Turbines and methods of generating electricity

• US 10,439,474 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2016
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Hall, David R., Marshall, Jonathan D., Englund, Jordan Dane
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuevas, Pedro J
• Application Number:
  US15/352,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20180135434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 290 1 R, 290 52, 175 57, 367 83
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 4/02 Fluid rotary type drives
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/02 Adaptations for drilling wells
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines

Abstract

A turbine includes a rotor. The rotor is connected to at least one blade. The blade is at least partially ultrahard material.

Claims

1. A rotor for a downhole power generation turbine, the rotor comprising:

at least one blade, wherein at least a portion of the at least one blade includes an ultrahard material, the rotor and the at least one blade having a combined radius of less than 1.5 cm.

2. The rotor of claim 1, wherein the at least one blade is attached to a wheel, wherein the wheel has a larger diameter than the rotor and is connected to the rotor.

3. The rotor of claim 2, wherein the at least one blade is attached to the wheel with a removable attachment.

4. The rotor of claim 1, wherein the at least one blade includes the ultrahard material on a leading edge of the at least one blade.

5. The rotor of claim 1, the at least one blade including a removable ultrahard material insert.

6. The rotor of claim 1, the rotor having a longitudinal length of less than 20 cm.

7. A turbine for downhole power generation, the turbine comprising:

a housing, the housing including;

an inlet, and

an outlet;

a wheel, wherein the wheel includes at least one blade extending radially from a rotational axis of the wheel, at least a portion of the at least one blade includes polycrystalline diamond (PCD), wherein the wheel is configured to rotate by application of a fluid pressure to the at least one blade using a secondary fluid flow directed away from a primary fluid flow and into the inlet of the housing;

an inner rotor, the inner rotor rotatable by the wheel; and

a generator, at least a portion of the rotor disposed within the generator, the generator configured to generate power dependent on a rotational rate of the inner rotor.

8. The turbine of claim 7, further comprising an inlet nozzle having a diameter of less than 3.0 mm.

9. The turbine of claim 8, wherein the turbine has a power generation capacity of at least 1000 Watts.

10. The turbine of claim 8, further comprising a nozzle removably attached to the inlet or outlet.

11. The turbine of claim 10, wherein the nozzle has an opening of between 2 mm and 3 mm in diameter.

12. The turbine of claim 10, wherein the nozzle includes PCD.

13. The turbine of claim 8, wherein the outlet is oriented at a 90°

angle relative to the inlet.

14. The turbine of claim 8, wherein a total longitudinal length of the turbine is less than 20 cm.

15. A method for generating electricity downhole, the method comprising:

directing a secondary fluid flow from a primary fluid flow into a housing, the housing including an inlet, a wheel, and an outlet, the secondary fluid flow having a general fluid flow through the inlet, to the wheel, and out the outlet, wherein there is a pressure differential across both the inlet and the outlet;

rotating the wheel, the wheel coupled with an inner rotor, wherein the wheel includes at least one blade, wherein the at least one blade includes polycrystalline diamond (PCD); and

generating power in a generator, wherein the power generated is dependent on a rotational rate of the inner rotor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the fluid includes less than 6% added suspended solids.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the pressure differential is less than 11000 kPa.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein generating power generates at least 1000 Watts of power.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the wheel is rotated at between 13,000 rpm and 30,000 rpm.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the fluid is directed approximately 90°

into a chamber from the general fluid flow.