Downhole power supply device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10502029-B2
Application number	US-201715610962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2017
Priority date	Jun 2, 2016
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

The present invention relates to a downhole power supply device for supplying power in situ to a power consuming device arranged in a well, comprising a fuel cell producing electricity and water and having a fuel inlet, an oxidising inlet, an electric output and a water outlet, a fuel container fluidly connected to the fuel inlet, and an oxidising agent container fluidly connected to the oxidising inlet, wherein the fuel cell has an internal pressure which is at least 1.0 bar for increasing a boiling temperature of the water produced in the fuel cell. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a downhole system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A downhole power supply device for supplying power in situ to a power consuming device arranged in a well, comprising:
a fuel cell producing electricity and water and having a fuel inlet, an oxidising inlet, an electric output and a water outlet,
a fuel container fluidly connected to the fuel inlet, and
an oxidising agent container fluidly connected to the oxidising inlet,
wherein the fuel cell has an internal pressure which is at least 1.0 bar for increasing a boiling temperature of the water produced in the fuel cell,
wherein the water outlet is fluidly connected to a water collecting container via a wick that is configured to suck the water from the fuel cell into the water collecting container, wherein the wick is configured to allow the fuel cell to be rotationally independent.

2. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell is a polybenzimidazole fuel cell.

3. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell has a membrane comprising phosphoric acid (PA)-doped polybenzimidazole (PBI).

4. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell has a high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane.

5. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell is operable without external power for a period of more than 500 hours.

6. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell is configured to operate without humidification.

7. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the water collecting container comprises a water absorbing material.

8. A downhole power supply device according to claim 7 , wherein the water absorbing material comprises Silicon dioxide or similar materials.

9. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , further comprising a power coupling for receiving power.

10. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , further comprising a regenerative unit being an electrolysis unit having an electrolysis chamber.

11. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit, such as a timer for activating the fuel cell at certain time intervals.

12. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , further comprising a regenerative unit comprising:
a regenerative fuel cell for converting water from the fuel cell into fuel and into an oxidising agent,
a first inlet fluidly connected with the water collecting container,
a first outlet fluidly connected with the fuel container, and
a second outlet fluidly connected with the oxidising agent container.

13. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , further comprising a pressure generating unit configured to increase the internal pressure.

14. A downhole system comprising:
a well tubular metal structure arranged in a borehole and having an exterior face and an inside,
a power consuming device, and
a downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , arranged inside the well tubular metal structure or arranged on the exterior face of the well tubular metal structure.

15. A downhole system according to claim 14 , wherein the power consuming device is a tool arranged in the well tubular metal structure and the downhole power supply device is comprised in the tool.

16. A downhole system according to claim 14 , wherein the power consuming device is a sensor or an actuator, being arranged exterior of the well tubular metal structure.

17. A downhole system according to claim 16 , wherein the downhole power supply device and the power consuming device are arranged exterior of the well tubular metal structure.

18. A downhole system according to claim 14 , wherein the power supply device is located on the exterior face of the well tubular metal structure.

19. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell is contained within a housing, and the water collecting chamber is positioned outside the housing.

20. A downhole power supply device according to claim 1 , where the wick includes a bundle of tubes surrounded by an outer tube.

Assignees

• Welltec Oilfield Solutions Ag

Inventors

• Nesgaard Carsten

Classifications

• H01M2250/10

  Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant · CPC title

• H01M8/04171

  using adsorbents, wicks or hydrophilic material · CPC title

• H01M8/04201

  Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes · CPC title

• E21B41/0085 Primary

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

• H01M8/103

  having nitrogen, e.g. sulfonated polybenzimidazoles [S-PBI], polybenzimidazoles with phosphoric acid, sulfonated polyamides [S-PA] or sulfonated polyphosphazenes [S-PPh] · CPC title