US Patent 5,417,282

Use Of Lightning For Extraction Of Hydrocarbon Fuels

Summary Of Invention

Except for lightning rods utilized for prevention of destruction, there is very little use of lightning for useful work. Nevertheless, lightning can be used to convert underground coal insitu to liquid fossil fuel as oil and alcohols and to natural gas. Heat and electricity from lightning can force the disassociation of coal into carbon, and also water into hydrogen and oxygen. The recombination of such results into oil, natural gas and alcohols. Secondarily, lightning can be used to heat oil bearing geologic strata resulting in tertiary oil recovery. To aid in use of electricity from lightning, a plurality of lightning rods inserted into well casings is designed, means to direct skyward lightning into a coal or oil bearing geologic strata. Embedded into the hydrocarbon bearing formation and attached to the bottom of each lightning rod is a metal block, means to attract lightning but also to serve as capacitance. The lightning rods are insulated from other non-hydrocarbon strata or other water aquifiers via insulation such as glass or silica. It is common knowledge in a lightning storm, lightning will travel from one location (+) to another (-), travel from the sky (+) to the ground (- ) and vise versa, or through the ground. Thus, lightning can be directed by a field of lightning rods to produce a current in a coal formation, or secondarily for tertiary oil recovery.

It is an object to attract lightning from the sky to a coal formation via lightning rods.

It is an object to insulate the lightning rods from other non-hydrocarbon strata and other aquifiers.

It is an object to conduct lightning through coal and water formations, means to convert coal to oil, natural gas and alcohols.

It is another object to prevent destruction of the environment by eliminating the need for strip mining.

It is an object to use injection wells to inject an electrically conductive fluid as water into a coal formation or oil formation.

It is an objective to use extraction wells for removal of oil, natural gas and alcohols.

It is an object to embed a large metal block in a coal or oil formation, means to attract lightning from the sky and to provide capacitance.

It is an object to create a plurality of lightning rods over a land area, means to provide conductance through a coal or oil formation.

It is an object to develop the use of lightning for tertiary oil recovery.

It is an object to capture the energy of lightning for useful work.

It is an object to use the heat and electricity of lightning to disassociate coal into carbon and water into hydrogen and oxygen, the recombination of which results in oil, natural gas and alcohols.

Description Of Preferred Embodiments

Lightning for years has fascinated mankind but it's constructive use for work has been a difficult challenge. It is a well known fact lightning contains millions of amps and volts for short period of time. Lightning can go from the sky (+), to the ground (-) or through the earth.

Lightning rods (1) are a known science and art to attract lightning. By placing a lightning rod (1) into a well casing (2) lightning can be tracked to a metal block (6). The metal block (6) serves the useful function of attracting lightning from the sky, but also as capacitance until the electrons are distributed into the earth (5). The lightning rod (1) is insulated from other geologic formations by insulation (7) such as glass or silica. The metal block (6) is embedded in a hydrocarbon formation (5). As the metal block (6) is electrically charged, electricity flows through the hydrocarbon geologic strata (5) to another block. The chemical reaction, heat and pressure combined with electricity produced from lightning disassociates the hydrocarbon strata (5) into carbon, and in conjunction water into hydrogen and oxygen, the recombination results in oil, natural gas and alcohols for extraction. Secondarily, the heat and pressure created by the electricity flow of lightning, boils underground water into steam. The lightning rods (1) and related assemblies (2) (7)(6) can be dispersed throughout a land area into a network. Thus, hydrocarbon extraction for liquid and gaseous fuels can be accomplished without costly strip mining or environmental destruction. So as to assist lightning flow through a hydrocarbon formation (5) injection wells (3) may be used to inject an electrically conducting fluid as water into the hydrocarbon bearing formation (5). The injection wells (3), later may be converted into extraction wells (4). The entire system (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) would have application for converting underground coal (5) into oil, natural gas or alcohols. Also, the entire system (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) would have application for tertiary oil recovery from an oil bearing strata (5).

US Patent 5,488,801

Solar Appliances

Summary Of Invention

There is a strong need to reduce the amount of materials thrown away resulting in environmental destruction. Many applicances as used hot water heaters, ovens and refrigerators each year end up in land fills, but these appliances can be usefully recycled into solar appliances.

It is an object to use photovoltaic powered fans for ventilation and movement of air.

It is an object to install screens on a converted refrigerator for insect control.

It is an object to remove unwanted compressors and exchangers and recycle them.

It is an object to remove and recycle freon.

It is an object to install a solar skylight at the top of a recycled refrigerator.

It is an object to install a window on the front of a converted refrigerator for viewing the plant on the interior.

It is an object to install a solar reflector above the solar skylight so as to reflect sunlight into the skylight and downwards towards the plant.

It is an object to recycle appliances for solar applications and to improve environmental quality.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Illustrated is a converted refrigerator (10) to become a thermal insulated greenhouse. Illustrated is an interior cross section with for comparison a frontal elevation. The exchanger and compressor along with freon (11) are removed and recycled, thus the entire refrigerator is lighter weight. The insulated shell of the refrigerator (10) is then cut for installation of a skylight (8) at the top of the refrigerator (10) roof. A window (2) for admission of more light (1) is cut into the refrigerator door or side (10). While an adjustable solar reflector (9) reflects sunlight (1) downwards through the skylight (8). Adjustable straps (12) move the solar reflector (9) for optimal seasonal adjustment. The existing handle(14) is kept for closing and opening the door for access to the interior plant (6). So as to keep the potted plant cool and supplied with outdoor air a photovoltaic powered fan (7)(13) operates during sunny conditions. A solar cell (13) provides electrical power to a fan (7). During night or cloudy conditions a moveable panel (5) closes and stops the exchange of outdoor air to the interior. At both the air inlet and outlet are screens (4) so as to keep unwanted insects out and wanted insects inside. The net result is a thermally functional greenhouse capable of growing plants even in cold climates as Alaska.