High temperature downhole power generating device

• US 10,560,038 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2017
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Gooneratne, Chinthaka Pasan, Li, Bodong, Zhou, Shaohua
• Primary Examiner(s): Casillashernandez, Omar
• Application Number:
  US15/457,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20180262126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 3408546
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0085 Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/00 Survey of boreholes or wells monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/04 Friction generators

Abstract

A high temperature downhole power generating device includes a power generator including a first material of one polarity and a second material that is fixed in position and is of opposite polarity of the first material, wherein the first material is propelled toward the second material based on motion of the high temperature downhole power generating device so that the two materials have a maximized point of contact to generate maximum power, at least one electrode that is connected to the first material or second material, a bridge rectifier connected to the at least one electrode to transform the power generated into direct current from alternating current, a storage unit for storing the power generated by the power generator, a sensor that gathers information concerning a downhole environment, and a microcontroller and transceiver unit to manage the power generated by the power generator and transmit information gathered by the sensor.

Claims

1. A high temperature power generating device, the device comprising:

a power generator including a first material of one polarity and a second material that is fixed in position relative to the first material and is of opposite polarity of the first material, wherein the first material is configured to be propelled toward the second material based on motion of the high temperature downhole power generator so that the two materials have a maximized point of contact to generate maximum power;

at least one electrode that is connected to the first material or second material;

a bridge rectifier connected to the at least one electrode to transform the power generated into direct current from alternating current;

a storage unit for storing the power generated by the power generator;

a first housing for housing the power generator, the electrode, and the bridge rectifier, wherein the first housing comprises a polymeric material; and

a second housing for housing the storage unit, wherein the second housing comprises a material selected from the group consisting of certain solids, transition metals, as well as high strength alloys and/or compounds of the transition metals, and high temperature dewars.

2. The high temperature power generating device of claim 1, wherein the first material is suspended using one or more coil springs.

3. The high temperature power generating device of claim 1, further comprising a turbine operatively coupled to the first material for causing the first material to move towards the second material or away from the second material.

4. The high temperature power generating device of claim 1, wherein the storage unit comprising one of dielectric capacitors, ceramic film capacitors, electrolytic capacitors, supercapacitors, double-layer capacitors, or pseudo-capacitors.

5. The high temperature power generating device of claim 1, wherein the motion is caused due to vibration, rotation, mud flow, or noise in a drill string.

6. The high temperature power generating device of claim 1, wherein the first material and the second material are comprised of a material that causes static electricity.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first material and the second material are selected from the group consisting of Copper, Aluminum, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Polyimide, Lead, Elastomer, Polydimethylacrylamide (PDMA), Nylon, and Polyester.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the first material and the second material comprise a fire-resistant material.

9. The high temperature power generating device of claim 1, further comprising

at least one sensor that gathers information concerning a downhole environment;

and

a microcontroller and transceiver unit to manage the power generated by the power generator and transmit information gathered by the at least one sensor, wherein the second housing comprises the microcontroller and the transceiver unit.

10. A method for power generation in a high temperature drilling environment, the method comprising:

providing a first material of a first polarity;

providing a second material of opposite polarity of the first material, wherein the second material is in a fixed position relative to the first material;

propelling the first material toward the second material based on inherent motion in the drilling environment so that the first material and the second material have a maximized point of contact to generate maximum power;

operatively coupling at least one electrode to the first material or second material;

operatively coupling a bridge rectifier to the at least one electrode to transform the power generated into direct current from alternating current;

storing, in a storage unit, the power generated by friction between the first material and the second material;

providing a first housing for housing the power generator, the electrode, and the bridge rectifier, wherein the first housing comprises a polymeric material; and

providing a second housing for housing the storage unit, wherein the second housing comprises a material selected from the group consisting of certain solids, transition metals, as well as high strength alloys and/or compounds of the transition metals, and high temperature dewars.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

operatively coupling at least one sensor to gather information concerning a downhole environment; and

operatively coupling a microcontroller and transceiver unit to manage the power generated by the first material and the second material, and transmit information gathered by the at least one sensor.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first material is suspended using one or more coil springs.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

operatively coupling a turbine to the first material for causing the first material to move towards the second material or away from the second material.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the storage unit comprising one of ceramic film capacitors, electrolytic capacitors, supercapacitors, double-layer capacitors, or pseudo-capacitors.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the motion is caused due to vibration, rotation, mud flow, or noise in a drill string in the drilling environment.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the first material and the second material are comprised of a material that causes static electricity.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first material and the second material are selected from the group consisting of Copper, Aluminum, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Polyimide, Lead, Elastomer, Polydimethylacrylamide (PDMA), Nylon, and Polyester.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first material and the second material comprise a fire-resistant material.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the second housing further comprises the microcontroller and the transceiver unit.

20. A high temperature downhole power generator comprising:

a first material of first polarity;

a second material that is fixed in position relative to the first material and is of opposite polarity of the first material, wherein the first material is configured to be propelled toward the second material based on motion in the downhole environment so that the first material and the second material have a maximized point of contact to generate maximum power;

at least one electrode that is connected to the first material or second material; and

a bridge rectifier connected to the at least one electrode to transform the power generated into direct current from alternating current;

a storage unit for storing the power generated by friction between the first material and the second material;

a first housing for housing the power generator, the electrode, and the bridge rectifier, wherein the first housing comprises a polymeric material; and

a second housing for housing the storage unit, wherein the second housing comprises a material selected from the group consisting of certain solids, transition metals, as well as high strength alloys and/or compounds of the transition metals, and high temperature dewars.

21. The high temperature downhole power generator of claim 20, further comprising:

at least one sensor that gathers information concerning a downhole environment; and

a microcontroller and transceiver unit to manage the power generated by the power generator and transmit information gathered by the at least one sensor, wherein the second housing comprises the microcontroller and the transceiver unit.

22. The high temperature downhole power generator of claim 20, wherein the first material is suspended using one or more coil springs.

23. The high temperature downhole power generator of claim 20, further comprising a turbine operatively coupled to the first material for causing the first material to move towards the second material or away from the second material.

24. The high temperature downhole power generator of claim 20, wherein the storage unit comprising one of di-electric capacitors, ceramic film capacitors, electrolytic capacitors, supercapacitors, double-layer capacitors, or pseudo-capacitors.

25. The high temperature downhole power generator of claim 20, wherein the first material and the second material are comprised of a material that causes static electricity.

26. The high temperature downhole power generator of claim 25, wherein the first material and the second material are selected from the group consisting of Copper, Aluminum, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Polyimide, Lead, Elastomer, Polydimethylacrylamide (PDMA), Nylon, and Polyester.

27. The high temperature downhole power generator of claim 25, wherein the first material and the second material comprise a fire-resistant material.