Protective barriers for small devices
First Claim
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1. A downhole fluids analysis system, comprising:
- a small device adapted for downhole use to measure a property of a flowing fluid in contact with the device, wherein the small device is a micro-machined integrated device out of a substrate material; and
a protective barrier for protecting the device against the fluid, wherein the protective barrier comprises two or more layers of coating on the device and the protective barrier comprises at least a first layer of tantalum oxide and a second layer of titanium nitride.
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Abstract
Protective barriers for small devices, such as sensors, actuators, flow control devices, among others, protect the devices from erosive and/or corrosive fluids, for example, formation fluids under harsh downhole conditions. The protective barriers include protective coatings and fluid diverting structures in the fluid flow which facilitate use of the small devices in high temperature-high pressure applications with erosive and/or corrosive fluids that are often found in downhole environments.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A downhole fluids analysis system, comprising:
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a small device adapted for downhole use to measure a property of a flowing fluid in contact with the device, wherein the small device is a micro-machined integrated device out of a substrate material; and a protective barrier for protecting the device against the fluid, wherein the protective barrier comprises two or more layers of coating on the device and the protective barrier comprises at least a first layer of tantalum oxide and a second layer of titanium nitride. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A downhole fluids analysis system, comprising:
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a small device adapted for downhole use to measure a property of a flowing fluid in contact with the device, wherein the small device is a micro-machined integrated device out of a substrate material; and a protective barrier for protecting the device against the fluid wherein the protective barrier comprises a baffle device for deflecting particulate laden flow away from the device and wherein the protective barrier further comprises;
a tantalum oxide layer on the device for protecting the device against corrosion and a titanium nitride layer on the device for protecting the device against erosion, the titanium nitride layer being over the tantalum oxide layer.
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7. A method of downhole fluid sensing with a microelectromechanical systems device having a flexural plate comprising:
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establishing fluid communication between the downhole microelectromechanical systems device, adapted for measuring fluid properties under high temperature, high pressure conditions, and subterranean formation fluids in a borehole; providing a first protective barrier coating on the downhole microelectromechanical systems device for protecting the downhole microelectromechanical systems device against corrosion by the formation fluids by sputtering a coating of tantalum oxide on said microelectromechanical systems device; providing a second protective barrier coating on the downhole microelectromechanical systems device for protecting the downhole microelectromechanical systems device against erosion by the formation fluids; and surrounding the flexural plate with the subterranean formation fluids so that, when activated, the flexural plate vibrates and cause the subterranean formation fluids to move.
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8. A method of downhole fluid sensing with a flexural-plate microelectromechanical systems device having a planar member with a flexural plate attached thereto along one side comprising:
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establishing fluid communication between the downhole microelectromechanical systems device, adapted for measuring fluid properties under high temperature, high pressure conditions, and subterranean formation fluids in a borehole; providing a first protective barrier coating on the downhole microelectromechanical systems device for protecting the downhole microelectromechanical systems device against corrosion by the formation fluids; providing a second protective barrier coating on the downhole microelectromechanical systems device for protecting the downhole microelectromechanical systems device against erosion by the formation fluids by depositing by plasma vapor a coating of titanium nitride on said microelectromechanical systems devices; and surrounding the flexural plate with the subterranean formation fluids so that, when activated, the flexural plate vibrates and cause the subterranean formation fluids to move.
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9. A microelectromechanical systems device adapted for downhole fluids sensing comprising:
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a microelectromechanical systems device adapted for downhole use to measure a property of a flowing fluid in contact with the microelectromechanical systems device, the microelectromechanical systems devise fabricated on a planar member; and at least one of a first protective coating on the microelectromechanical systems device to protect the device from downhole fluid corrosion and a second protective coating on the microelectromechanical systems device to protect the device from downhole fluid erosion, said at least one of a first and a second protective coating, having a coating thickness in the range of about 0.01 micrometers to about 100 micrometers in thickness, and said coating including at least one of an oxide, carbide and nitride of titanium. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification