Wells – Processes – Electric current or electrical wave energy through earth for...
Patent
1993-08-02
1994-07-05
Novosad, Stephen J.
Wells
Processes
Electric current or electrical wave energy through earth for...
166302, 166246, 166250, 219419, E21B 3604, E21B 4322, E21B 4324, G01V 304
Patent
active
053259181
ABSTRACT:
A method for simultaneously heating the subsurface and imaging the effects of the heating. This method combines the use of tomographic imaging (electrical resistance tomography or ERT) to image electrical resistivity distribution underground, with joule heating by electrical currents injected in the ground. A potential distribution is established on a series of buried electrodes resulting in energy deposition underground which is a function of the resistivity and injection current density. Measurement of the voltages and currents also permits a tomographic reconstruction of the resistivity distribution. Using this tomographic information, the current injection pattern on the driving electrodes can be adjusted to change the current density distribution and thus optimize the heating. As the heating changes conditions, the applied current pattern can be repeatedly adjusted (based on updated resistivity tomographs) to affect real time control of the heating.
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Berryman James G.
Daily William D.
Gaither Roger S.
Moser William R.
Novosad Stephen J.
Sartorio Henry P.
The United States of America as represented by the United States
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