Flow control system for a tubular

• US 10,061,329 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Coulston, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Buck, Matthew R
• Application Number:
  US15/657,611
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/08 responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained E21B34/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/101 with means for equalizing fluid pressure above and below the valve
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0085 Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/126 Adaptations of down-hole pump systems powered by drives outside the borehole, e.g. by a rotary or oscillating drive powered by fluid E21B43/129
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/008 involving a fluid operating a pump motor
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/018 using rotary sensing element
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0676 by action on flow sources G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence

Abstract

A flow control system for a downhole system includes a tubular having an outer surface, an inner surface defining a flow path, and at least one cavity defined between the outer surface and the inner surface. A first opening formed in the outer surface fluidically connected with the at least one cavity, a second opening formed in the inner surface fluidically connecting the at least one cavity with the flow path. At least one impeller rotatably mounted in the at least one cavity, and a flow control device operatively coupled to the impeller, the flow control device selectively adjusting a rotational impedance of the at least one impeller to control fluid flow between the first opening and the second opening.

Claims

1. A flow control system for a downhole system comprising:

a tubular including an outer surface, an inner surface defining a flow path, and at least one cavity defined between the outer surface and the inner surface;

a first opening formed in the outer surface fluidically connected with the at least one cavity;

a second opening formed in the inner surface fluidically connecting the at least one cavity with the flow path;

at least one impeller rotatably mounted in the at least one cavity; and

a flow control device operatively coupled to the impeller, the flow control device being selectively controlled to adjust a rotational impedance of the at least one impeller to control fluid flow between the first opening and the second opening.

2. The flow control system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cavity includes a first cavity fluidically connected to the first opening and the second opening housing the at least one impeller and a second cavity housing the flow control device.

3. The flow control system according to claim 1, wherein the flow control device comprises a generator operatively connected to an electrical load.

4. The flow control system according to claim 3, wherein the electrical load comprises one or more resistors electrically connected in parallel with one or more switches.

5. The flow control system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a controller operatively connected to the one or more switches, the controller activating at least one of the one or more switches to bypass a corresponding one of the one or more resistors to adjust an electrical load on the generator.

6. The flow control system according to claim 4, wherein the one or more switches comprise one or more transistors.

7. The flow control system according to claim 3, wherein the electrical load comprises a switch electrically connected in series with at least one resistor.

8. The flow control device according to claim 7, wherein the switch comprises a transistor.

9. The flow control system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a controller operatively connected to the transistor, the controller selectively controlling a resistance of the transistor to control current flow through the resistor to adjust an electrical load on the generator.

10. A resource exploration and recovery system comprising:

a surface system; and

a downhole system operatively and fluidically connected to the surface system, the downhole system including a string of tubulars including a flow control system, at least one tubular of the string of tubulars includes a tubular having an outer surface, an inner surface defining a flow path, and at least one cavity defined between the outer surface and the inner surface;

a first opening formed in the outer surface fluidically connected with the at least one cavity;

a second opening formed in the inner surface fluidically connecting the at least one cavity with the flow path;

at least one impeller rotatably mounted in the at least one cavity; and

a flow control device operatively coupled to the impeller, the flow control device being selectively controlled to adjust a rotational impedance of the at least one impeller to control fluid flow between the first opening and the second opening.

11. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 10, wherein the flow control device comprises a generator operatively connected to an electrical load.

12. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 11, wherein the electrical load comprises one or more resistors electrically connected in parallel with one or more switches.

13. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a controller operatively connected to the one or more switches, the controller activating at least one of the one or more switches to bypass a corresponding one of the one or more resistors to adjust an electrical load on the generator.

14. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 11, wherein the electrical load comprises a switch electrically connected in series with at least one resistor.

15. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a controller operatively connected to the switch, the controller selectively controlling a resistance of the switch to control current flow through the resistor to adjust an electrical load on the generator.