Electricity generation within a downhole drilling motor
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for generating electricity in a downhole drilling operation, the apparatus comprising:
- a progressing cavity motor attached to a downhole tool in a wellbore, the motor comprising;
a stator;
a rotor within the stator, wherein the rotor rotates within the stator with passage of one or more drilling fluids through a space between the progressing cavity stator and rotor;
the rotor comprising a central bypass bore, the bore comprising an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet, the outlet and the bore define a bypass flow path for the one or more drilling fluids to flow through the rotor;
a turbine disposed within the bore;
a shaft coupled to the turbine, wherein as the one or more drilling fluids flow through the bypass flow path, the one or more drilling fluids drive the turbine to rotate the shaft; and
a generator disposed within the bore, wherein rotation of the shaft drives the generator to generate the electricity.
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Abstract
A progressing cavity-type drilling motor having an electrical generator disposed within the rotor of the drilling motor. In some embodiments, the electrical generator produces electrical energy from a flow of drilling fluid through a bore in the rotor. In other embodiments, the electrical generator produces electrical energy by harnessing the kinetic energy of the rotor as the drilling motor is used to drill into a formation. The electrical energy generated by the generator can be stored or used to power sensors, actuators, control systems, and other downhole equipment.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for generating electricity in a downhole drilling operation, the apparatus comprising:
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a progressing cavity motor attached to a downhole tool in a wellbore, the motor comprising; a stator; a rotor within the stator, wherein the rotor rotates within the stator with passage of one or more drilling fluids through a space between the progressing cavity stator and rotor;
the rotor comprising a central bypass bore, the bore comprising an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet, the outlet and the bore define a bypass flow path for the one or more drilling fluids to flow through the rotor;a turbine disposed within the bore; a shaft coupled to the turbine, wherein as the one or more drilling fluids flow through the bypass flow path, the one or more drilling fluids drive the turbine to rotate the shaft; and a generator disposed within the bore, wherein rotation of the shaft drives the generator to generate the electricity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for generating electricity, comprising:
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disposing a progressing cavity motor within a downhole tool in a wellbore, wherein the motor comprises; a stator; a rotor within the stator, the rotor being rotated relative to the stator by passage of a drilling fluid through a space between the stator and the rotor, the rotor comprising a central bypass bore; a turbine disposed within the bore of the rotor; a shaft coupled to the turbine; and a generator disposed within the bore and coupled to the shaft; flowing the drilling fluid through the bore of the rotor, the bore comprising an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet, the outlet and the bore define a bypass flow path for the drilling fluid to flow through the rotor; rotating the turbine with the drilling fluid flowing through the bypass flow path; rotating the shaft by the rotation of the turbine; and generating the electricity by driving the generator, wherein the rotation of the shaft drives the generator. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification