The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 10, 1978
Filed:
Jul. 06, 1976
Salvador Lujan Camacho, Raleigh, NC (US);
Louis Joseph Circeo, Jr, Mons, BE;
Technology Application Services Corporation, Raleigh, NC (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method utilizes a plasma arc torch as a heat source for recovering useful fuel products from in situ deposits of coal, tar sands, oil shale, and the like. When applied to a coal deposit, the plasma torch is lowered in a shaft into the deposit and serves as a means for supplying heat to the coal and thereby stripping off the volatiles. The fixed carbon is gasified by reaction with steam that is sprayed into the devolatilized area and product gases are recovered through the shaft. When applied to tar sands and oil shale, the torch is lowered in a shaft into the deposit and serves as a heat source to allow the entrapped oil in the tar sand or the kerogen in the oil shale to flow to a reservoir for collection. When economically justified, the carbonaceous matter in the tar sands or oil shale deposits may be partially or completely pyrolyzed and recovered as gaseous fuel products. Monitoring means for continuously analyzing selected properties of the fuel products enable the operator to control the operating parameters within the shaft. Subsidence of the coal deposit overburdens can be avoided by leaving pillars for support.