Systems and methods for collecting and processing permafrost gases, and for cooling permafrost
View Patent ↗Systems and methods for collecting and processing permafrost gases and for cooling permafrost are disclosed herein. A method in accordance with a particular embodiment for processing gas in a permafrost region includes obtaining a gas from a sacrificial area of a thawing permafrost region, dissociating the gas in a non-combustive chemical process, and circulating a constituent of the gas through a savable area of the thawing permafrost region to cool the savable area. In particular embodiments, this process can be used to cool selected areas of permafrost and/or create clean-burning fuels and/or other products from permafrost gases.
1. A system for cooling permafrost, comprising:
a chemical reactor coupled to a source of gas located at a first permafrost region to conduct a non-combustion reaction that dissociates the gas into first and second constituents;
a first conduit portion coupled to the chemical reactor to convey the first constituent in a gas phase to an intermediate location, the intermediate location having a higher elevation than an elevation of the chemical reactor;
a phase change device located at the intermediate location to change the phase of the first constituent from the gas phase to a liquid phase;
a second conduit coupled to the phase change device to convey the first constituent in the liquid phase to a second permafrost region; and
a heat exchanger coupled to the second conduit to receive the first constituent in the liquid phase, the heat exchanger being positioned to transfer heat from the second permafrost region to the first constituent, the heat exchanger having a lower elevation than the elevation of the intermediate location.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger is a first heat exchanger, and wherein the phase change device includes a second heat exchanger.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the phase change device includes a condenser.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the phase change device includes a compressor.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the constituent is a first constituent, and wherein the system further comprises a mixer positioned at the intermediate location and coupled to at least one of the first and second conduits to mix a second constituent with the first constituent.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the intermediate location is positioned at least 500 feet above the first location, the second location, or both the first and second locations.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger extends into the second permafrost region via vertical holes bored into permafrost at the second permafrost region.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas is a hydrogen-bearing donor, and wherein the first constituent includes hydrogen.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas is a hydrocarbon, the first constituent includes hydrogen, and the second constituent includes carbon.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a barrier disposed over the first permafrost region, the barrier having a peripheral region and a gas exit port;
a seal disposed at the peripheral region of the barrier to at least restrict the gas from exiting the barrier; and
a coupling connected between the chemical reactor and the gas exit port to convey the gas to the chemical reactor, the chemical reactor having a reaction zone positioned to conduct a non-combustion reaction that dissociates a hydrogen-bearing constituent from the gas.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the barrier includes a film.
12. The system of claim 1 wherein the chemical reactor has a reaction zone to process methane into a carbon-bearing constituent and a hydrogen bearing constituent.
13. A system for cooling permafrost, comprising:
a first heat exchanger having a first elevation and being positioned at a first permafrost region to provide heat to the first permafrost region;
a second heat exchanger having a second elevation and being positioned at a second permafrost region to receive heat from the second permafrost region, the second heat exchanger being in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger to transfer heat from the second permafrost region to the first permafrost region;
a phase change device positioned between the first permafrost region and the second permafrost region, the phase change device being positioned at a third elevation greater than the first elevation and greater than the second elevation;
a first conduit coupled between the first heat exchanger and the phase change device to deliver a heat transfer fluid in gas phase to the phase change device; and
a second conduit coupled between the phase change device and the second heat exchanger to deliver the heat transfer fluid in liquid phase to the second heat exchanger.
14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a chemical reactor coupled to the first permafrost region to receive a donor gas from the first permafrost region and conduct a non-combustion reaction that dissociates the donor gas into first and second constituents.
15. A method for cooling permafrost, comprising:
obtaining a gas from a sacrificial area of a permafrost region;
dissociating a constituent from the gas in a non-combustive chemical process;
elevating the constituent in a gas phase from a first elevation to an intermediate elevation higher than the first elevation;
at the intermediate elevation, changing the phase of the constituent from gas phase to liquid phase;
under the force of gravity, directing the constituent in liquid phase from the intermediate elevation to a second elevation lower than the intermediate elevation; and
circulating the constituent through a savable area of the permafrost region at the second elevation to cool the savable area.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein changing the phase of the constituent includes cooling the constituent.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein an ambient temperature at the second elevation is less than an outside temperature at the first elevation.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein changing the phase of the constituent includes compressing the constituent.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the second elevation is at least 500 feet above the first elevation.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein obtaining the gas from the sacrificial area includes collecting the gas within a barrier disposed over the sacrificial area.
21. The method of claim 15 wherein the constituent includes hydrogen.
22. The method of claim 15 wherein the gas includes a hydrocarbon, the constituent is a first constituent that includes hydrogen, and wherein the method further comprises dissociating a second constituent from the gas, the second constituent including carbon.
23. The method of claim 15 wherein the constituent is a first constituent and wherein the method further comprises:
forming a structural building block from a second constituent dissociated from the gas in the non-combustive chemical process; and
forming a durable good from the structural building block.
24. The method of claim 23 further comprising using the durable good to collect additional permafrost gas.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein the durable good includes a film, and wherein using the durable good to collect additional permafrost gas includes disposing the film over a permafrost region.
26. The method of claim 24 wherein the durable good includes a conduit, and wherein using the durable good to collect additional permafrost gas includes directing a gas through the conduit.