Electroactive polymer pumping system

• US 7,352,111 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2005
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Bagwell, Tony P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty; Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US11/164,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20070128059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 310/328, 310/800, 417/474
• US Class Current: 310/328
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00871 polymeric
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/006 Micropumps F04B43/043 and F04B43/095 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/12 having peristaltic action
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 33/00 Non-positive-displacement pumps with other than pure rotation, e.g. of oscillating type F04D35/00 takes precedence; hand-held fans A45B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 310/80 Piezoelectric polymers, e.g. PVDF

Abstract

An electroactive polymer pump having an electroactive polymer mass forming a channel between an inlet and an outlet and an electrical distribution system in operational connection with the electroactive polymer mass for selectively energizing sections of the electroactive polymer mass to produce an oscillating intrusion of the sections of the EAP mass into the channel to pump a fluid through the channel.

Claims

1. A method of pumping a fluid from a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a pump comprising an electroactive polymer (EAP) mass forming a channel between an inlet and an outlet, the EAP mass having a plurality of sections;

connecting a production string to the outlet of the pump;

running the pump on the production string into a wellbore;

introducing a fluid into the channel; and

selectively energizing the sections of the EAP mass to produce an oscillating intrusion of the sections into the channel to pump the fluid through the channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electroactive polymer mass comprises a singular tubular shaped member.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electroactive polymer mass comprises a plurality of tubular shaped members, each tubular shaped member forming a channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electroactive polymer mass comprises a plurality of fin shaped portions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electroactive polymer mass comprises a plurality of substantially continuous elongated electroactive polymer members.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electroactive polymer mass comprises a plurality of substantially spherically shaped electroactive polymer members.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each section of the electroactive polymer mass comprises a coiled strand of electroactive polymer.