Downhole uses of electroactive polymers

• US 7,559,358 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Ryder, Nigel, DiFoggio, Rocco
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, KENNETH L
• Application Number:
  US11/196,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20070029197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 166/316, 166/65.1, 166/66.6, 166/66.7, 251/129.01, 251/129.06
• US Class Current: 166/66.6
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/00 Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/066 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/003 driven by piezoelectric means F04B43/046 and F04B43/095 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 47/00 Pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for raising fluids from great depths, e.g. well pumps by using positive or negative pressurised fluid medium acting directly on the liquid to be pumped F04F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/1243 Pivoting IF or other position variation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/06 Scanning arrangements arrangements for order-selection
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/145 by deforming or displacing surfaces , e.g. by mechanically driven vibroseis™
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/38 specially adapted for water-covered areas G01V1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/005 Devices for positioning logging sondes with respect to the borehole wall centralising devices for drilling rods or pipes E21B17/10; setting or locking tools in boreholes E21B23/00; locating objects in boreholes E21B47/09
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/10 producing rotary motion, e.g. rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/101 using intermittent driving, e.g. step motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/30 Assessment of water resources

Abstract

A downhole actuator comprising a electroactive polymer, an advancement device, and an electrical source for stimulating the electroactive polymer. The advancement device is motivated by stimulation of the electroactive polymer. The electroactive polymer can be stimulated by the electrical source. The embodiments of the actuator can be utilized in subterranean downhole environments. Alternatively, the device can comprise a downhole acoustic source comprising an electroactive polymer.

Claims

1. An actuator housed in a sonde and operable in a wellbore, the

actuator comprising:

an electroactive polymer in communication with an electrical source;

a valve disposed in the wellbore and connected to the electroactive polymer, the valve selectively opened and closed in response to electricity supplied to the electroactive polymer, the valve comprising a valve body, a passage formed through the valve body, a valve slide selectively slideable within the valve body, and an aperture formed through the valve slide selectively alignable with the passage.

2. The actuator of claim 1, the electroactive polymer comprising a first member coupled to the valve slide, the valve slide slideable in a first direction within the valve body in response to supplying electricity to the first member thereby contracting the first member.

3. The actuator of claim 2, the electroactive polymer comprising a second member coupled to the valve slide, the valve slide slideable within the valve body in a second direction in response to supplying electricity to the second member thereby contracting the second member.

4. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the valve is selected from the group consisting of a gate valve, a rotary valve, and a ball valve.