US 12,305,467 B2
Spool-type pitless adapter for groundwater heat exchanger
Jimmy Bryan Randolph, Minneapolis, MN (US); David Philip Henrich, Loretto, MN (US); and Ryan Matthew Martin-Wagar, Missoula, MT (US)
Assigned to Darcy Solutions, Inc., Excelsior, MN (US)
Appl. No. 18/246,219
Filed by Darcy Solutions, Inc., Excelsior, MN (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 28, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/052397
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 22, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/072343, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 7, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/084,646, filed on Sep. 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0399915 A1, Dec. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. E21B 33/047 (2006.01); E21B 33/04 (2006.01); F24T 10/00 (2018.01); F24T 10/30 (2018.01)
CPC E21B 33/047 (2013.01) [E21B 33/04 (2013.01); F24T 10/30 (2018.05); F24T 2010/50 (2018.05); Y02E 10/10 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pitless adapter for use with a groundwater heat exchanger comprising:
a casing comprising a first port, a second port and a third port; and
a spool removably received within an interior cavity of the casing, the spool including:
a top plate;
a bottom plate;
a first middle plate between the top and bottom plates;
a second middle plate between the first middle plate and the bottom plate;
a first port, a second port, and a third port in the bottom plate,
wherein:
the casing, the top plate and the first middle plate define a first chamber that is open to the first port of the casing and the first port of the spool;
the casing, the first middle plate and the second middle plate define a second chamber that is open to the second port of the casing and the second port of the spool;
the casing, the second middle plate and the bottom plate define a third chamber that is open to the third port of the casing and the third port of the spool;
a first fluid pathway extends from the first port of the spool through the third chamber, the second middle plate, the second chamber, and the first middle plate to the first chamber;
a second fluid pathway extends from the second port of the spool through the third chamber, and the second middle plate to the second chamber; and
a third fluid pathway extends from the third port of the spool to the third chamber.
 
10. A system comprising:
a pitless adapter comprising:
a casing comprising a first port and a second port; and
a spool removably received within an interior cavity of the casing, the spool including:
a top plate;
a bottom plate;
a middle plate between the top and bottom plates; and
a first port and a second port in the bottom plate,
wherein:
the casing, the top plate and the middle plate define a first chamber that is open to the first port of the casing and the first port of the spool;
the casing, the middle plate and the bottom plate define a second chamber that is open to the second port of the casing and the second port of the spool;
a first fluid pathway extends from the first port of the spool through the second chamber and the middle plate to the first chamber; and
a second fluid pathway extends from the second port of the spool to the second chamber;
a groundwater heat exchanger having a first port and a second port, and configured to exchange heat between a fluid flow received from the first or second port of the spool with groundwater in which the groundwater heat exchanger is submerged;
a first pipe connecting the first port of the groundwater heat exchanger to the first port of the spool; and
a second pipe connecting the second port of the groundwater heat exchanger to the second port of the spool.
 
13. A system comprising:
a pitless adapter comprising:
a casing comprising a first port, a second port and a third port; and
a spool removably received within an interior cavity of the casing, the spool including:
a top plate;
a bottom plate;
a first middle plate between the top and bottom plates;
a second middle plate between the first middle plate and the bottom plate;
a first port, a second port, and a third port in the bottom plate,
wherein:
the casing, the top plate and the first middle plate define a first chamber that is open to the first port of the casing and the first port of the spool;
the casing, the first middle plate and the second middle plate define a second chamber that is open to the second port of the casing and the second port of the spool;
the casing, the second middle plate and the bottom plate define a third chamber that is open to the third port of the casing and the third port of the spool;
a first fluid pathway extends from the first port of the spool through the third chamber, the second middle plate, the second chamber, and the first middle plate to the first chamber;
a second fluid pathway extends from the second port of the spool through the third chamber, and the second middle plate to the second chamber; and
a third fluid pathway extends from the third port of the spool to the third chamber,
a groundwater heat exchanger having a first exchanger port and a second exchanger port, each of which is connected to one of the first port, the second port and the third port of the spool,
wherein the groundwater heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between a fluid flow received from the pitless adapter at the first exchanger port with groundwater in which the groundwater heat exchanger is submerged, and discharge the fluid flow back to the pitless adapter through the second exchanger port.