Monitoring system for cold climate

• US 10,352,818 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2015
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Jaaskelainen, Mikko
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dzung D
• Application Number:
  US15/743,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20180202894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24T 10/40 operated without external energy sources, e.g. using thermosiphonic circulation or heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/319 Reflectometers using stimulated back-scatter, e.g. Raman or fibre amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/042 PV modules or arrays of single PV cells supporting structures for PV modules H02S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/10 Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground H02S20/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/425 using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/079 using measurements of the data signal
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20336 Heat pipes, e.g. wicks or capillary pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/10 Geothermal energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

A method and system for operating fiber optic monitoring systems utilizing solar panels, batteries, and an interrogator system with associated electronics for operating in cold climates.

Claims

1. A method for operating fiber optic monitoring systems in cold climates comprising:

a. deploying a heat pipe such that an upper portion of the heat pipe is deployed above ground surface and a lower portion of the heat pipe is deployed below the ground surface and through a frozen layer such that a lowermost portion of the lower portion is deployed at a depth at which the ground is unfrozen;

b. deploying the upper and lower portions of the heat pipe such that the upper portion terminates at a closed upper end and the lower portion terminates at a closed lower end that is substantially aligned with the closed upper end, and wherein the upper portion contacts heat sinks disposed in proximity to a fiber optic interrogator system and a battery system; and

c. wherein the heat pipe utilizes internal fluids chosen so that that the range of temperatures and pressures fall within the two-phase region of the fluid during winter conditions so that evaporation and condensation can occur.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a control function within the fiber interrogator system for operating the one or more interrogator units.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a communication function within the fiber interrogator system for receiving commands from the control function and transmitting data collected by the one or more interrogator units.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

a. initiating a control program to perform the following;

i. activate one or more of the fiber optic interrogator units;

ii. allow the one or more interrogator units to reach a thermal equilibrium;

iii. initiate the measurement program in one or more interrogator units; and

iv. collect and transmit the measurement data externally.

5. A system for operating fiber optic monitoring systems in cold climates comprising:

a. a heat pipe including,

i. an upper portion deployed above ground surface and terminating in a closed upper end; and

ii. a lower portion deployed below the ground surface and through a frozen layer, wherein a closed lower end of the lower portion is deployed at a depth at which the ground is unfrozen;

b. a fiber optic interrogator system including electronics configured to collect measurement data, the fiber optic interrogator system positioned above the ground surface;

c. at least one solar panel oriented toward incoming sunlight for providing power to the fiber optic interrogator system;

d. a battery system for storing energy from the one or more solar panels and for powering the fiber optic interrogator system during inactive periods of the at least one solar panel; and

e. wherein the heat pipe contains and utilizes fluid chosen so that that the range of temperatures and pressures fall within the two-phase region of the fluid during winter conditions so that evaporation and condensation can occur, wherein the upper portion of the heat pipe contacts heat sinks disposed in proximity to the fiber optic interrogator system and the battery system.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a. one or more interrogator units contained within the fiber optic interrogator system;

b. a control unit for controlling the interrogator units; and

c. a communications unit to receive commands from the control unit and externally transmit data collected by the one or more interrogator units.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the heat sinks are disposed within at least one enclosure containing the fiber optic interrogator system and the battery system.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the interrogator units may be based on Raman scattering, Brillouin Scattering, Rayleigh back scattering, coherent Rayleigh backscattering, tunable or fixed laser or other light sources capable of measuring light back scattered from Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) and/or intrinsic Fabry-Perot cavities and/or extrinsic Fabry-Perot cavities and/or other interferometric sensors based on Michelson, Mach-Zehnder, Sagnac sensing principles.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the interrogator units may be electrical interrogation units or a mix between electrical and optical interrogation units.