System and method for harvesting energy down-hole from an isothermal segment of a wellbore

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10115880-B2
Application number	US-201715653046-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2017
Priority date	Jul 24, 2013
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods of generating power in a wellbore extending through a subterranean formation are described. A swirling flow of pressurized fluid is passed through a vortex tube to generate a temperature differential between first and second outlets of the vortex tube. The temperature differential is applied to a thermoelectric generator configured to convert the temperature differential into a voltage. The thermoelectric generator produces electrical power that is transmittable to down-hole tools within the wellbore such as an inflow control valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of generating power in a wellbore extending through a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
(i) producing a production fluid from the subterranean formation into the wellbore, wherein the production fluid is produced under pressure from a production zone of the subterranean formation containing a hydrocarbon containing fluid;
(ii) passing the production fluid through a vortex tube to generate a temperature differential between first and second outlets of the vortex tube, wherein the inlet of the vortex tube is in fluid communication with the production zone of the subterranean formation; and
(iii) converting the temperature differential into a voltage.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising transmitting electrical power to a down-hole tool from a thermoelectric generator operatively coupled to the vortex tube to convert the temperature differential into the voltage.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising operating the down-hole tool to selectively pass the production fluid through an aperture defined in a production tubing extending through the subterranean formation.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Noui-Mehidi Jr Mohamed Nabil

Classifications

• E21B41/0085 Primary

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

• F25B9/04

  using vortex effect · CPC title

• H01L35/30 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H10N10/13 Primary

  characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction · CPC title