Harvesting energy from flowing fluid

• US 7,560,856 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2007
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Guerrero, Julio C., Ocalan, Murat, Chen, Kuo Chiang, Forbes, Kevin J., Pabon, Jahir A., Ganguly, Partha
• Primary Examiner(s): BUDD, MARK OSBORNE
• Application Number:
  US11/949,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20090140604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 310/339, 310/800
• US Class Current: 310/339
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0085 Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/185 using fluid streams
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 310/80 Piezoelectric polymers, e.g. PVDF

Abstract

Electrical energy is produced at a remote or close site by converting kinetic energy from fluid flow with membranes that generates electrical energy in response to deformation by the fluid flow passing though a piezo electric medium attached to the deforming membranes. Sets of membranes define variable fluid flow restrictors that oscillate due to interaction of the force of fluid flow and Bernoulli Effect. The device can be tuned to different flow regimes in order to enhance energy conversion efficiency. Each membrane may include one or more layers of piezoelectric material separated by insulating/stiffening layers. Further, the device may be mounted in a secondary flow path such as a side package or annular tube.

Claims

1. Apparatus for converting kinetic energy to electrical energy comprising:

a housing with at least one wall defining an inner volume through which fluid is permitted to traverse from a first opening to a second opening; and

at least two membranes attached to the housing at one end, the membranes functioning together as a variable fluid flow restrictor between the first and second openings, and oscillating as a function of membrane stiffness and fluid flow force, the membranes being deformed during oscillation and generating electrical energy in response to being deformed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one piezo electric component is attached to at least one of the membranes.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each membrane includes one or a plurality of charge-generating layers.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein adjacent charge-generating layers are separated by electrically insulating layers.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein membrane stiffness corresponds to a predetermined natural frequency.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 including a plurality of sets of membranes arranged in series relative to fluid flow, each membrane set defining a variable fluid flow restrictor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing is cylindrical.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the housing includes a central internal member that defines an annular flow path between the internal member and the wall, the membranes being disposed in the annular flow path.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the internal member is tubular.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the internal member is a production tubing.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing includes means to be secured to a side package of a completion string as part of a casing or tubing.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a compliant ring-shaped anchor.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 including a plurality of membranes disposed around the ring-shaped anchor.

14. A method for converting kinetic energy to electrical energy comprising:

with a housing having at least one wall defining an inner volume through which fluid is permitted to traverse from a first opening to a second opening, and at least two membranes attached to the housing at one end,

forming a variable fluid flow restrictor between the first and second openings with the membranes, the fluid flow restrictor oscillating as a function of membrane stiffness and fluid flow force,

and generating electrical energy in response to deformation of the membranes during oscillation.

15. The method of claim 14 including the further step of generating electrical energy with at least one piezo electric component which is attached to at least one of the deforming membranes.

16. The method of claim 15 including the further step of generating electrical energy with one or each of a plurality of charge-generating layers of each membrane.

17. The method of claim 16 including the further step of generating electrical energy from each of a plurality of separated adjacent charge-generating layers separated by electrically insulating layers.

18. The method of claim 17 including the further step of oscillating at a natural frequency corresponding to membrane stiffness.

19. The method of claim 15 including the further step of generating electrical energy with each of a plurality of sets of membranes arranged in series relative to fluid flow, each membrane set defining a variable fluid flow restrictor.

20. The method of claim 19 including the further step of the housing defining a central internal member that creates an annular flow path between the internal member and the wall, the membranes being disposed in the annular flow path.

21. The method of claim 20 including the further step of using a tubular structure as the internal member.

22. The method of claim 21 including the further step of using production tubing as the internal member.

23. The method of claim 15 including the further step of securing the housing to a side package of a completion string as part of a casing or tubing.

24. The method of claim 15 including the further step of mounting the housing via a compliant ring-shaped anchor.

25. The method of claim 24 including the further step of generating electrical energy with each of a plurality of membranes disposed around the compliant ring-shaped anchor.

28. The method of claim 14 including the further step of setting membrane mechanical properties such that a natural frequency of the membrane oscillation and a natural or induced flow fluctuation are in the same range.

26. Apparatus for converting kinetic energy to electrical energy downhole comprising:

a housing with at least one wall defining an inner volume through which wellbore fluid is permitted to traverse from a first opening to a second opening; and

at least two membranes attached to the housing at one end, the membranes functioning together as a variable fluid flow restrictor between the first and second openings, and oscillating as a function of membrane stiffness and fluid flow force, the membranes being deformed during oscillation and generating electrical energy in response to being deformed.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein mechanical properties of the membrane correspond to a natural frequency of the membrane oscillations and wherein the natural frequency of the membrane oscillations and a natural or induced flow fluctuation are in the same range.