System and method of maximizing performance of a solid-state closed loop well heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger transfers heat from solid state heat conducting material to a fluid in a closed loop system. A heat harnessing component includes a closed-loop solid state heat extraction system having a heat exchanging element positioned within a heat nest in a well designed to optimize the transfer of heat from heat conductive material to a closed loop fluid flow. A piping system conveys contents heated by the heat exchanging element to a surface of the well.

1 . A heat exchanger positioned at the bottom of a well that transfers heat from solid state heat conducting material to a fluid in a closed loop system comprising:
 a heat harnessing component having a closed-loop solid state heat extraction system, the closed-loop solid state heat extraction system including a heat exchanging element positioned within a heat nest in a well designed to optimize the transfer of heat from heat conductive material to a closed loop fluid flow; and   a piping component including a set of downward-flowing pipes and a set of upward-flowing pipes, the upward-flowing pipes conveying contents of the piping component heated by the heat exchanging element to a surface of the well.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the downward-flowing pipes couple to a first side of the heat exchanging element. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the upward-flowing pipes couple to a second side of the heat exchanging element. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanging element is a pipe that has a larger diameter than the downward and upward piping components. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanging element comprises a double helix shape where the diameter of the pipe in the double helix is equal to or greater than the downward and upward pipe components in which the piping system within the heat exchanging element comprises at least one twisted pipe to increase the distance and slow the of the fluid flowing through the piping system of the heat exchanging element. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanging element includes a plurality of capillaries. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the contents of the downward-flowing pipes are dispersed through the plurality of capillaries after entering the heat exchanging element. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein each capillary in the plurality of capillaries has a diameter smaller than a diameter of the downward-flowing pipes, thereby allowing the contents of the piping system to heat quickly as the contents pass through the plurality of capillaries. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the sum of the volume of the capillaries attached to each of the downward and upward pipe components is greater than the volume of the pipe components thereby allowing the fluid to spend more time in the heat exchanging element. 
     
     
         10 . The system wherein the heat exchanging element is built in modules that attach to one another with connecting pipes to form a heat exchanger of variable length. The heat exchanger element module at the bottom of the string of modules connects the downward flowing pipe to the upward flowing pipe creating a closed loop.