Downhole fuel cell with steam adsorption and pressure compensation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11280163-B2
Application number	US-202016984816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2020
Priority date	Jun 18, 2013
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus for use in a wellbore includes a downhole tool, a fuel cell, a pressure applicator, and a desiccant. The wellbore has a wellbore fluid at hydrostatic pressure. The downhole tool is conveyed into the wellbore with a conveyance device. The fuel cell is associated with the downhole tool and receives a flow of an oxidant and a flow of hydrogen. The pressure applicator applies at least a portion of the hydrostatic pressure of the wellbore fluid to the fuel cell to increase a pressure applied to the fuel cell. The desiccant receives a fluid byproduct produced by the fuel cell.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus for use in a wellbore having a wellbore fluid at a hydrostatic pressure, comprising:
a downhole tool configured to be conveyed into the wellbore with a conveyance device;
a fuel cell associated with the downhole tool, the fuel cell receiving a flow of an oxidant and a flow of hydrogen;
a pressure applicator applying at least a portion of the hydrostatic pressure of the wellbore fluid to the fuel cell to increase a pressure applied to the fuel cell; and
a desiccant receiving a fluid byproduct produced by the fuel cell.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the desiccant adsorbs the fluid byproduct.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid byproduct is received from a cathode associated with the fuel cell.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid byproduct is at least one of: (i) steam, and (ii) liquid water.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the desiccant maintains at least a portion of a cathode associated with the fuel cell in a substantially dry condition.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pressure applicator applies at least a portion of the hydrostatic pressure to the fuel cell via a passage in communication with the wellbore fluid surrounding the downhole tool.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hydrostatic pressure is applied to at least one fluid fed to the fuel cell.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , the at least one fluid is one of: (i) hydrogen, and (ii) oxygen.

9. A method for use in a wellbore having a wellbore fluid at a hydrostatic pressure, comprising:
conveying a downhole tool into the wellbore with a conveyance device, the downhole tool having an associated fuel cell, the fuel cell receiving a flow of an oxidant and a flow of hydrogen;
applying at least a portion of the hydrostatic pressure of the wellbore fluid to the fuel cell to increase pressure applied to the fuel cell using a pressure applicator; and
receiving a fluid byproduct produced by the fuel cell into a desiccant.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adsorbing the fluid byproduct into the desiccant.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fluid byproduct is received from a cathode associated with the fuel cell.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fluid byproduct is at least one of: (i) steam, and (ii) liquid water.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the desiccant maintains at least a portion of a cathode associated with the fuel cell in a substantially dry condition.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the pressure applicator applies at least a portion of the hydrostatic pressure to the fuel cell via a passage in communication with the wellbore fluid surrounding the downhole tool.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the hydrostatic pressure is applied to at least one fluid fed to the fuel cell.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one fluid is one of: (i) hydrogen, and (ii) oxygen.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes A Ge Company
• Baker Hughes Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Kruspe Thomas
• Oppelt Joachim F

Classifications

• E21B43/2401

  by means of electricity · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M2250/00

  Fuel cells for particular applications; Specific features of fuel cell system · CPC title

• E21B41/0085 Primary

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