Downhole power generation using pressure differential

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11142999-B2
Application number	US-201916399619-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2019
Priority date	Apr 30, 2019
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus for generating electrical power includes at least one power generation assembly having a housing including a fluid chamber, one or more conductive coils surrounding the fluid chamber, a reciprocating magnetic shuttle dividing the fluid chamber into a first volume and a second volume. The apparatus also includes at least one switching assembly configured to alternate between a first operating state where the first volume is in fluid communication with a first fluid pressure source, and a second operating state where the first volume is in fluid communication with a second fluid pressure source. The switching assembly is configured to alternate between the first operating state and the second operating state to alternate a direction of differential pressure between the first volume and the second volume and cause the magnetic shuttle to move in a reciprocating motion and generate an electric current in the one or more conductive coils.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for generating electrical power, the apparatus comprising:
at least one power generation assembly including:
a housing including a fluid chamber configured to exchange or receive a fluid;
one or more conductive coils surrounding the fluid chamber; and
a reciprocating magnetic shuttle disposed in the fluid chamber and dividing the fluid chamber into a first volume and a second volume;

a first conduit connected to the first volume, and a second conduit connected to the second volume, the first conduit and the second conduit in fluid communication with a tubular conduit through which a borehole fluid is circulated, the tubular conduit configured to receive an object deployed with the borehole fluid at a location in the tubular conduit, the object causing a pressure differential between a section upstream of the object and a section downstream of the object; and
at least one switching assembly configured to alternate between a first operating state and a second operating state, wherein the first conduit is in fluid communication with a first fluid pressure source including fluid having a first pressure, and the second conduit is in fluid communication with a second fluid pressure source including fluid having a second pressure when the apparatus is in the first operating state, and the first conduit is in fluid communication with the second fluid pressure source and the second conduit is in fluid communication with the first fluid pressure source when the apparatus is in the second operating state, wherein the first fluid pressure source includes the section upstream of the object and the second fluid pressure source includes the section downstream of the object;
wherein the switching assembly is configured to alternate between the first operating state and the second operating state to alternate a direction of a differential pressure between the first volume and the second volume and cause the magnetic shuttle to move in a reciprocating motion and generate an electric current in the one or more conductive coils.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical connector configured to supply electrical power to a component from the one or more conductive coils.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one switching assembly includes a first valve disposed in the first conduit and a second valve disposed in the second conduit, the first valve and the second valve operable to switch between the first operating state and the second operating state.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising at least one switching device configured to control the first valve and the second valve.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one switching device is configured to operate the first valve and the second valve to switch between the first operating state and the second operating state in response to a periodic signal or command.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the at least one switching device includes a first switching device configured to control the first valve and a second switching device configured to control the second valve.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing is located at a downhole component configured to be disposed in a borehole in a resource bearing formation.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a length of the tubular conduit forms a restriction, the first fluid pressure source is the borehole fluid upstream of the restriction, and the second fluid pressure source is the borehole fluid downstream of the restriction.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a landing seat disposed in the tubular conduit, the landing seat configured to receive the object deployed into a borehole string, wherein the object causes the pressure differential between the section upstream of the landing seat and the section downstream of the landing seat when the object is seated.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a bypass conduit configured to allow part of the borehole fluid to flow between the upstream section and the downstream section.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first switching device and the second switching device are configured to be actuated based on an interaction between the first switching device or the second switching device and the magnetic shuttle.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first switching device and the second switching device are configured to be actuated based on at least one of:
the magnetic shuttle being in mechanical contact with the first switching device and the second switching device;
the magnetic shuttle being in electrical contact with the first switching device and the second switching device; and
the magnetic shuttle having a change in proximity to the first switching device or the second switching device.

13. A method of generating electrical power, the method comprising:
disposing at least one power generation assembly at a component, the at least one power generation assembly having a fluid chamber configured to exchange or receive a fluid, one or more conductive coils surrounding the fluid chamber, a reciprocating magnetic shuttle disposed in the fluid chamber and dividing the fluid chamber into a first volume and a second volume, a first conduit connected to the first volume, and a second conduit connected to the second volume, the first conduit and the second conduit in fluid communication with a tubular conduit through which a borehole fluid is circulated, the tubular conduit configured to receive an object deployed with the borehole fluid at a location in the tubular conduit, the object causing a pressure differential between a section upstream of the object and a section downstream of the object; and
alternating between a first operating state and a second operating state to alternate a direction of a differential pressure between the first volume and the second volume and cause the magnetic shuttle to move in a reciprocating motion and generate an electric current in the one or more conductive coils, wherein the first conduit is in fluid communication with a first fluid pressure source including fluid having a first pressure and the second conduit is in fluid communication with a second fluid pressure source including fluid having a second pressure when the at least one power generation assembly is in the first operating state, and the first conduit is in fluid communication with the second fluid pressure source and the second conduit is in fluid communication with the first fluid pressure source when the at least one power generation assembly is in the second operating state, wherein the first fluid pressure source includes the section upstream of the object and the second fluid pressure source includes the section downstream of the object.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one power generation assembly includes an electrical connector configured to supply electrical power to a component from the one or more conductive coils.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one power generation assembly includes a first valve disposed in the first conduit and a second valve disposed in the second conduit, the first valve and the second valve operable to switch between the first operating state and the second operating state.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one power generation assembly includes at least one switching device configured to control the first valve and the second valve, and alternating between the first operating state and the second operating state includes operating the first valve a

Assignees

• Duggan Andrew
• Hern Christopher Ryan
• Ewing Daniel
• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Duggan Andrew
• Hern Christopher Ryan
• Ewing Daniel

Classifications

• H02K35/02

  with moving magnets and stationary coil systems · CPC title

• E21B34/06

  in wells · CPC title

• H02K11/0094 Primary

  Structural association with other electrical or electronic devices · CPC title

• H02K5/10

  with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers · CPC title

• E21B41/0085 Primary

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