Rotary transformer for power transmission on a drilling rig system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10107036-B2
Application number	US-201514614267-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2015
Priority date	Feb 4, 2015
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a drilling system. The drilling system includes drill string actuation mechanism having a first component and a second component configured to be rotated relative to the first component by a driving mechanism of the drill string actuation mechanism. The drilling system also includes a rotary transformer having a power input winding and a rotating power output winding. The power input winding is configured to be coupled to a power source and to the first component of the drill string actuation mechanism, and the rotating power output winding is configured to be coupled to the second component of the drill string actuation mechanism.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drilling system, comprising:
a drill string actuation mechanism having a longitudinal axis, a first component, and a second component downstream of the first component with respect to a direction of drilling, wherein the second component is configured to be rotated about the longitudinal axis relative to the first component by a driving mechanism of the drill string actuation mechanism;
a saver sub coupled to the second component or a third component downstream from the second component with respect to the direction of drilling, wherein the saver sub comprises a mud valve; and
a rotary transformer having a power input winding and a power output winding, wherein the power input winding is configured to be coupled to a power source and to the first component of the drill string actuation mechanism, wherein the power output winding is configured to be coupled to the second component of the drill string actuation mechanism, and wherein the power output winding is electrically coupled with, and configured to provide electric power to, the mud valve.

2. The system of claim 1 , comprising a top drive, wherein the drill string actuation mechanism includes or is proximate to the top drive.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the drill string actuation mechanism comprises a casing drive system having at least one of the first component and the second component.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first component of the drill string actuation mechanism comprises a top drive and the second component of the drill string actuation mechanism comprises a quill coupled to the top drive.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drill string actuation mechanism comprises a pipe handler including features corresponding to at least one of the first component or the second component.

6. The system of claim 1 , comprising a drill floor, wherein the drill string actuation mechanism is proximate to the drill floor.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the drill floor is the first component.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drill string actuation mechanism comprises a differential speed disengage including features corresponding to at least one of the first component and the second component.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drill string actuation mechanism comprises an iron roughneck including features corresponding to at least one of the first component and the second component.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rotary transformer is configured to transfer electric power and data from the power input winding to the power output winding via a magnetic flux generated by electric current provided to the power input winding via the power source.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first component is configured to oscillate about the longitudinal axis of the drill string actuation mechanism, such that the first component and the second component are configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis at different rates.

12. A power transmission system for a drilling rig, comprising:
a rotary transformer;
an input winding of the rotary transformer coupled to a first component of a drill string actuator of the drilling rig;
an output winding of the rotary transformer coupled to a second component of the drill string actuator, wherein the second component is configured to be rotated about a longitudinal axis of the drill string actuator wherein the input winding of the rotary transformer is configured to electrically couple with a power source to receive a first electric current and generate a magnetic flux through the output winding to induce a second electric current in the output winding without physical contact between the input winding and the output winding; and
a mud valve electrically coupled to the power output winding, wherein the rotary transformer is configured to transfer electric power to the mud valve via the power output winding to selectively enable or disable fluid circulation through the mud valve.

13. The power transmission system of claim 12 , wherein the input winding and the output winding are disposed in plane with respect to the longitudinal axis or are axially staggered with respect to the longitudinal axis.

14. The power transmission system of claim 12 , wherein the rotary transformer is disposed proximate to a top drive of the drilling rig, wherein the first component of the drill string actuator comprises a first portion of the top drive and the second component of the drill string actuator comprises a sub driven by a quill of the top drive.

15. The power transmission system of claim 12 , wherein the rotary transformer is disposed proximate to a drill floor of the drilling rig, wherein the second component of the drill string actuator comprises a first portion of the drill floor, a first portion of a differential speed disengage, a first portion of power tongs, or a first portion of an iron rough neck, and the second component of the drill string actuator comprises a second portion of the differential speed disengage, a second portion of the iron rough neck, or a second portion of the power tongs.

16. The power transmission system of claim 12 , wherein the rotary transformer is configured to transfer electric power and data from the input winding to the output winding, and the output winding is configured to provide the electric power and data to a saver sub, a wireless torque turn sensor, or both.

17. The power transmission system of claim 12 , wherein the first component is configured to oscillate relative to the second component, such that the first component and the second component are configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis.

18. A method for providing power to a component on a drilling rig, comprising:
transmitting a first electric current from a power source to a primary coil coupled to a first component of the drilling rig to generate a magnetic flux through the primary coil and through a secondary coil, wherein the secondary coil is disposed proximate to the primary coil and coupled to a second component of the drilling rig, wherein the second component is configured to rotate relative to the first component, and wherein the magnetic flux through the secondary coil induces a second electric current in the secondary coil;
transmitting the second electric current from the secondary coil to the second component or to a third component configured to rotate with the second component; and
actuating a mud valve at or coupled to the second component or the third component using the second electric current, wherein the actuation of the mud valve is configured to enable or disable a flow of fluid through the first component, the second component, the third component, or any combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising transmitting data from the primary coil to the secondary coil, from the secondary coil to the primary coil, or both.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first component is a top drive, the second component is a quill or a saver sub, or the third component is the quill or the saver sub.

Assignees

• Nabors Drilling Tech Usa Inc

Inventors

• Bowley Ryan Thomas
• Yajure Edgar Fernando

Classifications

• E21B47/13

  by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency · CPC title

• E21B3/02 Primary

  Surface drives for rotary drilling · CPC title

• E21B17/028

  Electrical or electro-magnetic connections · CPC title

• E21B47/122

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B17/0283

  characterised by the coupling being contactless, e.g. inductive · CPC title