Abstract: An energy storage device for storing thermal energy is disclosed. The energy storage device comprises at least one heating device; a thermal storage body comprising at least one thermal storage block formed from a miscibility gap alloy; thermal insulation surrounding said thermal storage body; and at least one substantially impermeable shell surrounding the thermal storage body and/or the thermal insulation. The device is arranged such that heat can be charged or discharged from said thermal storage body by thermal transfer between said at least one heat transfer channel and at least one thermal storage block. The invention also relates to a method and a system for storing thermal energy in said at least one thermal storage block formed from a miscibility gap alloy.

Abstract: A seal section for use in a downhole submersible pumping system includes a lower chamber, an upper chamber and an intermediate guide section between the lower chamber and the upper chamber. The lower chamber includes a seal bag assembly that has a seal bag containing motor oil and an exterior space around the seal bag that contains high density oil that is denser than the motor oil. The upper chamber includes a volume of the high density oil at the bottom of the upper chamber and a gravity trap connected to the exterior space through an intermediate passage in the intermediate guide section. The gravity trap includes an opening submerged in the volume of high density oil in the upper chamber.

Abstract: A method of producing a structured composite material is described. A porous media is provided, an electrically conductive material is deposited on surfaces or within pores of the plurality of porous media particles, and an active material is deposited on the surfaces or within the pores of the plurality of porous media particles coated with the electrically conductive material to coalesce the plurality of porous media particles together and form the structured composite material.

Abstract: An auto-engageable coupling is disclosed for use in a pumping system that includes an electric motor and a pump driven by the electric motor. The auto-engageable coupling permits the transfer of torque from the motor to the pump but prevents the pump from applying torque to the motor. In some embodiments, the auto-engageable coupling includes a drive cup connected to a motor shaft driven by the motor, an output cup connected to an output shaft, and a drive bearing clutch connected between the drive cup and the output cup. The drive bearing clutch is configured to lock the drive cup and the output cup together when the motor shaft is driven in an intended direction. The auto-engageable coupling optionally includes a brake bearing clutch configured to resist the rotation of the output shaft in an unintended direction.

Abstract: An auto-engageable coupling is disclosed for use in a pumping system that includes an electric motor and a pump driven by the electric motor. The auto-engageable coupling permits the transfer of torque from the motor to the pump, but prevents the pump from applying torque to the motor. In some embodiments, the auto-engageable coupling includes a drive plate connected to a motor shaft and a reaction plate connected to an output shaft. The drive plate and reaction plate are only coupled together to transmit torque from the motor to the pump when the motor is activated and rotating in a first, intended direction. When the motor is not activated and the pump is forced to rotate in a first direction, the drive plate and the reaction plate are disengaged to prevent the delivery of torque from the pump to the motor.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pumping system (“ESP”) for use in a wellbore includes an electrical motor, a pump, a shaft coupled between the motor and pump, and a lubricant pump for circulating lubricant within the ESP. The lubricant pump includes a diffuser and an impeller that mounts onto and rotates with shaft rotation. A portion of the impeller has a frusto-conical outer surface, which is circumscribed by a portion of the diffuser profiled complementary to the frusto-conical portion of the impeller. The pump directs lubricant flow in a single direction irrespective of the rotational direction of the shaft.

Abstract: A composition of matter suitable for usage as a formative material for a lithium-sulfur battery cathode is provided. The composition of matter may include a carbon structure formed by multiple carbon particles interconnected to one another. Each carbon particle may include pores and exposed surfaces. In this way, an electrically conductive material (ECM) (e.g., silver and/or antimony) may be deposited in the pores and coated (e.g., conformally coated) on the exposed surfaces of respective carbon particles. In addition, at least some carbon particles may disintegrate and provide exposed surfaces prior to deposition of the ECM. For example, disintegrated carbon particles may have a greater surface-area-to-volume ratio than whole carbon particles, thereby providing an increased amount of surface area available for subsequent ECM deposition. In addition, in some aspects, an active material may be infiltrated in one or more carbon particles and pores.

Abstract: An ESP system having a driveshaft assembly; an electrical motor coupled with an end of the driveshaft assembly, and that when energized rotates the driveshaft assembly in a first direction. The ESP system also includes a pump coupled with an end of the driveshaft assembly distal from the motor, and a one-way clutch train in the driveshaft assembly that arrests rotation of the driveshaft assembly in a second direction. In this example the driveshaft assembly includes a pump shaft having an end engaged with an end of a motor shaft; opposing ends of the pump and motor shafts respectively couple with the pump and motor. The one-way clutch train includes a shaft-to-shaft clutch coupled between inner and outer surfaces of the pump and motor shafts and a shaft to housing clutch coupled between an outer surface of one of the pump and motor shafts and an outer housing.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pump assembly has a seal section housing for coupling between a motor and a pump of the assembly. A bladder has an opening sized to slide over an adapter in the seal section housing. A clamp ring is formed of a shape memory alloy selected to create an expanded condition inner diameter when at a room temperature, enabling the clamp ring to be inserted over the bladder opening during assembly. When heated to a selected elevated temperature, the clamp ring contracts and tightly secures the opening around the adapter. The shape memory alloy of the clamp ring also causes the contracted condition inner diameter to expand when chilled to a selected low temperature. Maximum and minimum diameters of the contracted ring are based on an amount of bladder compression that achieves sealing without damage to the bladder.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a reactor system that includes a microwave energy source that generates a microwave energy, a field-enhancing waveguide (FEWG) coupled to the microwave source. The FEWG includes a field-enhancing zone having a cross-sectional area that decreases along a length of the FEWG. The field-enhancing zone includes a supply gas inlet that receives a supply gas, a reaction zone that generates a plasma in response to excitation of the supply gas by the microwave energy, a process inlet that injects a raw material into the reaction zone, and a constricted region that retains a portion of the plasma and combines the plasma and the raw material in response to the microwave energy within the reaction zone. An expansion chamber is in fluid communication with the constricted region facilitates expansion of the plasma. An outlet outputs a plurality of carbon-inclusive particles derived from the expanded plasma and the raw material.

Abstract: An energy storage device for storing thermal energy is disclosed. The energy storage device comprises at least one heating device; a thermal storage body comprising at least one thermal storage block formed from a miscibility gap alloy; thermal insulation surrounding said thermal storage body; and at least one substantially impermeable shell surrounding the thermal storage body and/or the thermal insulation. The device is arranged such that heat can be charged or discharged from said thermal storage body by thermal transfer between said at least one heat transfer channel and at least one thermal storage block. The invention also relates to a method and a system for storing thermal energy in said at least one thermal storage block formed from a miscibility gap alloy.

Abstract: A method of assembling a tandem permanent magnet motor includes the steps of using an external visual reference system to align the stator assembly of the upper permanent magnet motor with the stator assembly of the lower permanent magnet motor. The external visual reference system includes a series of external reference marks that provide a mechanism for quickly aligning the upper and lower permanent magnet motors in the field prior to installation in a well as part of an electric submersible pumping system.

Abstract: A pumping system deployed in a wellbore has a motor, a pump driven by the motor, and a volumetric compensator connected to the motor to accommodate the expansion and contraction of fluids contained within the motor. The volumetric compensator has a head connected to the motor, a base that includes a fluid exchange port that extends to the wellbore, and a housing extending between the head and the base. The volumetric compensator further includes an inverted bellows assembly contained within the housing. The inverted bellows assembly includes a metal bellows that has an interior, an exterior, a proximal end and a distal end. The interior of the metal bellows is in fluid communication with the wellbore. The inverted bellows assembly may also include one or more guide rings connected to the exterior of the metal bellows. The guide rings are lubricated by the clean motor fluid surrounding the exterior of the metal bellows.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pumping system (“ESP”) for use in a wellbore includes an electrical motor, a pump, a shaft coupled between the motor and pump, and a lubricant pump for circulating lubricant within the ESP. The lubricant pump includes a diffuser and an impeller that mounts onto and rotates with shaft rotation. A portion of the impeller has a frusto-conical outer surface, which is circumscribed by a portion of the diffuser profiled complementary to the frusto-conical portion of the impeller. The pump directs lubricant flow in a single direction irrespective of the rotational direction of the shaft.

Abstract: A seal section for use in a downhole submersible pumping system includes a lower chamber, an upper chamber and an intermediate guide section between the lower chamber and the upper chamber. The lower chamber includes a seal bag assembly that has a seal bag containing motor oil and an exterior space around the seal bag that contains high density oil that is denser than the motor oil. The upper chamber includes a volume of the high density oil at the bottom of the upper chamber and a gravity trap connected to the exterior space through an intermediate passage in the intermediate guide section. The gravity trap includes an opening submerged in the volume of high density oil in the upper chamber.

Abstract: An ESP system having a driveshaft assembly; an electrical motor coupled with an end of the driveshaft assembly, and that when energized rotates the driveshaft assembly in a first direction. The ESP system also includes a pump coupled with an end of the driveshaft assembly distal from the motor, and a one-way clutch train in the driveshaft assembly that arrests rotation of the driveshaft assembly in a second direction. In this example the driveshaft assembly includes a pump shaft having an end engaged with an end of a motor shaft; opposing ends of the pump and motor shafts respectively couple with the pump and motor. The one-way clutch train includes a shaft-to-shaft clutch coupled between inner and outer surfaces of the pump and motor shafts and a shaft to housing clutch coupled between an outer surface of one of the pump and motor shafts and an outer housing.

Abstract: An electrical submersible well pump assembly has a SAW (surface acoustic wave) sensor on a motor shaft. A SAW electronic circuit mounts to the motor housing. The SAW electronic circuit has an antenna closely spaced to the SAW sensor for monitoring torque on the motor shaft. A controller at an upper end of the well supplies power to the motor. A motor gauge unit mounted to a lower end of the motor transmits signals to the controller. A signal line extends from the SAW electronic circuit to the motor gauge unit for transmitting signals from the SAW electronic circuit to the motor gauge unit, and from the motor gauge unit to the controller.

Abstract: An electric submersible pumping system includes one or more sensors, a sensor module configured to receive and process data from the one or more sensors, and a data memory unit configured to store data received from the one or more sensors. The data memory unit can be used for storing data using methods that shift the frequency at which information is recorded from the sensors. In some embodiments, the method includes the steps of recording data from a sensor within the pumping system at a first frequency, detecting the occurrence of a frequency shifting event, and recording data from the sensor at a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency. The measurement data can be stored in volatile or non-volatile memory to create a record of high resolution measurement data surrounding a frequency shifting event.

Abstract: An electrical submersible well pump (ESP) has a motor electrical connector mounted to an exterior of the motor. A motor sensor connects to an interior side of the motor electrical connector. Seal first and second electrical connectors mount to an exterior of a seal/motor adapter. A seal internal wire within the seal section electrically connects interior sides of the seal first and second electrical connectors together. An external motor jumper wire extends alongside the motor between the motor electrical connector and the seal first electrical connector. A pump electrical connector mounts to an exterior of a pump/seal adapter and connects to a pump sensor within the pump. An external seal jumper wire connects between the seal second electrical connector and the pump electrical connector.

Abstract: A system for visual cognition processing for sighting, effectively a rifle scope apparatus, is a system that transforms one or more captured image streams through image processing and complex scene analysis including detection, segmentation, keypoints, identification and visual cognition processing that generates a display image visible to a viewer on a display where the complete analysis of the scene can be computed on the sighting device or on a separate computation platform.