Douglas A Swift

US Patent:

7472548, Jan 6, 2009

Filed:

Sep 7, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/220391

Inventors:

Sovani Meksvanh - Silver Spring MD, US
Ronald P. Whelan - Potomac MD, US
Douglas B. Swift - Midland TX, US

International Classification:

F03G 7/00
B60K 16/00

US Classification:

606412, 606418

Abstract:

An apparatus and a method is disclosed for storage of solar energy in a subsurface geologic reservoir. The method includes transferring concentrated solar thermal energy to a fluid, thereby generating a supercritical fluid. The supercritical fluid is then injected into the subsurface geologic reservoir through at least one injection well. The subsurface geologic reservoir may be a highly permeable and porous sedimentary strata, a depleted hydrocarbon field, a depleting hydrocarbon field, a depleted oil field, a depleting oil field, a depleted gas field, or a depleting gas field. Once charged with the supercritical fluid, the subsurface geologic formation forms a synthetic geothermal reservoir.