Method and apparatus for acoustical power transfer and communication using steel wedges

• US 10,287,876 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2015
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Original Assignee: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Inventors: Scarton, Henry A., Saulnier, Gary J., Wilt, Kyle R., Litman, R. Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Jamil
• Application Number:
  US15/119,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20170009573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/16 through the drill string or casing , e.g. by torsional acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

Systems and methods for transmitting power and information using acoustic energy produced by transducers are provided. The systems have particular application for powering and communication with electronics through drilling and pipe systems. Pairs of acoustic wedges holding transducers are provided for sending energy and information through a substrate which may be a steel pipe. Each wedge has an angled transducer which can be used to produce shear waves. The waves propagate through the substrate and are received by a second acoustic wedge. The shear waves, on reaching the second acoustic wedge, are converted back into electrical signals by a second transducer. Tangential shear waves, high, shallow wave transmission angles, and direct steel-steel bonding between wedges and substrates may be used.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting at least one of power and signals along a steel oil pipe using tangential shear waves, the method comprising:

providing a transmitting arrangement and a receiving arrangement spaced apart on a steel oil pipe;

wherein the transmitting arrangement is above ground level and wherein the receiving arrangement is below ground level;

wherein the oil pipe has concrete on at least a portion of an outer surface, and wherein, in an operative state, oil is in contact with an inner surface of the oil pipe;

wherein each transmitting arrangement comprises a steel transmitting wedge and a transmitting transducer coupled to the transmitting wedge, and wherein each receiving arrangement comprises a steel receiving wedge and a receiving transducer coupled to the receiving edge;

wherein each transmitting wedge and each receiving edge are directly bound to a surface of the oil pipe by a direct steel-steel bond;

wherein the transmitting transducer comprises a flat transmitting face for emitting tangential shear waves, the transmitting face of the transmitting transducer being coupled to an angled face of the transmitting wedge;

wherein the transmitting face of the transmitting transducer and the angled face of the transmitting wedge are both normal to an angle θ

with respect to the surface of the oil pipe which the transmitting wedge is coupled to;

wherein the angle θ

is an angle of at least 65 degrees and not more than 85 degrees;

the method further comprising the transmit transducer producing tangential shear waves at angle θ

, with said shear waves propagating through the transmitting wedge and into the oil pipe, through the oil pipe, and then into the receiving wedge, with said tangential shear waves being received by the receiving transducer;

wherein said tangential shear waves substantially remain tangential shear waves as they propagate through the transmit wedge, the oil pipe, and the receiving wedge;

the receiving transducer converting at least a portion of an energy content of said tangential shear waves into electrical energy, and

using the electrical energy generated by the receiving transducer to at least one of provide a control signal and provide operating electricity for an electronic component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the angle θ

is an angle of at least 70 degrees and not more than 83 degrees.

3. A method of transmitting at least one of power and signals along a substrate using shear waves, the method comprising:

providing a transmitting arrangement and a receiving arrangement spaced apart on a substrate;

wherein each transmitting arrangement comprises a transmitting wedge and a transmitting transducer coupled to the transmitting wedge, and wherein each receiving arrangement comprises a receiving wedge and a receiving transducer coupled to the receiving edge;

wherein the transmitting transducer comprises a flat transmitting face for emitting shear waves, the transmitting face of the transmitting transducer being coupled to an angled face of the transmitting wedge;

wherein the transmitting face of the transmitting transducer is normal to an angle θ

with respect to the surface of the substrate which the transmitting wedge is coupled to;

wherein the angle θ

is an angle of at least 65 degrees and not more than 89 degrees;

the method further comprising the transmit transducer producing shear waves at angle θ

, with said shear waves propagating through the transmitting wedge and into the substrate, through the substrate, and then into the receiving wedge, with said shear waves being received by the receiving transducer;

wherein said shear waves substantially remain shear waves as they pass through the transmit wedge, the substrate, and the receiving wedge;

the receiving transducer converting at least a portion of an energy content of said shear waves into electrical energy, and

using the electrical energy generated by the receiving transducer to at least one of provide a control signal and provide operating electricity for an electronic component.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the arrangement comprises a plurality of transmitting arrangements, with said transmitting arrangements position in series along an axial length of the pipe;

and

wherein said transmitting arrangements all produce shear waves.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate, the transmitting wedge, and the receiving wedge all comprise steel.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate, the transmitting wedge, and the receiving wedge all comprise steel, and wherein each transmitting wedge and each receiving wedge is directly bound to a surface of the substrate by a direct steel-steel bond.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate, the transmitting wedge, and the receiving wedge are all made of the same material.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the shear waves are tangential shear waves.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the angle θ

is an angle of at least 70 degrees and not more than 85 degrees.

10. The method of claim 3,

wherein the shear waves are tangential shear waves;

and

wherein the angle θ

is an angle of at least 70 degrees and not more than 85 degrees.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate is a metal pipe, and wherein the transmitting wedge and the receiving wedge are both made out of the same metal as the metal pipe.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate is a pipe;

wherein the transmitting arrangement is above ground level; and

wherein the receiving arrangement is below ground level.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate is an oil pipe, wherein the oil pipe has concrete on at least a portion of an outer surface, and wherein, in an operative state, oil is in contact with an inner surface of the oil pipe;

and

wherein the shear waves are tangential shear waves.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate is a steel oil pipe, wherein the oil pipe has concrete on at least a portion of an outer surface, and wherein, in an operative state, oil is in contact with an inner surface of the oil pipe;

wherein the transmitting wedge and the receiving wedge are both made out of steel; and

wherein the shear waves are tangential shear waves.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein transmissions are also sent in a reverse direction, from the receiving wedge to the transmitting wedge, using shear waves produced by the receiving transducer.

16. An arrangement for transmitting at least one of power and signals along a pipe using shear waves, the arrangement comprising:

a transmitting arrangement and a receiving arrangement spaced apart on the pipe;

wherein each transmitting arrangement comprises a transmitting wedge and a transmitting transducer coupled to the transmitting wedge, and wherein each receiving arrangement comprises a receiving wedge and a receiving transducer coupled to the receiving edge;

wherein the transmitting transducer is a shear wave transducer, and is positioned on the transmitting wedge so that, in operation, the transmitting transducer will send shear wave vibrations into the transmitting wedge;

wherein the transmitting transducer comprises a flat transmitting face for emitting shear waves, the transmitting face of the transmitting transducer being coupled to an angled face of the transmitting wedge;

wherein the transmitting face of the transmitting transducer is normal to an angle θ

with respect to the surface of the pipe which the transmitting wedge is coupled to;

wherein the angle θ

is an angle of at least 65 degrees and not more than 89 degrees;

wherein the transmitting wedge, the pipe, and the receiving wedge collectively form a continuous acoustic channel, the channel being capable of carrying shear wave vibrations between the transmitting transducer in the receiving transducer;

wherein the receiving transducer is adapted to convert at least a portion of an energy content of received tangential shear waves into electrical energy, and

wherein the receiving transducer is electrically coupled to at least one electronic component to provide at least one of power and signals to the electronic component.

17. The arrangement of claim 16, wherein the pipe is an oil pipe;

wherein the oil pipe has concrete on at least a portion of an outer surface, and wherein, in an operative state, oil is in contact with an inner surface of the oil pipe.

18. The arrangement of claim 16, wherein the pipe, the transmitting wedge, and the receiving wedge all comprise steel;

and

wherein each transmitting wedge in each receiving wedge are directly bound to a surface of the pipe by a direct steel-steel bond.

19. The arrangement of claim 16, wherein the arrangement comprises at least two transmitting arrangements, said transmitting arrangements positioned adjacent to each other and in series along axial length of pipe.

20. The arrangement of claim 16, wherein the angle θ

is an angle of at least 70 degrees and not more than 85 degrees.