Explosive Atmosphere Heat Dissipation System

• US 20100014219A1
• Filed: 04/15/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Strack, Julien, Teurlay, Lucas, Aubry, Dominique, Breard, Stephane
• Application Number:
  US12/423,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20100014219A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/677
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/56 Cooling; Ventilation

Abstract

An embodiment of a system to dissipate heat from electric equipment disposed in an explosive atmosphere comprises at least one electric device disposed in an explosive atmosphere, and a cooling system operable to remove heat from the at least one electric device to cool the at least one electric device to a predetermined temperature.

Claims

1. A system to dissipate heat from electric equipment disposed in an explosive atmosphere, comprising:

at least one electric device disposed in an explosive atmosphere; and

a cooling system operable to remove heat from the at least one electric device to cool the at least one electric device to a predetermined temperature.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one electric device is an electric motor/generator coupled to a braking resistor.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the electric motor/generator is coupled to a braking resistor via a variable speed drive and braking chopper.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the cooling system comprises a cooling medium for removing heat from the electric device and a heat exchanger.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the cooling medium comprises a liquid cooling system and the heat exchanger comprises an air-cooled radiator for cooling the liquid.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the cooling medium comprises a gas cooling system and a refrigeration device for cooling the gas.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined temperature is determined by an ignition point of at least one explosive substance.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined temperature is a surface temperature of the electric device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined temperature is an ATEX Zone II temperature.

10. A system to dissipate heat from equipment in an explosive atmosphere, comprising:

at least one device generating a source of heat and disposed in an explosive atmosphere; and

a cooling system operable to remove heat from the at least one device such that an exterior surface of the at least one device is cooled to a predetermined temperature.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the cooling system comprises a cooling medium for removing heat from the electric device and a heat exchanger.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the cooling medium comprises a liquid cooling system and the heat exchanger comprises an air-cooled radiator for cooling the liquid.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the cooling medium comprises a gas cooling system and a refrigeration device for cooling the gas.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the predetermined temperature is determined by an ignition point of at least one explosive substance.

15. A system to dissipate heat from an electric winch drive for wellbore cables, the winch drive disposed in an explosive atmosphere, comprising:

an electric motor/generator in communication with a source of electrical power and a braking resistor coupled to the electric motor/generator, the motor/generator and the resistor disposed in an explosive atmosphere; and

a cooling system operable to remove heat from the braking resistor such that an exterior surface of the resistor is cooled to a predetermined temperature.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the electric/motor generator is coupled to and controls a wireline winch having a wireline cable disposed thereon.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising a tool attached to the wireline cable for performing at least one wellbore operation.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the cooling system comprises a cooling medium for removing heat from the electric device and a heat exchanger.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the cooling medium comprises a liquid cooling system and the heat exchanger comprises an air-cooled radiator for cooling the liquid.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the cooling medium comprises a gas cooling system and a refrigeration device for cooling the gas.