Wear-out detection methods for printed circuit board assembly components used in downhole oilfield environments

• US 9,411,913 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Zhan, Sheng, Ahmad, Izhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Eunhee
• Application Number:
  US13/251,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: 703/10, 703/13, 703/2, 703/6, 703/7, 702/6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2119/04 Ageing analysis or optimisation against ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer-readable medium for determining a lifespan of an electronic component in a downhole environment is disclosed. A first wear-out model is created that is related to a selected electronic component. A physical condition of the selected electronic component is examined at a selected examination time. The physical condition is generally due to the downhole environment in which the electronic component is disposed. A second wear-out model for the selected electronic component is created from the first wear-out model and the examined physical condition of the selected electronic component.

Claims

1. A method of creating a wear-out model for an electronic component of a downhole tool, comprising:

measuring stress levels at a plurality of failure times of prognostic sensors associated with the electronic component during operation of the electronic component in a controlled environment;

using the measured stress levels and failure times of the prognostic sensors to create a first wear-out model that provides reliability of the electronic component at the plurality of times in the controlled environment;

operating the electronic component in a downhole environment;

measuring a downhole stress on the electronic component during operation of the electronic component in the downhole environment;

comparing the downhole stress to the first wear-out model to select an examination time;

obtaining an image of a physical condition of the electronic component at the selected examination time corresponding to a selected reliability level from the first wear-out model; and

creating a second wear-out model for the selected electronic component that relates the image of the physical condition to the selected reliability level of the electronic component from the first wear-out model.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating the first wear-out model from another electrical component that is a same model as the electrical component.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising simulating a downhole stress at the another electrical component.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining a failure rate of a plurality of sensors at the another electronic component to create the first wear-out model.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the image of the physical condition of the electrical component further comprises nondestructively testing the electronic component.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising relating the image of the physical condition of the electronic component to one of:

(i) a remaining lifetime of the electronic component;

(ii) a reliability level of the electronic component; and

(iii) a point on a wear-out model of the electronic component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic component is a printed circuit board assembly.

8. An apparatus for creating a wear-out model for a selected electronic component of a downhole tool, comprising:

a processor configured to;

measure stress levels at a plurality of failure times of prognostic sensors associated with the selected electronic component during operation of the electronic component in a controlled environment;

using the measured stress levels and failure times of prognostic sensors to create a first wear-out model providing reliability of the selected electronic component at the plurality of times in the controlled environment,

operate the electronic component in a downhole environment;

measure a downhole stress on the electronic component during operation of the electronic component in the downhole environment;

compare the the downhole stress to the first wear-out model to select an examination time;

obtain an image of a physical condition of the selected electronic component at the selected examination time corresponding to a selected reliability level from the first wear-out model, and

create a second wear-out model for the selected electronic component that relates the image of the physical condition to the selected reliability level from the first wear-out model.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising one or more sensors configured to monitor a stress at the selected electronic component in the downhole environment.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to create the first wear-out model from data obtained from another electronic component that is a same model as the selected electronic component.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein data is obtained for creating the first wear-out model by applying a simulated downhole stress to the another electronic component.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a failure rate of a plurality of sensors at the another electronic component to create the first wear-out model.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the image of the physical condition of the selected electronic component further comprises nondestructive test data obtained from the selected electronic component.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to relate the image of the physical condition of the electronic component to one of:

(i) a remaining lifetime of the electronic component;

(ii) a reliability level of the electronic component; and

(iii) a point on a wear-out model of the electronic component.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the selected electronic component is a printed circuit board assembly.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium include instruction therein and accessible to a processor, wherein the processor reads the instructions to perform a method for creating a wear-out model for a selected electronic component of a downhole tool, comprising:

obtaining measurements of stress levels at a plurality of failure times of prognostic sensors associated with the selected electronic component during operation of the electronic component in a controlled environment;

using the measured stress levels and failure times of prognostic sensors to create a first wear-out model that provides reliability of the selected electronic component at the plurality of times in the controlled environment,

operating the electronic component in a downhole environment;

measuring a downhole stress on the electronic component during operation of the electronic component in the downhole environment;

comparing the downhole stress to the first wear-out model to select an examination time;

obtaining an image of a physical condition of the selected electronic component at the selected examination time corresponding to a selected reliability level from the first wear-out model, and

creating a second wear-out model for the selected electronic component that relates the image of the physical condition to the selected reliability level of the electronic component from the first wear-out model.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium for claim 16, further comprising creating the first wear-out model using another electrical component that is a same model as the selected electrical component.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising simulating a downhole stress at the another electrical component and determining a failure rate of a plurality of sensors at the other electronic component to create the first wear-out model.