed structure having dielectric tube and related methods

An apparatus is provided for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation having a wellbore extending therein. The apparatus includes a radio frequency (RF) source, an RE antenna configured to be positioned within the wellbore, and an RF transmission line configured to be positioned within the wellbore and couple the RE source to the RE antenna. The RE transmission line defines a liquid coolant circuit therethrough. The apparatus further includes a liquid coolant source configured to be coupled to the transmission line and to provide a liquid coolant through the liquid coolant circuit having an electrical parameter that is adjustable.

Apparatus for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation providing an adjustable liquid coolant and related methods

An apparatus is provided for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation having a wellbore extending therein. The apparatus includes a radio frequency (RF) antenna configured to be positioned within the wellbore, a transmission line configured to be positioned in the wellbore and coupled to the RF antenna, and an RF source configured to be coupled to the transmission line. The apparatus also includes a balun configured to be coupled to the transmission line adjacent the RF antenna within the wellbore. The balun comprises a body defining a liquid chamber configured to receive a quantity of dielectric liquid therein.

Apparatus for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation including a fluid balun and related methods

A method is for producing hydrocarbon resources in a subterranean formation having therein an injector well and a producer well adjacent the injector well. The method may include conductively heating the subterranean formation by causing a current flow between the injector and producer wells, RF heating the subterranean formation after conductive heating by supplying RF power from at least the injector well, and producing the hydrocarbon resources from the producer well.

Method for producing hydrocarbon resources with RF and conductive heating and related apparatuses

An apparatus for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation having a wellbore extending therein is provided. The apparatus includes a radio frequency (RF) antenna configured to be positioned within the wellbore, a transmission line configured to be positioned in the wellbore and coupled to the RF antenna, and an RF source configured to be coupled with the transmission line. The transmission line includes at least one transmission line tuning section including an inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor, and a liquid-blocking plug between the inner and outer conductors to define a tuning chamber configured to receive a dielectric liquid with a gas headspace thereabove.

Hydrocarbon resource recovery apparatus including a transmission line with fluid tuning chamber and related methods

The variable power supply to an amplifier in an electrical circuit is dynamically controlled through the use of a lookup table responsive to one or more operating conditions of the electrical circuit. The lookup table is indexed by one or more of the operating conditions and the amount of amplification to be applied to an input signal to the amplifier is determined. One embodiment of the invention comprises a television transmitter circuit including a power amplifier circuit capable of amplifying a variable frequency COFDM or 8VSB input signal where the amount of amplification applied to the input signal is dynamically controlled through the use of a lookup table as a function of the frequency of the input signal.

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Viera, FL, United States of America

Tim Dittmer