Collocation of radiation generator components for limited-space devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10116232-B2
Application number	US-201514975640-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 18, 2015
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A compact radiation generator for use in a downhole well-logging tool is disclosed. The compact radiation generator comprises a housing with a cavity, a linear acceleration tube in the cavity that generates radiation when supplied with a sufficiently high voltage, and a first voltage multiplier ladder in the cavity configured to supply the sufficiently high voltage to the acceleration tube. The first voltage multiplier ladder is folded into two linear parts that are collocated to each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A compact radiation generator for use in a downhole well-logging tool, the compact radiation generator comprising:
a housing comprising a cavity and an axis down a length of the housing;
a linear acceleration tube in the cavity that generates radiation when supplied with a sufficiently high voltage; and
a first voltage multiplier ladder in the cavity configured to supply the sufficiently high voltage to the acceleration tube, wherein the first voltage multiplier ladder comprises a first linear part and a second linear part, wherein the first linear part is electrically coupled to and receives power from a transformer and is disposed parallel to the axis of the compact radiation generator and collocated with the second linear part, wherein the first linear part and the second linear part of the first voltage multiplier ladder are connected to one another at a turnover point that is electrically partway through the first voltage multiplier ladder, wherein the transformer is collocated at a same position along the axis as at least a portion of the second linear part or a portion of the acceleration tube.

2. The compact radiation generator of claim 1 , wherein the turnover point occurs between the transformer and the second linear part.

3. The compact radiation generator of claim 1 , wherein:
the first voltage multiplier ladder comprises a plurality of multiplier stages;
the plurality of multiplier stages includes an input stage, an output stage, and an intermediate point between the input stage and the output stage; and
the turnover point occurs at the intermediate stage.

4. The compact radiation generator of claim 3 , comprising test circuitry at the intermediate stage to enable regulation of the first voltage multiplier ladder.

5. The compact radiation generator of claim 1 , wherein:
the first voltage multiplier ladder comprises a plurality of multiplier stages and a first loading coil disposed between two of the plurality of multiplier stages; and
the turnover point occurs at the first loading coil.

6. The compact radiation generator of claim 1 , wherein:
the first voltage multiplier ladder comprises a plurality of multiplier stages, a first loading coil disposed between two relatively lower-voltage stages of the plurality of multiplier stages, and a second loading coil disposed between two relatively higher-voltage stages of the plurality of multiplier stages than the first loading coil; and
the turnover point occurs between the first loading coil and the second loading coil.

7. The compact radiation generator of claim 6 , wherein the turnover point occurs at a point substantially equidistant the first loading coil and the second loading coil such that the first loading coil and the second loading coil are substantially collocated with and parallel to one another.

8. The compact radiation generator of claim 1 , wherein the compact radiation generator comprises a unipolar configuration with just the first voltage multiplier ladder.

9. The compact radiation generator of claim 1 , wherein the compact radiation generator comprises a bipolar configuration with the first voltage multiplier ladder supplying a first polarity voltage and a second voltage multiplier ladder supplying an opposite polarity voltage.

10. The compact radiation generator of claim 1 , wherein one of the first linear part and the second linear part of the voltage multiplier ladder comprises at least some components that are substantially collocated parallel to the acceleration tube.

11. The compact radiation generator of claim 1 , wherein the turnover point between the first linear part and the second linear part occurs electrically before a loading coil.

12. A system comprising;
a housing comprising a cavity and an axis down a length of the housing;
a linear acceleration tube in the cavity that generates radiation when supplied with a sufficiently high voltage; and
a first voltage multiplier ladder in the cavity configured to supply the sufficiently high voltage to the acceleration tube, wherein the first voltage multiplier ladder is folded at a first turnover point to form a first linear part and a second linear part, wherein the first linear part and the second linear part are collocated to each other and wherein the first linear part is electrically coupled to and receives power from a first transformer, wherein the first transformer is collocated at a same position along the axis as at least a portion of the second linear part or a portion of the acceleration tube.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first voltage multiplier ladder comprises a plurality of multiplier stages and wherein the at least one first linear part and the second linear part that comprises the first transformer further comprises a first driver, and one or more initial stages of the plurality of multiplier stages.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first turnover point comprises a first conductive transfer circuitry.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first turnover point comprises a first test circuitry that is configured to provide a measurement to a first controller, wherein the first controller regulates the first driver, the first transformer, or both.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the first voltage multiplier ladder comprises a first loading coil; and
the first turnover point occurs at or adjacent to the first loading coil.

17. The system of claim 12 , further comprises a second voltage multiplier ladder, wherein the first voltage multiplier ladder supplies a first polarity voltage and the second voltage multiplier ladder supplies a second polarity voltage that is opposite to the first polarity voltage.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the second voltage multiplier ladder is folded at a second turnover point to form a third linear part and a fourth linear part, wherein the third linear part and the fourth linear part are collocated to each other.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the second turnover point comprises a second test circuitry that is configured to provide a measurement to a second controller, wherein the second controller regulates a second driver, a second transformer, or both.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein:
the second voltage multiplier ladder comprises a second loading coil; and
the second turnover point occurs at or adjacent to the second loading coil.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Reijonen Jani Petteri

Classifications

• H02M7/106 Primary

  With physical arrangement details · CPC title

• G01V11/002

  Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant (means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B) · CPC title

• G01V5/08

  using primary nuclear radiation sources or X-rays {(, e.g. for inducing radioactivity; investigating or analysing materials by the use of wave or particle radiation, e.g. X-rays, neutrons G01N23/00)} · CPC title

• H05H3/06 Primary

  Generating neutron beams (targets for producing nuclear reactions H05H6/00; neutron sources G21G4/02) · CPC title