Wellbore rig generator engine power control

• US 20080203734A1
• Filed: 11/07/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hulick, Kent, Cervenka, Gregory Paul, Grimes, Mark Francis
• Application Number:
  US11/983,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20080203734A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/40R
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/084 with flexible drawing means, e.g. cables
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/18 Control of the engine output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1446 the characteristics being exhaust temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1497 With detection of the mechanical response of the engine

Abstract

A system for controlling power load to a rig engine of a wellbore rig, the system including a controller for controlling a rig engine, a sensor for sensing the exhaust temperature of a rig engine, the sensor in communication with the controller for providing to the controller signals indicative of the exhaust temperature, and the controller maintaining power load to the rig engine based on said exhaust temperature. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A system for controlling power load to a rig engine of a wellbore rig, the system comprising

a controller for controlling a rig engine,

a sensor for sensing the exhaust temperature of a rig engine, the sensor in communication with the controller for providing to the controller signals indicative of the exhaust temperature, and

the controller maintaining power load to the rig engine based on said exhaust temperature.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the rig engine has a rated capacity and wherein the controller provides a sufficient power load to the rig engine to maintain the rig engine in operation at at least seventy percent of the engine rated capacity.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the rig engine is a natural gas powered engine.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising

flywheel apparatus for storing generated power for powering the rig engine, and

the controller controlling the flywheel apparatus.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the flywheel apparatus is an inside-out AC motor.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein power is applied to the flywheel apparatus, the system includes drawworks apparatus, said power generated by braking of the drawworks apparatus.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the drawworks apparatus used to move a travelling block of the rig and a peak output of the flywheel apparatus is at least equal to potential energy of the travelling block.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the drawworks apparatus is powered by an inside-out AC permanent magnet motor.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said peak output is greater than said potential energy.

10. The system of claim 4 further comprising

rig generator apparatus for generating power to operate a drawworks system, and

the controller for controlling the rig generator apparatus.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the controller controls power charging and power discharging of the flywheel apparatus so that average power from the rig generator apparatus is relatively constant during operation of the drawworks system.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising

power source for supplying power to the rig engine, and

the controller monitoring available power from the power source.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the power source is any of utility, battery, rig generator, and flywheel apparatus and the controller monitors power available from any utility power source, rig generator power source, battery power source, and flywheel apparatus power source.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the controller compares values for available power to travelling block speed and height and, based on these values, calculates potential energy of the block and controls power charging of any flywheel apparatus and battery.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein there is a flywheel apparatus and the controller regulates power input to the flywheel apparatus with power output from the flywheel apparatus based on rig engine exhaust temperature, all available power, and desired power load to the rig engine.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising

rig generator apparatus, and

the controller for preventing the rig generator apparatus from exceeding VAR limits.

17. The system of claim 4 further comprising

a main power bus for sharing available power, and

the controller for determining rate at which power from the flywheel apparatus is supplied to the main power bus to facilitate engine throttle response.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the rig engine supplies power for a well service rig, the system further comprising

a utility power source,

a rig generator power source,

a battery power source,

a flywheel apparatus for storing power generated by operation of a rig drawworks system, and

the controller for controlling power supplied to the rig engine.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the controller brings the rig generator on and off line to charge the battery power source and/or to operate the drawworks.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the controller controls the power sources so that the drawworks operates solely on power from only the battery power source.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is a programmable logic controller.

22. The system of claim 1 further comprising

rig apparatuses,

a plurality of rig generators for supplying power to the rig engine and to the rig apparatuses,

the rig engine and each rig apparatus having a respective single board computer control,

the controller for monitoring the plurality of rig generators to determine if a rig generator has failed, and

each single board computer control taking into account a reduction in available power due to failure of a rig generator and each single board computer control reducing a power limit for its corresponding rig apparatus or rig engine.

23. A method for controlling power to a rig engine of a wellbore rig, the method comprising

maintaining with a controller of a power control system power load to a rig engine based on exhaust temperature of the engine, the power control system comprising a controller for controlling a rig engine, a sensor for sensing the exhaust temperature of a rig engine, the sensor in communication with the controller for providing to the controller signals indicative of the exhaust temperature, and the controller maintaining power load to the rig engine based on said exhaust temperature.