Electric power supply for use downhole
First Claim
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1. A downhole electrical power supply apparatus, comprising:
- a high fluid pressure source zone defined at least partially in said apparatus;
a low fluid pressure discharge zone defined at least partially in said apparatus;
a fluid powered engine means, for providing a rotational mechanical output powered by fluid flowing from said source zone through said engine means to said discharge zone;
a fluid supply valve means between said source zone and said discharge zone for controlling flow of fluid from said source zone through said engine means; and
electrical power generating means for converting said rotational mechanical output of said engine means into electrical output.
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Abstract
A downhole electrical power supply apparatus has a high fluid pressure source zone and a low fluid pressure discharge zone each defined at least partially within the apparatus. A fluid powered engine provides rotational mechanical output and is powered by fluid flowing from the source zone through the engine to the discharge zone. An electrical powered generator converts the rotational mechanical output of the engine into electrical output.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A downhole electrical power supply apparatus, comprising:
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a high fluid pressure source zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a low fluid pressure discharge zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a fluid powered engine means, for providing a rotational mechanical output powered by fluid flowing from said source zone through said engine means to said discharge zone; a fluid supply valve means between said source zone and said discharge zone for controlling flow of fluid from said source zone through said engine means; and electrical power generating means for converting said rotational mechanical output of said engine means into electrical output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A downhole electrical power supply apparatus, comprising:
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a high fluid pressure source zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a low fluid pressure discharge zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a fluid powered engine means, for providing a rotational mechanical output powered by fluid flowing from said source zone through said engine means to said discharge zone; electrical power generating means for converting said rotational mechanical output of said engine means into electrical output; and wherein said discharge zone is a substantially atmospheric dump chamber defined entirely in said apparatus.
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11. A downhole electrical power supply apparatus, comprising:
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a high fluid pressure source zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a low fluid pressure discharge zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a fluid powered engine means, for providing a rotational mechanical output powered by fluid flowing from said source zone through said engine means to said discharge zone; electrical power generating means for converting said rotational mechanical output of said engine means into electrical output; wherein said high fluid pressure source zone is an enclosed container filled with compressed nitrogen gas; and wherein said fluid powered engine means is a gas turbine driven by said compressed nitrogen gas from said source zone and venting spent nitrogen gas to said discharge zone.
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12. A downhole electrical power supply apparatus, comprising:
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a high fluid pressure source zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a low fluid pressure discharge zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a fluid powered engine means, for providing a rotational mechanical output powered by fluid flowing from said source zone through said engine means to said discharge zone; electrical power generating means for converting said rotational mechanical output of said engine means into electrical output; wherein said high fluid pressure source includes an isolation chamber having an isolation piston slidably disposed therein separating said isolation chamber into a well side chamber portion and a tool side chamber portion, said well side chamber portion being in fluid flow communication with a well annulus surrounding said apparatus, said tool side chamber portion being filled with a clean hydraulic fluid; and wherein said fluid powered engine is powered by said clean hydraulic fluid flowing from said tool side chamber portion of said isolation chamber through said engine.
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13. A downhole electrical power supply apparatus, comprising:
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a high fluid pressure source zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a low fluid pressure discharge zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a fluid powered engine means, for providing a rotational mechanical output powered by fluid flowing from said source zone through said engine means to said discharge zone; electrical power generating means for converting said rotational mechanical output of said engine means into electrical output; wherein said high fluid pressure source includes a supply chamber having a pressure transfer piston slidably disposed therein dividing said supply chamber into first and second portions, said first portion being filled with a clean hydraulic fluid and being in fluid flow communication with said engine means, and said second portion being filled with a compressed gas so that said high pressure of said source zone is equal to the pressure of said compressed gas; and wherein said low pressure discharge zone includes an isolation chamber having an isolation piston slidably disposed therein separating said isolation chamber into first and second portions, said first portion being filled with a clean hydraulic fluid and being in fluid flow communication with said engine means, and said second portion being in fluid flow communication with a well annulus surrounding said apparatus so that the low pressure of said discharge zone is equal to hydrostatic pressure in said well annulus. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A downhole electrical power supply apparatus, comprising:
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a high fluid pressure source zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a low fluid pressure discharge zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a fluid powered engine means, for providing a rotational mechanical output powered by fluid flowing from said source zone through said engine means to said discharge zone; electrical power generating means for converting said rotational mechanical output of said engine means into electrical output; first and second isolation chambers; a first isolation piston slidably disposed in said first isolation chamber and dividing said first isolation chamber into a first tool side chamber portion and a first well side chamber portion; a second isolation piston slidably disposed in said second isolation chamber and dividing said second isolation chamber into a second tool side chamber portion and a second well side chamber portion; conduit means for communicating said first and second tool side chamber portions with said fluid powered engine means; and reversing valve means having a first position for communicating a high pressure zone of said well with said first well side chamber portion while simultaneously communicating a low pressure zone of said well with said second well side chamber portion, and having a second position for communicating said high pressure zone with said second well side chamber portion while simultaneously communicating said low pressure zone with said first well side chamber portion, so that said first and second isolation chambers alternatingly define said source zone and said discharge zone. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A downhole electrical power supply apparatus, comprising:
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a high fluid pressure source zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a low fluid pressure discharge zone defined at least partially in said apparatus; a fluid powered engine means, for providing a rotational mechanical output powered by fluid flowing from said source zone through said engine means to said discharge zone; electrical power generating means for converting said rotational mechanical output of said engine means into electrical output; wherein said high fluid pressure source means is in fluid pressure communication with a well annulus surrounding said apparatus; and wherein said low pressure discharge zone is in fluid pressure communication with tubing pressure in a tubing string by which said apparatus is suspended in a well.
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24. A method of generating electrical power downhole in a well, comprising:
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(a) placing downhole in said well a tubing string including a power supply apparatus having a high fluid pressure source zone and a low fluid pressure discharge zone defined at least partially therein, said tubing string having a tubing string bore, said source zone being a zone other than said tubing string bore; (b) flowing power fluid from said source zone through a fluid powered engine to said discharge zone and thereby creating a rotational mechanical output from said engine; and (c) turning an electrical power generator with said rotational mechanical output and thereby generating an electrical output. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of generating electrical power downhole in a downhole generating system in place in a tubing string located in a well, comprising:
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(a) isolating first and second well zones from each other, said first zone being a zone other than a tubing string bore of said tubing string, said zones having a hydraulic differential pressure potential energy therebetween due to a pressure difference therebetween when said zones are in a static state with no well fluid flowing therebetween; (b) flowing well fluid from said first zone through said downhole generating system into said second zone; (c) converting said hydraulic differential pressure potential energy between said first and second well zones into mechanical kinetic energy of fluid powered engine as said well fluid flows through said generating system; and (d) converting said mechanical kinetic energy of said engine into electrical output of an electrical generator. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification