288 N e w Paten ts

4 4 1 1 6 1 8 sleeve. An annular water ejector with a plurality of nozzles is provided to direct water down-

D O W N H O L E S T E A M wardly into the combustor unit at the boundary G E N E R A T O R W I T H I M P R O V E D of the combustion zone and along the lower sec-

P R E H E A T I N G / C O O L I N G tion of the intermediate sleeve.

F E A T U R E S

4 4 1 1 1 0 1 A Burl Donaldson, Donald E Hoke, Anthony J

Mulac A P P A R A T U S A N D M E T H O D F O R H E A T I N G T H E R O O T Z O N E O F

An apparatus for downhole steam generation P L A N T S employing dual-stage preheaters for liquid fuel and for the water. A first heat exchange jacket for the fuel surrounds the fuel/oxidant mixing Edward A Springer, Ronald D Smith section of the combustor assembly downstream of the fuel nozzle and contacts the top of the An apparatus and method for root zone heating combustor unit of the combustor assembly, of plants is disclosed. The apparatus includes an thereby receiving heat directly from the combus- 36 2~ 26 tion of the fuel/oxidant. A second stage heat ex- ! ~ i " " ~ ~ ~ ~ ' -" change jacket surrounds an upper portion of the ~.~,_,~r,-~=m " - - ' - ~ ~ ' ~ oxidant supply line adjacent the fuel nozzle re- i^ .~ 2 % ~ as,, ~" _~5,~ ceiving further heat from the compression heat ~

221

~- i , , ~ ] . / ~ - - array of flexible, individually movable, plastic . I l i [ I t t , ~ ,._~_,- ,xz=., tubes which are positioned under the plant root

:~]~tl~]]-n,,~ . ~ = ~ ' , systems. The tubes are preferably formed of :i.l[_ ~ ~ _ j ~ EPDM plastic enabling their use with water

. . . . . ~-. t , ~ "/L-~-:: .~-- from geothermal and solar pond sources, as well ~.: ~ ~t!-~,-. ~ " as conventional sources.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4 1 0 4 3 2

- : ' :~" . ~ - = - " P R O C E S S F O R R E M O V I N G - . , , . ~ H Y D R O G E N S U L F I D E F R O M

• - . F L U I D S

which results from pressurization of the oxidant. The combustor unit includes an inner combustor George Domahidy assigned to Stone & Webster sleeve whose inner wall defines the combustion Engineering Corp zone. The inner combustor sleeve is surrounded by two concentric water channels, one defined by , '--- ~ the space between the inner combustor sleeve ~ " ~ ' -"~ and an intermediate sleeve, and the second ~ ' " ' ' r ' ' ' ' ' ' ~ ~ --

defined by the space between the intermediate . . . . . , sleeve and an outer cylindrical housing. The " ,"';~ . . . . . channels are connected by an annular passage adjacent the top of the combustor assembly and - • -.~ - ., ~ ,~ the countercurrent nature of the water flow pro- ~ , : f --~" vides efficient cooling of the inner combustor ' : , % ~ ":,~:;~: