Wellbore power generating system for downhole operation

• US 7,165,608 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2004
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Schultz, Roger L., Fripp, Michael L., Watson, Brock W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stephenson; Daniel P
• Application Number:
  US10/962,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20050039921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 836 Days
• Field of Search: 166/66.5, 166/373, 166/313, 166/65.1, 290/43, 290/54, 290/1.R, 405/75, 310/267, 310/154.25
• US Class Current: 166/66.5
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0085 Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/00 Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus if the apparatus aspects are predominant, see the relevant subclasses for such apparatus, e.g. H02K7/18; Power stations or aggregates incorporating only machines or engines of positive-displacement type F03C; hydraulic engineering aspects E02B; combinations with wind energy converters F03D9/008
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/20 within closed fluid conduits, e.g. pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/60 making use of surplus or waste energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/50 Hydropower in dwellings

Abstract

A downhole tool (100) for wellbore operations comprises a substantially tubular member (130) that is operably positionable in the wellbore and a rotation member (110) that is rotatably disposed within the substantially tubular member (130). The rotation member (110) has a passageway (112) through which objects may pass into the wellbore. The rotation member (110) rotates about an axis of rotation (x) that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (y) of the substantially tubular member (130) in response to fluid flow through the passageway (112). The rotation member (110) has magnetic properties such that rotation of the rotation member (110) generates a magnetic field that produces useable power.

Claims

1. A downhole tool for wellbore operations comprising:

a substantially tubular member having a longitudinal axis, the substantially tubular member operably positionable in the wellbore; and

a rotation member rotatably disposed within the substantially tubular member, the rotation member having a passageway through which objects may pass into the wellbore, the rotation member rotating about an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and generating a magnetic field that produces useable power in response to fluid flow through the passageway.

2. The downhole tool as recited in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the rotation member has an airfoil shape.

3. The downhole tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the rotation member further comprises a substantially tubular rotor.

4. The downhole tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the rotation member has magnetic properties.

5. The downhole tool as recited in claim 4 wherein the rotation member further comprises a magnetic material.

6. The downhole tool as recited in claim 4 further comprising at least one magnet coupled to the rotation member.

7. The downhole tool as recited in claim 1 further comprising at least one magnetic pickup operably associated with the rotation member that senses the magnetic properties of the rotation member as the rotation member rotates, the magnetic pickup transforming the rotating action of the rotation member into electrical energy.

8. The downhole tool as recited in claim 1 further comprising a support member coupling the rotation member within the substantially tubular member.

9. The downhole tool as recited in claim 1 further comprising a starter rotor coupled to the rotation member and configured to assist the rotation of the rotation member within the substantially tubular member.

10. The downhole tool as recited in claim 9 wherein the starter rotor further comprises a pair of offset and curved drag members that provide resistance to fluid flow through the passageway, thereby facilitating rotation of the rotation member about the axis of rotation.

11. The downhole tool as recited in claim 1 further comprising a control adapted for activating the rotation member.

12. The downhole tool as recited in claim 11 wherein the control further comprises a motor for starting and stopping the rotation of the rotation member.

13. The downhole tool as recited in claim 11 wherein the control further comprises a motor that controls the speed of rotation of the rotation member.

14. A downhole tool for wellbore operations comprising:

a substantially tubular member having a longitudinal axis, the substantially tubular member operably positionable in the wellbore; and

a rotation member rotatably disposed within the substantially tubular member, the rotation member having a passageway through which objects may pass into the wellbore, the rotation member rotating about an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in response to fluid flow through the passageway, the rotation member having magnetic properties such that rotation of the rotation member generates a magnetic field that produces useable power.

15. The downhole tool as recited in claim 14 wherein at least a portion of the rotation member has an airfoil shape.

16. The downhole tool as recited in claim 14 wherein the rotation member further comprises a substantially tubular rotor.

17. The downhole tool as recited in claim 14 wherein the rotation member further comprises a magnetic material.

18. The downhole tool as recited in claim 14 further comprising at least one magnet coupled to the rotation member.

19. The downhole tool as recited in claim 14 further comprising at least one magnetic pickup operably associated with the rotation member that senses the magnetic properties of the rotation member as the rotation member rotates, the magnetic pickup transforming the rotating action of the rotation member into electrical energy.

20. The downhole tool as recited in claim 14 further comprising a support member coupling the rotation member within the substantially tubular member.

21. The downhole tool as recited in claim 14 further comprising a starter rotor coupled to the rotation member and configured to assist the rotation of the rotation member within the substantially tubular member.

22. The downhole tool as recited in claim 21 wherein the starter rotor further comprises a pair of offset and curved drag members that provide resistance to fluid flow through the passageway, thereby facilitating rotation of the rotation member about the axis of rotation.

23. The downhole tool as recited in claim 14 further comprising a control adapted for activating the rotation member.

24. The downhole tool as recited in claim 23 wherein the control further comprises a motor for starting and stopping the rotation of the rotation member.

25. The downhole tool as recited in claim 23 wherein the control further comprises a motor that controls the speed of rotation of the rotation member.

26. A method for producing power within a wellbore comprising the steps of:

rotatably positioning a rotation member having magnetic properties within a substantially tubular member in the wellbore;

passing fluid through a passageway of the rotation member;

rotating the rotation member about an axis of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the substantially tubular member in response to the fluid flow through the passageway; and

generating a magnetic field in response to the rotation of the rotation member, thereby producing useable power.

27. The method as recited in claim 26 wherein the step of rotatably positioning the rotation member further comprises configuring at least a portion of the rotation member to have an airfoil shape.

28. The method as recited in claim 26 wherein the step of rotatably positioning the rotation member having magnetic properties further comprises magnetizing the rotation member.

29. The method as recited in claim 26 wherein the step of rotatably positioning the rotation member having magnetic properties further comprises coupling at least one magnet to the rotation member.

30. The method as recited in claim 26 further comprising the step of transforming the rotating action of the rotation member into electrical energy with at least one magnetic pickup operably associated with the rotation member.

31. The method as recited in claim 26 further comprising the step of coupling the rotation member within the substantially tubular member with a support member.

32. The method as recited in claim 26 further comprising the step of assisting the rotation of the rotation member with a starter rotor.

33. The method as recited in claim 26 further comprising the step of assisting the rotation of the rotation member with a starter rotor having a pair of offset and curved drag members that provide resistance to fluid flow through the passageway.

34. The method as recited in claim 26 further comprising the step of activating the rotation member with a control adapted for.

35. The method as recited in claim 26 further comprising the step of starting and stopping the rotation of the rotation member with a motor.

36. The method as recited in claim 26 further comprising the step of controlling the speed of rotation of the rotation member with a motor.