Abstract: A battery which has electrodes and electrolyte inside a rigid outer container is fitted with a sensor device in the form of a strap at the exterior of the container. The strap has a strain gauge secured to the strap to observe strain on stretching the strap. The strap incorporates a tightening mechanism for reducing a length of the strap. After the strap has been put in place at the exterior of the container, the tightening mechanism is used to pull the strap taut with a length of the strap pressing against the exterior of the container. The strain gauge may be used to monitor expansion of the outer container during charging and thus indicate state of charge or to monitor expansion during the working life of the battery and this indicates its state of health. The sensor devices may be used for a large number of batteries storing electricity on grid scale, with electronics attached to each strap communicating wirelessly with a battery management system.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for monitoring operational characteristics of a drilling system that includes a bottom hole assembly having a drill collar operably coupled to a drill bit. A device having an elongate beam and at least one pair of sensors is rigidly secured to a part of the bottom hole assembly to measure strain in the part of the bottom hole assembly. The measurement of strain can be used to derive a measurement of at least one operational parameter of the drilling system, such as dog leg severity of a wellbore, torque on bit, and/or weight on bit.

Abstract: A bit to detect drill bit metamorphism (DBM) may include a bit head. A bit to detect DBM may include at least one cutting element connected to the bit head. A bit to detect DBM may include a temperature sensor on or in the at least one cutting element. A bit to detect DBM may include an electronics module in communication with the temperature sensor. A bit to detect DBM may include a wiring conduit from the at least one cutting element and through at least a portion of the bit head to the electronics module.

Abstract: An instrument assembly comprises an electronics housing disposed in a body of a downhole tool and an engagement element assembly connected to the electronics housing. The instrument assembly includes an engagement sensor positioned at a base of the engagement element assembly and configured to take measurements corresponding with an engagement of the engagement element assembly with a borehole. The instrument assembly includes an electronics housing seal configured to seal at least a portion of the electronics housing from a downhole pressure.

Abstract: A method of imaging an earth formation comprises identifying engagement data from an engagement sensor. The engagement data corresponds to an engagement of the instrumented engagement element with a borehole in the earth formation. The method includes identifying rotation data from a rotation sensor. The rotation data corresponds to a rotational orientation of the engagement data with respect to the borehole. The method includes mapping the engagement data to the rotation data to generate oriented engagement data.

Abstract: A method of identifying a geothermal reservoir of an earth formation comprises receiving engagement data from an engagement sensor. The engagement data corresponds to an engagement of the instrumented engagement element with a borehole in the earth formation. The method includes identifying environment data from a rotation sensor. The environment data corresponds to a downhole environment of the engagement data. The method includes mapping the engagement data to the environment data to generate mapped engagement data.

Abstract: A control system for a saw blade used to cut slots in carbon anodes used in aluminum processing includes an instrument package installed on the saw blade. The instrument package includes one or more sensors used to measure one or more operating characteristics. If the operating characteristics are outside of a threshold operating characteristic. then one or more operating parameters of the saw blade can be adjusted. Example adjustments may be made to the rotational speed or depth of cut of the saw blade. or repair or replacement of cutting elements or the saw blade.

Abstract: A battery comprises a housing, one or more energy cells contained within the housing, and a battery monitoring system contained within the housing. The battery monitoring system includes a health sensor configured to take health measurements corresponding to a health condition of the battery. The battery monitoring system includes an electronic module configured to communicate one or more signals corresponding to the health measurements such that the health condition may be determined.

Abstract: A downhole measurement module includes a microcontroller having a plurality of inputs and a sensor connected to a first input of the plurality of inputs. A switch is connected to a second input of the plurality of inputs. The microcontroller implements a measurement program to receive measurements from the sensor, the measurement program being based on a setting of the switch.

Abstract: A downhole energy harvesting system includes a housing subjected to periodic oscillations. An energy harvesting device is on, in, or otherwise connected to the housing and positioned to generate electricity based on the periodic oscillations. The energy harvesting device is coupled to at least one of a powered component or an energy storage device in order to use or store the harvested energy.

Abstract: A rotary cutting tool for use in a wellbore has an instrumented cutter fitted into a cavity in the tool body. The instrumented cutter body has an outer end portion exposed at the open end of a cavity and is connected to the tool body through at least one connecting section having a smaller cross-section and greater compliance than the outer end portion. The outer end portion and the connecting section are slightly movable within the cavity but the cavity surrounds at least part of the outer end portion sufficiently closely to limit transverse movement to elastic strain of the compliant connecting portion. One or more sensors, which may be strain gauges, are used to measure force on the outer end portion in a plurality of directions transverse to the cavity and causing elastic strain of the at least one connecting section.

Abstract: In a drill bit which has hard-faced cutting or gauge protection elements positioned to be in direct contact with subterranean formation as the bit is rotated, at least one of these elements includes a window positioned to be in direct contact with the formation or cuttings from the formation as the bit rotates and moves forward to drill into the formation. Electromagnetic radiation with wavelength in the range from 100 nm to 2600 nm is transmitted through the window to the formation in contact with the window. Electromagnetic radiation such as fluorescence that returns through the same window is received by a spectrometer. The source and receiver of electromagnetic radiation are both accommodated within the downhole drilling equipment but spaced from the windowed element. The electromagnetic radiation travels along light guides from the source to the window and from the window to the receiver.

Abstract: A stabilizer can include an outer collar, an inner sleeve, and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is changeable between a first mode in which the outer collar is rotationally fixed to the inner sleeve and a second mode in which the outer collar is rotationally isolated relative to the inner sleeve. The stabilizer may include an active or passive system for changing modes. An example passive device may include a magnetic clutch where the detected force overcomes magnetic forces to change mode. The stabilizer can be used to mitigate whirl on a rotating device by switching the rotating device between a rotating mode and a non-rotating mode. In the rotating mode, outer collar may rotate with the inner sleeve. In the non-rotating mode, the outer collar may be rotationally isolated from the inner sleeve.

Abstract: A bottom hole assembly (BHA) of a drill string includes a chassis, a plate coupled to the chassis, and a strain gauge coupled to the plate. The strain gauge is used to output a signal associated with a deformation of the plate. The plate and chassis may be included within a collar that experiences strain, and deformation of the collar may be translated to the chassis and the plate. The plate may experience strain in the form of torsional bending, in-plane bending, out-of-plane bending, axial tension or compression. The plate may include or be coupled to an electronics board that has strain gauges to measure different types of strain in isolation from other types of strain.

Abstract: A rotary tool for operation within an underground borehole or within tubing in a borehole has a tool body and at least one sensor-containing unit attached to the tool body and positioned to contact the conduit wall. The sensor-containing unit includes an exterior portion to contact the borehole or tubing wall and one or more sensors is located in a cavity between the exterior portion and the tool body. The sensor-containing unit may be formed from the exterior portion, an attachment portion for attachment to the tool body, and one or more connecting portions extending between the attachment and exterior portions, with the sensor-containing cavity between the attachment and exterior portions. Possible rotary tools include drill bits, reamers, mills, stabilizers, and rotary steerable systems.

Abstract: A rotary tool for operation within an underground wellbore or within tubing in a wellbore has at least one force-sensitive element attached to the tool body and positioned to contact the conduit wall, wherein the force-sensitive element comprises an outer portion to contact the wellbore or tubing wall, at least one connecting portion which is more compliant than the outer portion and through which the outer portion is connected to the tool body, and at least one sensor responsive to force on the outer portion transmitted through the force-sensitive element to the tool body. The sensors may resolve forces into measurable forces on three axes. Possible rotary tools include drill bit, reamer, mill, stabilizer and rotary steerable system for a drill bit.

Abstract: A stabilizer can include an outer collar, an inner sleeve, and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is changeable between a first mode in which the outer collar is rotationally fixed to the inner sleeve and a second mode in which the outer collar is rotationally isolated relative to the inner sleeve. The stabilizer may include an active or passive system for changing modes. An example passive device may include a magnetic clutch where the detected force overcomes magnetic forces to change mode. The stabilizer can be used to mitigate whirl on a rotating device by switching the rotating device between a rotating mode and a non-rotating mode. In the rotating mode, outer collar may rotate with the inner sleeve. In the non-rotating mode, the outer collar may be rotationally isolated from the inner sleeve.

Abstract: In a drill bit which has hard-faced cutting or gauge protection elements positioned to be in direct contact with subterranean formation as the bit is rotated, at least one of these elements includes a window positioned to be in direct contact with the formation or cuttings from the formation as the bit rotates and moves forward to drill into the formation. Electromagnetic radiation with wavelength in the range from 100 nm to 2600 nm is transmitted through the window to the formation in contact with the window. Electromagnetic radiation such as fluorescence that returns through the same window is received by a spectrometer. The source and receiver of electromagnetic radiation are both accommodated within the downhole drilling equipment but spaced from the windowed element. The electromagnetic radiation travels along light guides from the source to the window and from the window to the receiver.

Abstract: A method of mitigating whirl on a rotating device includes detecting force on a outer surface of the rotating device and switching the rotating device between a rotating mode and a non-rotating mode. In the rotating mode, the outer surface may rotate with an inner sleeve. In the non-rotating mode, the outer surface may be rotationally isolated from the inner sleeve. The rotating device may include a stabilizer with an active or passive system for switching modes. The stabilizer can include an outer collar, an inner sleeve, and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is changeable between a first mode in which the outer collar is rotationally fixed to the inner sleeve and a second mode in which the outer collar is rotationally isolated relative to the inner sleeve. An example passive device may include a magnetic clutch where the detected force overcomes magnetic forces to change mode.

Abstract: A rotary tool for operation within an underground borehole or within tubing in a borehole has a tool body and at least one sensor-containing unit attached to the tool body and positioned to contact the conduit wall. The sensor-containing unit includes an exterior portion to contact the borehole or tubing wall and one or more sensors is located in a cavity between the exterior portion and the tool body. The sensor-containing unit may be formed from the exterior portion, an attachment portion for attachment to the tool body, and one or more connecting portions extending between the attachment and exterior portions, with the sensor-containing cavity between the attachment and exterior portions. Possible rotary tools include drill bits, reamers, mills, stabilizers, and rotary steerable systems.