Downhole uses of electroactive polymers

• US 20070029197A1
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• 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: DiFoggio, Rocco, Ryder, Nigel
• Granted Patent: US 7,559,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/450
• 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 operable in a wellbore comprising:

an electrical source;

an electroactive polymer in communication with the electrical source, and;

a mechanical device in cooperation with said electroactive polymer.

2. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said mechanical device comprises a ratcheting device and an advancement device.

3. The actuator of claim 2 wherein said ratcheting device comprises a gearwheel having teeth set off at an angle and a pawl in operative cooperation with said teeth.

4. The actuator of claim 2, wherein said advancement device further comprises a connecting rod operatively coupled to the electroactive polymer.

5. The actuator of claim 2 wherein said ratcheting device comprises a planar member, a series of notches disposed on the planar member, said notches couplable with said advancement device.

6. The actuator of claim 1 wherein said electroactive polymer comprises two or more segments.

7. The actuator of claim 2, wherein said ratcheting device comprises an elongated member and a series of notches disposed on the elongated member, wherein said notches are couplable with said advancement device.

8. The actuator of claim 1, further comprising a downhole sonde housing said actuator, said sonde further comprising an electrical source disposed thereto.

9. The actuator of claim 2, further comprising a second mechanical device.

10. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said mechanical device is coupled with a valve.

11. The actuator of claim 10, wherein said valve comprises a valve body having a slide selectively positioned within the valve body.

12. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said mechanical device comprises a pivoting arm.

13. The actuator of claim 12, further comprising a downhole sonde on which the pivoting arm is pivotally connected.

14. The actuator of claim 13, further comprising a pad connected to the free end of said pivoting arm.

15. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said mechanical device comprises a piston in cooperation with a pump having a body.

16. The actuator of claim 15 wherein said electroactive polymer comprises a compression element and a reciprocation element.

17. The actuator of claim 16, wherein said compression element and said reciprocation element can alternatively urge said piston into and out of the pump body thereby producing a reciprocating pumping action for pressurizing fluid within said pump.

18. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said mechanical device is a tympanic member.

19. The actuator of claim 18, wherein said tympanic member is substantially planar.

20. The actuator of claim 19, wherein said electroactive polymer is attachable to the surface of said member, and stimulation of said electroactive polymer bends said member for producing an acoustic signal.

21. A spectrometer comprising:

a filter;

an electrical source; and

an electroactive polymer in communication with the electrical source and in mechanical communication with said filter.

22. The spectrometer of claim 21, wherein said spectrometer is disposable in a downhole sonde.

23. The spectrometer of claim 21 wherein said spectrometer is selected from the group consisting of a wavelength modulation spectrometer and a derivative spectrometer.

24. The spectrometer of claim 23, wherein said filter is selected from the group consisting of a oscillating interference filter and a reciprocating linear variable filter.

25. The spectrometer of claim 21, further comprising a spindle wherein said filter rotates upon said spindle.

26. The spectrometer of claim 25, wherein the rotational motion of said filter is provided by stimulation of said electroactive polymer.

27. A vibration compensation device comprising:

a compensating member mechanically coupled to a protected device; and

a feedback circuit in communication with said compensating member wherein said compensating member comprises an electroactive polymer.

28. The vibration compensation device of claim 27, wherein said device is housed within a downhole tool insertable within a wellbore.

29. The vibration compensation device of claim 27 further comprising an accelerometer coupled with said protected device.

30. The vibration compensation device of claim 27, wherein said protectable device is sensitive to shock, vibration, or acceleration.

31. A downhole actuator useful to actuate a downhole component comprising:

a motivating member having a series of notches formed thereon; and

a mechanical device selectively couplable with said notches, said activating device comprising an electroactive polymeric member.

32. The downhole activating device of claim 31 wherein said activating device further comprises connecting members selectively couplable to said notches.

33. The downhole activating device of claim 31 wherein said electroactive polymeric member is comprised of at least two sections.

34. The downhole activating device of claim 31, wherein said motivating member has a planar form.

35. The downhole activating device of claim 31, wherein said motivating member has an elongated form.

36. A downhole actuator useful to activate a downhole component comprising:

a means for providing a motivating force to said actuator, said means comprising an electroactive polymer; and

a linkage system operatively coupled to said means and to the downhole component.

37. The downhole actuator of claim 36 wherein said means further comprises an electrical source.

38. The downhole actuator of claim 36, wherein said linkage system comprises a connecting rod selectively couplable to a motivating member.

39. The downhole actuator of claim 38, wherein said motivating member comprises notches formed to selectively couple with said connecting rod and recieve. a motivating force from said electroactive polymer.

40. The downhole actuator of claim 38, wherein said motivating member has a generally planar form.

41. The downhole actuator of claim 38, wherein said motivating member has a generally elongated form.

42. A seismic source comprising:

an electroactive polymer; and

an electrical supply in electrical communication with said electroactive polymer.

43. The seismic source of claim 42, wherein said electroactive polymer and support is disposable in a body of water and wherein upon activation of said acoustic source by the electrical supply said acoustic source imparts a seismic signal into the body of water.

44. The seismic source of claim 42, wherein upon activation of said electroactive polymer material by the electrical source, the electroactive polymer vibrates at a frequency of from about 5 Hz to about 1000 Hz.

45. The seismic source of claim 42, further comprising a towing vessel towingly attached to said acoustic source thereby forming a marine acoustic source.

46. The seismic source of claim 45, wherein said marine acoustic source comprises a multiplicity of electroactive polymers each affixed to a support on its outer periphery, wherein said multiplicity of electroactive polymers comprises an acoustic array.

47. The seismic source of claim 42 further comprising a sonde.

48. The seismic source of claim 47, wherein said sonde is disposable in a wellbore having fluid.

49. The seismic source of claim 48 wherein when said sonde is disposed within the wellbore fluid, application of an electrical signal from the electrical source to the electrically responsive member imparts an acoustic signal into the wellbore fluid.

50. The seismic source of claim 49, wherein the acoustic signal imparted into the wellbore fluid is transmissible into the formation adjacent the wellbore.

51. The seismic source of claim 42 further comprising a support circumscribing said electroactive polymer, wherein said electroactive polymer is affixed to the support on its outer periphery.