Method, system and apparatus for subsurface flow manipulation

Abstract

A method for flow manipulation within a porous volume. Steps include inducing a sequence of fluid flows between fluid sources and fluid sinks disposed at at least three spaced locations in or around a porous volume, the fluid flows being induced by providing fluid at one or more of the sources and extracting fluid at one or more of the sinks. Successive fluid flows in the sequence are induced at predetermined times and oriented in different directional orientations between different sources and sinks, the successive fluid flows define different flow volumes which at least partially intersect one another, and the successive fluid flows are selected to induce cross-directional flows to mix one or more fluids in the porous volume.

1 . A method of flow manipulation, comprising:
 inducing a sequence of fluid flows between fluid sources and fluid sinks disposed at at least three spaced locations in or around a porous volume, the fluid flows being induced by providing fluid at one or more of the sources and extracting fluid at one or more of the sinks;   wherein successive fluid flows in the sequence are induced at predetermined times and oriented in different directional orientations between different sources and sinks,   wherein the successive fluid flows define different flow volumes which at least partially intersect one another, and   wherein the successive fluid flows are selected to induce cross-directional flows to mix one or more fluids in the porous volume.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an angle between the different directional orientations is between about 30° and 180°. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the porous volume is a subsurface volume. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the fluid sources is disposed at the same location as one of the fluid sinks. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein extracting fluid is performed a predetermined time after providing the fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one of:
 the fluid comprises at least one of a gas and a liquid; or   the fluid consists of a gas or a liquid.   
     
     
         7 . Use of the method of  claim 1 , to perform at least one of:
 extracting minerals, gases or liquids from a subsurface volume;   extracting or delivering heat from or to a subsurface volume;   sequestering a substance or substances within a subsurface volume;   chemically reacting a constituent of the fluid with a substance in a subsurface volume;   conducting heap leaching of a porous volume of processed particulate; and   forming a flow barrier in or around a subsurface volume.   
     
     
         8 . A method of subsurface flow manipulation, comprising:
 providing fluid at at least first and second spaced subsurface locations about a porous subsurface volume;   extracting fluid at at least third and fourth spaced subsurface locations around the subsurface volume;   wherein providing fluid at the first subsurface location is performed before extracting fluid at the third subsurface location,   wherein providing fluid at the second subsurface location is performed after extracting fluid at the third subsurface location,   wherein extracting fluid at the fourth subsurface location is performed after providing fluid at the second subsurface location   wherein the first, second, third and fourth locations are arranged such that different path lines from the first and second locations to the third and fourth locations cross each other, and fluid travelling through the subsurface volume from the at least first and second spaced locations is forced to take different paths to the at least third and fourth spaced locations to thereby induce cross-directional flows in the subsurface volume.   
     
     
         9 . The method of any one of  claim 8 , wherein extracting fluid is performed a predetermined time after providing fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein one of:
 the fluid comprises at least one of a gas and a liquid; or   the fluid consists of a gas or a liquid.   
     
     
         11 . Use of the method of  claim 8 , to perform at least one of:
 extracting minerals, gases or liquids from a subsurface volume;   extracting or delivering heat from or to a subsurface volume;   sequestering a substance or substances within a subsurface volume;   chemically reacting a constituent of the fluid with a substance in a subsurface volume;   conducting heap leaching of a porous volume of processed particulate; and   forming a flow barrier in or around a subsurface volume.   
     
     
         12 . A method of flow manipulation, comprising:
 mixing one or more fluids in a porous volume by inducing at predetermined times a series of cross-directional fluid flows between fluid sources and fluid sinks disposed at at least three spaced locations in or around the porous volume.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein an angle between different directional orientations of successive fluid flows in the series of cross-directional fluid flows is between about 30° and 180°. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the porous volume is a subsurface volume. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the fluid sources is disposed at the same location as one of the fluid sinks. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid flows are induced by extracting fluid from one or more of the sinks a predetermined time after providing fluid at one or more of the sources. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein one of:
 the fluid comprises at least one of a gas and a liquid; or   the fluid consists of a gas or a liquid.   
     
     
         18 . Use of the method of  claim 12 , to perform at least one of:
 extracting minerals, gases or liquids from a subsurface volume;   extracting or delivering heat from or to a subsurface volume;   sequestering a substance or substances within a subsurface volume;   chemically reacting a constituent of the fluid with a substance in a subsurface volume;   conducting heap leaching of a porous volume of processed particulate; and   forming a flow barrier in or around a subsurface volume.