Downhole bladeless generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10044244-B2
Application number	US-201214443315-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2012
Priority date	Dec 28, 2012
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments include a bladeless generator carried by drilling string and disposed to employ mud flow through the drill string or return flow along the exterior of the drill string to drive the bladeless generator utilizing the boundary layer effect of fluid flow across a plurality of disks to generate electricity. The bladeless generator can be spaced apart from the primary flow path so as not to significantly disrupt flow therethrough. A portion of the primary flow path is diverted with flow channels or apertures to direct the diverted portion of the flow tangentially across a portion of the edges of the disks. The bladeless generator can be utilized to power electric downhole equipment, such as monitoring equipment or directional drilling steering equipment.

First claim

I claim:

1. A downhole electric generator system comprising:
an elongated tubular housing with an elongated axis, the housing having an exterior surface and further defining a main bore extending generally parallel to the axis through the tubular housing between opposing longitudinal ends thereof; and
a bladeless generator carried by the housing, the bladeless generator comprising at least one disk mounted on a drive shaft, the disk having a perimeter;
wherein the disk intersects the main bore tangentially at the perimeter of the disk and the perimeter of the main bore such that no more than one half of the surface area of the disk extends into the main bore.

2. The downhole electric generator system of claim 1 , wherein the main bore is internally disposed within the tubular housing along the axis, wherein the main bore defines a portion of a fluid flow path and the bladeless generator is carried by the housing so that the drive shaft is spaced apart from the elongated axis.

3. The downhole electric generator system of claim 2 , further comprising a flow channel defining a portion of the fluid flow path, the flow channel in fluid communication with the main bore so as to divert a portion of flow passing through the main bore, the flow channel disposed to tangentially intersect the perimeter of the disk.

4. The downhole electric generator system of claim 1 , wherein a fluid flow path is along the exterior surface of the tubular housing and the bladeless generator is carried by the housing so that a portion of the disk extends beyond the exterior surface of the housing.

5. The downhole electric generator system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of disks mounted on the drive shaft.

6. The downhole electric generator system of claim 1 , wherein the elongated tubular housing is a sub carried by a drill string.

7. The downhole electric generator system of claim 1 , wherein the elongated tubular housing is a sub carried by a wireline.

8. The downhole electric generator system of claim 1 , further comprising at least two bladeless generators carried by the housing, wherein the disks of each bladeless generator intersects the main bore tangentially at the perimeter of the disk.

9. The downhole electric generator system of claim 8 , wherein the bladeless generators are spaced apart radially from one another about the main bore.

10. The downhole electric generator system of claim 8 , wherein the bladeless generators are spaced apart axially from one another along the main bore.

11. The downhole electric generator system of claim 1 , further comprising a support structure on which the bladeless generator is mounted, wherein the support structure is mounted to the housing.

12. The downhole electric generator system of claim 11 , wherein the support structure comprises a flow diversion mechanism to divert a portion of the flow and direct the diverted flow across the disk of the bladeless generator.

13. The downhole electric generator system of claim 1 , further comprising an energy storage system carried by the elongated tubular housing.

14. The downhole electric generator system of claim 1 , wherein the disk is oriented on an axis which is transverse to that of the fluid flow path.

15. A wellbore system for use with a wellbore extending into a formation, the system comprising:
a fluid flow system having a main bore extending through the fluid flow system between opposing longitudinal ends thereof and generally along an axis defined by the fluid flow system;
electric equipment for use in association with the wellbore;
a bladeless generator having a disk that intersects the main bore such that no more than one half of the surface area of the disk extends into the main bore to thereby generate electricity to power the electric equipment.

16. The wellbore system of claim 15 , wherein the fluid flow system is a drill string.

17. The wellbore system of claim 15 , wherein the fluid flow system is a wellbore casing.

18. The wellbore system of claim 15 , wherein the fluid flow system is a drilling mud delivery system.

19. A method for generating electricity by a wellbore system, the method comprising the steps of
positioning a bladeless generator along a main bore of a fluid flow system in a wellbore, the main bore extending through the fluid flow system between opposing longitudinal ends thereof and generally along an axis defined by the fluid flow system;
causing at least a portion of fluid flowing in the main bore of the fluid flow system to pass across a disk of the bladeless generator, the disk being positioned to intersect the main bore such that no more than one half of the surface area of the a disk of the bladeless generator extends into the main bore;
utilizing a boundary layer effect of fluid flow across the disk to generate electricity.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising a step of operating electric wellbore equipment utilizing the bladeless generator.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of causing at least a portion of fluid flowing in the fluid flow system to pass across a disk of the bladeless generator is accomplished by diverting a portion of flow from a main flow path, directing the diverted portion across the disk, and thereafter, discharging the diverted portion back into the main flow path.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Downing Andrew James

Classifications

• E21B4/04 Primary

  Electric drives (E21B4/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02K7/18

  Structural association of electric generators with mechanical driving motors, e.g. with turbines · CPC title

• H02K7/1892

  Generators with parts oscillating or vibrating about an axis · CPC title

• E21B41/0085 Primary

  Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes · CPC title

• H02K7/1823 Primary

  structurally associated with turbines or similar engines · CPC title