Systems And Methods For Generating And Consuming Power From Natural Gas

What is this patent about?

’307 is related to the field of utilizing raw natural gas, such as flare gas from oil wells, for power generation. The background highlights the environmental and economic problems associated with flaring natural gas, especially in remote locations lacking pipeline infrastructure. Existing solutions are limited, and there's a need for systems that can efficiently convert this stranded gas into usable energy.

The underlying idea behind ’307 is to create a self-contained system that captures and processes raw natural gas at the wellhead, converts it into electricity, and then uses that electricity to power mobile data centers performing distributed computing tasks. This approach aims to eliminate flaring by providing an on-site use for the gas, while also generating revenue through computing activities like cryptocurrency mining.

The claims of ’307 focus on a flare mitigation system comprising an electrical power generation system and a distributed computing system. The electrical power generation system includes one or more power generation modules that consume a fuel gas stream (derived from the raw natural gas) to generate a high-voltage electrical output. A parallel panel combines and synchronizes the outputs from multiple power generation modules. An electrical transformation module then steps down the voltage to a low-voltage electrical output.

The low-voltage electricity powers a distributed computing system housed in a mobile data center. This data center contains multiple computing units connected to a network via satellite antennas. The system is designed to be modular and transportable, allowing it to be deployed at remote well sites. The use of a parallel panel allows for multiple generators to be combined, increasing the overall power output and enabling the system to handle varying gas flow rates.

This system differentiates itself from prior approaches by integrating gas processing, power generation, and power consumption in a single, mobile unit. Instead of flaring the gas or attempting to transport it, the system directly converts it into electricity and uses that electricity for on-site computing. The satellite communication system ensures connectivity even in remote areas, enabling continuous operation of the distributed computing units and maximizing revenue generation.