Harvesting Vibration for Downhole Power Generation
A system that is usable with a subterranean well includes a winding, a member and a circuit. The winding is located downhole in the well, and the member moves relative to the winding in response to vibration occurring in the well to cause a signal to be generated on the winding. The circuit is coupled to the winding to respond to the signal to provide power to operate a component located downhole in the well.
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The invention generally relates to harvesting vibration for downhole power generation.
A typical subterranean well includes various devices that are operated by mechanical motion, hydraulic power or electrical power. For devices that are operated by electrical or hydraulic power, control lines and/or electrical cables typically extend downhole for purposes of communicating power to these tools from a power source that is located at the surface. A potential challenge with this arrangement is that the space (inside the wellbore) that is available for routing various downhole cables and hydraulic control lines may be limited. Furthermore, the more hydraulic control lines and electrical cables that are routed downhole, the higher probability that some part of the power delivery infrastructure may fail. Other risks are inherent in maintaining the reliability of any line or cable within the well's hostile chemical, mechanical or thermal environment and over the long length that may be required between the surface power source and the downhole power operated device.
Thus, some subterranean wells have tools that are powered by downhole power sources. For example, a fuel cell is one such downhole power source that may be used to generate electricity downhole. The subterranean well may include other types of downhole power sources, such as batteries, for example.
A typical subterranean well undergoes a significant amount of vibration (vibration on the order of Gs, for example) during the production of well fluid. In the past, the energy produced by this vibration has not been captured. However, an emerging trend in subterranean wells is the inclusion of devices to capture this vibrational energy for purposes of converting the energy into a suitable form for downhole power.
Thus, there is a continuing need for better ways to generate power downhole in a subterranean well.
SUMMARYIn an embodiment of the invention, a system that is usable with a subterranean well includes a winding, a member and a circuit. The winding is located downhole in the well, and the member moves relative to the winding in response to vibration occurring in the well to cause a signal to be generated on the winding. The circuit is coupled to the winding to respond to the signal to provide power to operate a component located downhole in the well.
Advantages and other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description, drawing and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to
The flow 27 is a primary source of vibrational energy downhole, and this vibrational energy is captured by a vibrational energy harvesting mechanism 20 (of a power generation tool 18) for purposes of converting the vibrational energy into downhole electrical power. This electrical power, in turn, may be used to power one or more downhole power-consuming components, such as sleeve valves, ball valves, motors, actuators, sensors, sound sources, electromagnetic signaling sources, or equipment to fire “smart bullets” into a well casing, perforating gun firing heads, controllers, microprocessors, Micro Electrical Mechanical Sensors (MEMS), telemetry systems (transmitters or receivers), etc., depending on the particular embodiment of the invention.
In some embodiments of the invention, the string 14 includes one or more features to enhance the generation of vibrational energy, referred to generally herein as a “vibration enhancement mechanism 16.” More specifically, the flow 27 enters the mechanism 16 that, in some embodiments of the invention, produces a locally more turbulent flow 31 that flows uphole. The creation of this more turbulent flow, in turn, amplifies the vibrational energy, thereby leading to the increased production of downhole power. The vibrational harvesting mechanism 20 may be located in proximity to (within ten feet, for example) to the vibration enhancing mechanism 16, in some embodiments of the invention. Various embodiments of the vibration enhancing mechanism are described below.
Thus, referring to
As a more specific example,
Other types of vibration enhancing mechanisms may be used in other embodiments of the invention. For example, referring to a cross-section depicted in
As another example,
As another example,
It has been discovered that a production string (a possible embodiment of the tubing string 14 (
As depicted in
As another example of a mechanism to enhance vibrational energy downhole,
In some embodiments of the invention, a piece of downhole equipment that may already be located downhole may be strategically placed near the power generation tool 20 (
In other embodiments of the invention, a vibrational energy-enhancing mechanism 108 (a cross-section of which is depicted in
Referring to
In some embodiments of the invention, a free flowing part may be used to enhance the generation of vibrational energy downhole. For example, a vibration enhancing mechanism 130 (a cross-section of which is depicted in
In some embodiments of the invention, an electrical device that consumes harvested power downhole may also be used to generate vibrational energy used for purposes of power generation. For example, as depicted in
Although the vibration-enhancing mechanisms and power generating mechanisms (such as the power generator tool 18) that are described above are generally located in the central passageway of the string 14, it is noted that in other embodiments of the invention, these mechanisms may be located in other regions of the well. For example, in some embodiments of the invention, these mechanisms may be located on the outside of the string 14 or located in a side packet mandrel, as further described below in connection with
As a more specific example, referring to
Although in the embodiments described above, the power generation mechanism 20 is depicted (
For purposes of supplying power to the tag, the tag may derive its power from the vibrational forces that are experienced by the tag itself. Thus, instead of being attached to a static structure, such as the string 14, for example, the tag is free-flowing and is imparted with vibrational energy as the tag flows in the well. This vibrational energy, is converted by a vibrational energy transformer of the tag into electrical power for the tag.
Thus, referring to
In some embodiments of the invention, the well 200 may include a tag reader 230 to extract information from the tags 220 as the tags 220 return from downhole. As the tags 220 descend downhole, vibrational energy imparted on the tags 220 generate power on the tag 220 to activate the tag 220 so that the tag 220 may then take the appropriate measurement downhole.
Referring to
As depicted in
In some embodiments of the invention, the tag 220 may include a reserve energy source, such as a battery 244, that is coupled to the output terminals of the DC-to-DC converter 242. The battery 244 serves as an energy buffer to store excess energy that is provided by the converter 240 so that this energy may be used to regulate the power that is provided to the power-consuming components of the tag 220.
In some embodiments of the invention, the power harvesting circuitry (whether on a wireless tag or affixed to the string 14) may have an architecture 260 that is generally depicted in
Thus, the inducer 264, piezoelectric material 262 and converter 268 form a basic power-harvesting generator 273 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Although depicted in
Additionally, in some embodiments of the invention, a particular well may include several generators 273 that are connected in parallel to the voltage supply 270. Furthermore, in some embodiments of the invention, a battery 272 may be coupled to the voltage supply line 272 for purposes of serving as an energy buffer to absorb and supply power, depending on the particular vibrational energy being experienced at the time.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the vibration responsive strain inducer 264 and piezoelectric material 262 may, in some embodiments of the invention, have a form 280 that is depicted in
Referring both to
In the various embodiments of the invention, the mass that induces the strain on the piezoelectric material may not be a cantilevered mass but alternatively, may be another type of strain inducer that generates a strain on the piezoelectric material in response to vibrational energy. For example, in some embodiments of the invention, the wall of the tubular string 14 (see
Although not depicted in
As another example of a strain-inducing mechanism in accordance with the invention,
Thus, as can be seen, the piezoelectric coating may be applied to various downhole components that are subject to vibration, in that the vibration induces a strain on the piezoelectric coating, and this strain induces a voltage that may be converted into downhole power. As yet another example,
Due to the generation of electrical power downhole, various control lines and electrical cables do not need to be extended from the surface of the well. Furthermore, generating electrical power downhole may be advantageous for purposes of reducing cabling between downhole components. For example,
Referring back to
Based on the detected characteristic(s), the controller 23 operates a valve 21 (a sleeve valve or ball valve, as examples) to control the flow 27. For example, the controller 23 may determine the flow 27 has a high water content level and close the valve 21 to shut off flow from the zone 32. As another example, the controller 23 may also control the valve 21 to regulate a pressure in the well. The controller 23, sensor 11 and valve 21, in some embodiments of the invention, receive power from the power generator tool 18. In some embodiment of the invention, the controller 23, sensor 111 and valve 21 receive all of their operating power from the power generating tool 18.
As another example of a power consuming device that may rely on energy derived from vibrational energy downhole,
As an example, the power generation mechanism 410 may be located in a side pocket mandrel 412 that is formed in the tubing 406. As shown in
The subsea well 400 may include other components that are powered by the power generating mechanism 410, such as, for example, telemetry circuitry 420 that is located on the sea floor 402 and is used to communicate (via acoustic, optical or electromagnetic communication, as examples) with a surface platform (not shown in
The above-described arrangements rely on the vibrational forces that are produced either by downhole equipment or by the flow of well fluid in contact with a particular vibration-enhancing mechanism. However, in some embodiments of the invention, vibrations may be intentionally introduced into a fluid or slurry that is introduced downhole from the surface.
For example,
Referring to
Not only may the vibrational energy be used to produce downhole power, other uses of the vibrational energy may be used, in accordance with particular embodiments of the invention. For example,
As yet another example of the use of vibrational energy to perform a function other than solely being converted into downhole power, a technique 481, depicted in
As a more specific example,
Alternatively, in some embodiments of the invention, each gas lift valve 584 may be designed to release tags that contain a unique and identifiable code that can be communicated to a suitable circuit at the surface located as 590 in
Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. For example, many other techniques may be used to generate electric power from vibrational energy downhole. For example, in some embodiments of the invention, a capacitor may be used that has at least one plate that is mounted to a spring. A voltage may be stored on the capacitor so that by variation of the distance between the plates of the capacitor, a varying voltage is produced. This varying voltage, in turn, may be converted into power for a particular downhole tool.
As another example of a mechanism to generate power from downhole vibrational energy,
In another variation,
Other variations are possible. For example, in other embodiments of the invention, the ferrous material 610 may be distributed on a dynamo that rotates inside the coil 602 to generate voltage on the coil's terminals. The rotational speed of the dynamo increases with the level of vibration in the well.
While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.
Claims
1. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a winding located downhole in the well;
- a member to move relative to the winding in response to vibration occurring in the well to cause a signal to be generated on the winding; and
- a circuit coupled to the winding to respond to the signal to provide power to operate a component located downhole in the well.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the member comprises a magnetic material.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the winding is attached to a tubular string extending into the well, and the coil moves relative to the string.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the coil is attached to a tubular string extending into the well, and the winding moves relative to the string.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the relative motion occurs along a direction generally traverse to a longitudinal axis of a tubular string that extends into the well.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the relative motion occurs along a direction generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a tubular string that extends into the well.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a voltage regulator to generate a regulated voltage to power the component in response to the signal.
8. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a tubular string comprising a central passageway and a flow diverter located in the central passageway to enhance vibrational energy in the tubular string in response to a flow contacting the flow diverter; and
- a power generator located downhole in proximity to the flow diverter to respond to the vibrational energy to generate power for a downhole component.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the flow diverter comprises a wedge-shaped member.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein the flow diverter comprises a blind T.
11. The system of claim 8, wherein the flow diverter comprises a cantilevered member extending from an interior sidewall of the tubular member.
12. The system of claim 8, wherein the flow diverter is located within approximately ten feet of the power generator.
13. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a tubular string comprising a central passageway having a varying cross-section to enhance vibrational energy in the tubular string in response to a flow through the cross-section; and
- a power generator located downhole in proximity to the varying cross-section to respond to the vibrational energy to generate power for a downhole component.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the varying cross-section maintains an approximate circular shape.
15. The system of claim 13, wherein the varying cross-section comprises a Venturi-type cross-section.
16. The system of claim 13, wherein the varying cross-section is located within approximately ten feet of the power generator.
17. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a chamber located downhole in the well, the chamber comprising at least one opening to receive an inlet fluid flow and at least one opening to provide an outlet fluid flow;
- an untethered member to move freely in the chamber in response to the inlet fluid flow to generate vibrational energy; and
- a power generator located downhole in proximity to the chamber to respond to the vibrational energy to generate power for a downhole component.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the untethered member comprises a ball.
19. The system of claim 17, wherein the untethered member is located within approximately ten feet of the power generator.
20. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a tubular string extending into the well, the string comprising a passageway to receive a fluid flow;
- a flexible member comprising a first end attached to the tubular string and a second free end located in the passageway to generate vibrational energy; and
- a power generator separate from the flexible member and located downhole in proximity to the flexible member to respond to the vibrational energy to generate power for a downhole component.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the flexible member comprises a spring.
22. The system of claim 20, wherein the spring is located within approximately ten feet of the power generator.
23. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a downhole component located in the subterranean well to receive power and perform a downhole function in response to the received power; and
- a power generator located downhole in proximity to the downhole component to respond to vibrational energy from the downhole component to generate the power received by the downhole component.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein the downhole component comprises at least one of an electrical submersible pump, a rod-type pump and a beam-type pump.
25. The system of claim 23, wherein the downhole component is located within approximately ten feet of the power generator.
26. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a tubular string extending into the well, the tubular string comprising a wall defining a passageway through the string and having a varying thickness to amplify a fundamental mode of vibration of the tubular string; and
- a power generator located downhole and coupled to the tubular string to respond to vibrational energy from the tubular string to generate power for a downhole component.
27. The system of claim 26, wherein the wall comprises thinner regions separated from each other by approximately ninety degrees about a longitudinal axis of the tubular string.
28. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a multiphase fluid mixer located in the subterranean well; and
- a power generator located downhole in proximity to the mixer to respond to vibrational energy from the mixer to generate power for a downhole component.
29. The system of claim 28, wherein the downhole component is located within approximately ten feet of the power generator.
30. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a tubular member located downhole in the subterranean well, the tubular member comprising a wall defining a passageway to receive a fluid flow and a groove formed in the wall to enhance vibrational energy produced by the fluid flow; and
- a power generator located downhole in proximity to the groove to respond to vibrational energy from the mixer to generate power for a downhole component.
31. The system of claim 30, wherein the groove comprises a spiral groove formed along a longitudinal axis of the passageway.
32. The system of claim 30, wherein the groove is formed on an interior surface of the wall.
33. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a sandscreen; and
- a power generator mounted to the sandscreen to respond to vibrational energy from the sandscreen to generate power for a downhole component.
34. The system of claim 33, wherein the power generator is mounted to an exterior of the sandscreen.
35. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a tubular member comprises a side pocket eccentric to a central passageway of the tubular member; and
- a power generator located in the side pocket to respond to vibrational energy to generate power for a downhole component.
36. A method usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- deploying wireless tags in the well to measure properties of the well as the tags flow through the well; and
- using vibrational energy transferred to the tags during the flowing through the well to activate the tags.
37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:
- for each tag, deploying the tag in an unpowered state into the well and converting vibrational energy transferred to the tag during the flowing into electrical power to power circuitry of the tag.
38. The method of claim 36, wherein at least one of the tags measures at least one of a pressure and a temperature in the well.
39. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a plurality of generators located downhole in the well, each of the generators independently generating power in response to vibrational energy,
- wherein the generators are electrically coupled together to each contribute to a stored energy.
40. The system of claim 39, wherein output terminals of the generators are coupled in parallel.
41. The system of claim 39, further comprising:
- a battery, wherein the generators are each adapted to store energy in the battery.
42. A method usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- initiating a flow from a surface of the well; and
- using vibrational energy from the flow to power a downhole component.
43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:
- adding vibrational energy at the surface to increase power production downhole.
44. The method of claim 43, wherein the adding comprises:
- pulsing the flow.
45. The method of claim 42, wherein the flow comprises a gravel slurry used in a gravel packing operation.
46. The method of claim 42, wherein the flow comprises a cement flow used in a cementing operation.
47. A method usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- detecting vibrational energy downhole in the well; and
- using the detected vibrational energy to evaluate possible blockage in a downhole tubular member.
48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:
- using the vibrational energy to generate power for a downhole component.
49. A method usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- detecting vibrational energy generated downhole;
- identifying one of a plurality of downhole tools capable of generating the vibrational energy;
- using the identification to acknowledge operation of said identified tool.
50. The method of claim 49, further comprising:
- constructing each of the downhole tools to have a different vibrational frequency during operation.
51. The method of claim 49, wherein the downhole tools comprise gas lift valves.
52. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a downhole component; and
- a controller to operate the component independently from a command from the surface of the well in response to a sensed characteristic downhole,
- wherein at least one of the downhole component and controller receive power generated downhole from vibrational energy.
53. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:
- a drilling string comprising a drill bit and a motor to operate the drill bit; and
- a sensor to sense a drilling characteristic,
- wherein the motor is located between the sensor and the motor, and sensor is powered by electrical power generated from vibrational energy downhole.
54. The system of claim 53, wherein the sensor does not receive power from any power cable extending across the motor.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 21, 2004
Publication Date: Apr 27, 2006
Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION (Sugar Land, TX)
Inventors: Rodney Wetzel (Katy, TX), Stephane Hiron (Houston, TX), Anthony Veneruso (Missouri City, TX), Dinesh Patel (Sugar Land, TX), Thomas MacDougall (Sugar Land, TX), Joe Walter (Sugar Land, TX)
Application Number: 10/904,071
International Classification: E21B 47/00 (20060101); E21B 41/00 (20060101); E21B 28/00 (20060101);