Downhole blower system with passive radial bearings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10465489-B2
Application number	US-201615392258-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2016
Priority date	Dec 28, 2016
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

This disclosure describes various implementations of a downhole-blower system that can be used to boost production in a wellbore. The downhole-blower system includes a blower and an electric machine coupled to the blower that can be deployed in a wellbore, and that can, in cooperation, increase production through the wellbore.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole-type blower system comprising:
a blower configured to be positioned in a wellbore, the blower configured to rotatably drive or be driven by fluid produced through the wellbore;
an electric machine configured to be positioned downhole of the blower, the electric machine configured to rotatably drive or be driven by the blower;
a bearing shaft coupling the blower and the electric machine, the bearing shaft configured to transfer rotation between the blower and the electric machine;
a passive magnetic radial bearing assembly configured to magnetically support the bearing shaft; and
an active damper coupled to the bearing shaft, the damper configured to damp a vibration of the bearing shaft responsive to transferring the rotation between the blower and the electric machine, wherein the active damper assembly comprises:
a damper magnet coupled to the bearing shaft, the damper magnet positioned between the plurality of radial bearing assemblies, wherein the vibration of the bearing shaft induces an induced vibration in the damper magnet;
a first damper magnet pole shoe and a second damper magnet pole shoe coupled to a first pole and a second pole, respectively of the damper magnet, the first damper magnet pole shoe and the second damper magnet pole shoe configured to maintain uniformity of magnetic fields generated by the damper magnet; and
a damper sleeve positioned over outer diameters of the damper magnet, the first damper magnet pole shoe and the second damper magnet pole shoe.

2. The downhole-type blower system of claim 1 , wherein the bearings shaft is made from a non-magnetic material.

3. The downhole-type blower system of claim 1 , wherein the bearing shaft comprises a shaft magnet assembly comprising a plurality of axially-magnetized magnets.

4. The downhole-type blower system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of axially-magnetized magnets are radially imbedded into the bearing shaft.

5. The downhole-type blower system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of axially-magnetized magnets are arranged so that magnet polarities alternate along an axis of the bearing shaft.

6. The downhole-type blower system of claim 3 , wherein an exterior surface the shaft magnet assembly is substantially flush with an outer surface of the bearing shaft.

7. The downhole-type blower system of claim 3 , further comprising a stator magnet assembly surrounding the bearing shaft, the stator magnet assembly comprising a plurality of stator magnets.

8. The downhole-type blower system of claim 7 , wherein identical poles of the plurality of stator magnets and the plurality of axially-magnetized magnets are substantially in line with one another.

9. The downhole-type blower system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of stator magnets are separated from each other by a first plurality of spacers, and wherein the plurality of axially-magnetized magnets are separated from each other by a second plurality of spacers.

10. The downhole-type blower system of claim 9 , wherein the first plurality of spacers and the second plurality of spacers are non-magnetic and electrically non-conductive.

11. The downhole-type blower system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of stator magnets and the plurality of axially-magnetized magnets are axially offset from each other.

12. The downhole-type blower system of claim 1 , wherein the passive magnetic radial bearing assembly is a first passive magnetic radial bearing assembly, and wherein the downhole-type blower system further comprises a plurality of passive magnetic radial bearing assemblies configured to magnetically support the bearing shaft, the plurality of passive magnetic radial bearing assemblies comprising the first passive mag radial bearing assembly.

13. The downhole-type blower system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of radial velocity sensing coils placed in a plane adjacent to the first damper magnet pole shoe and coupled to a first pole of the damper magnet, the plurality of radial velocity sensing coils configured to be exposed to a magnetic field emanated from the first pole of the damper magnet, wherein a radial movement of the damper magnet induces an electrical voltage in the plurality of radial velocity sensing coils.

14. The downhole-type blower system of claim 13 , wherein the damper magnet is a first damper magnet facing the plurality of radial velocity sensing coils with the first pole, and wherein the system further comprises a second damper sensing magnet positioned on axially opposite the plurality of radial velocity sensing coils and oriented to face the plurality of radial velocity sensing coils with a pole opposite the first pole.

15. The downhole-type blower system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a plurality of radial damper actuator coils placed in a second plane adjacent to the second damper magnet pole shoe and coupled to a second pole of the damper magnet, the plurality of radial damper actuator coils configured to be exposed to a magnetic field emanated from the second pole of the damper magnet, wherein an electrical current in the plurality of radial damper actuator coils causes a force to be exerted on the damper magnet.

16. The downhole-type blower system of claim 15 , wherein the damper magnet is a first damper magnet facing the plurality of radial damper actuator coils with the second pole, and wherein the system further comprises a second damper sensing magnet positioned on axially opposite the plurality of radial damper actuator coils and oriented to face the plurality of radial damper actuator coils with a pole opposite the second pole, further comprising:
a first printed circuit board (PCB) comprising the plurality of radial velocity sensing coils; and
a second printed circuit board (PCB) comprising the plurality of radial damper actuator coils.

17. A downhole-type compressor system, comprising;
a compressor configured to be positioned in a wellbore, the compressor configured to rotatably drive a fluid produced through the wellbore;
an electric machine configured to be positioned downhole of the compressor, the electric machine configured to rotatably drive the compressor;
a bearing shaft coupling the compressor and the electric machine, the bearing shaft configured to transfer rotation between the compressor and the electric machine;
a passive magnetic radial bearing assembly configured to magnetically support the bearing shaft;
an active electronic damper assembly coupled to the bearing shaft, the damper assembly configured to damp a vibration of the bearing shaft responsive to transferring the rotation between the compressor and the electric machine; and
an active damper coupled to the bearing shaft, the damper configured to damp a vibration of the bearing shaft responsive to transferring the rotation between the blower and the electric machine, wherein the active damper assembly comprises:
a damper magnet coupled to the bearing shaft, the damper magnet positioned between the plurality of radial bearing assemblies, wherein the vibration of the bearing shaft induces an induced vibration in the damper magnet;
a first damper magnet pole shoe and a second damper magnet pole shoe coupled to a first pole and a second pole, respectively of the damper magnet, the first damper magnet pole shoe and the second damper magnet pole shoe configured to maintain uniformity of magnetic fields generated by the damper magnet; and
a damper sleeve positioned over outer diameters of the damper magnet, the first damper magnet pole shoe and the second damper magnet pole shoe.

Assignees

• Upwing Energy Llc

Inventors

• Filatov Alexei
• Hawkins Larry

Classifications

• F04D13/10

  adapted for use in mining bore holes · CPC title

• F04D17/12

  Multi-stage pumps · CPC title

• F04D25/0686

  specially adapted for submerged use · CPC title

• F04D25/0606

  the electric motor being specially adapted for integration in the pump · CPC title

• H02K7/09

  with magnetic bearings · CPC title