Patent ID: 11946459
Assignee: ICE THERMAL HARVESTING, LLC
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  E  Y | IPC E  F

Claim 0:
1. A method for generating power, the method comprising:
pumping drilling fluid from a drilling fluid container to a drill pipe adjacent a drilling rig, the drilling fluid to flow through the drill pipe to adjacent a location that generates a heated drilling fluid from flow of the drilling fluid, the heated drilling fluid to flow to a drilling fluid return pipe;
diverting one or more of: (1) the heated drilling fluid to a first heat exchanger connected to a working fluid manifold via a first working fluid flow control device and positioned to transfer heat from the heated drilling fluid to a flow of a first portion of a working fluid, thereby to generate a cooled drilling fluid and a heated first portion of the working fluid, the heated first portion of the working fluid positioned to cause a generator to generate electrical power, (2) exhaust produced by one or more engines, to a second heat exchanger connected to the working fluid manifold via a second working fluid flow control device, the second heat exchanger positioned to transfer heat from the exhaust to a flow of a second portion of the working fluid to generate a heated second portion of the working fluid, the heat second portion of the working fluid to cause a generator to generate electrical power, or (3) heated coolant from a water jacket associated with the one or more engines to a third heat exchanger connected to the working fluid manifold via a third working fluid control device, the third heat exchanger to transfer heat from the heated coolant to a flow of a third portion of the working fluid to generate a heated third portion of the working fluid, the heated third portion of the working fluid positioned to cause a generator to generate electrical power;
determining an exhaust thermal mass of the exhaust produced by the one or more engines;
determining an ambient temperature of the drilling rig;
in response to one or more of (1) a determination that the exhaust thermal mass of the exhaust from the one or more engines is outside of an exhaust thermal mass range, or (2) a determination that an ambient temperature exceeds an engine operating range;
adjusting one or more of (1) flow of the exhaust from the one or more engines to the second heat exchanger, or (2) (a) the second working fluid flow control device or (b) the third working fluid flow control device; and
returning the cooled drilling fluid to the drilling fluid container.