Endothermic Heat Sink for Downhole Tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016160609-A1
Application number	US-201314905271-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 9, 2013
Priority date	Sep 9, 2013
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A downhole well tool with temperature sensitive components and one or more endo thermic cooling devices associated with the components. The cooling devices comprise at least two reactants isolated by a separator that is actuated to mix the reactants upon the components experiencing a temperature above a set limit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A well tool for placing in a well at a subterranean location, the tool comprising:
a component which functions to perform a task at a subterranean location in a well, the component is temperature sensitive and when exposed to a temperature in the well above set elevated temperature will not effectively perform the task; and a cooling device in thermal contact with the temperature sensitive component, the cooling device comprising temperature sensing means sensing the temperature of the temperature sensitive component, a plurality of reactants of the type which when mixed together cause an endothermic reaction, a separator isolating the reactants from each other as long as the temperature does not equal or exceed the set elevated temperature.

2 . The well tool according to claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a valve.

3 . The well tool according to claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a diaphragm.

4 . The well tool according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reactants comprises a first reactant comprising salt and a second reactant comprising water.

5 . The well tool according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reactants comprises a first reactant comprising barium hydroxide octahydrate crystals and a second reactant comprising dry ammonium chloride.

6 . The well tool according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reactants comprises a first reactant comprising ammonium chloride and a second reactant comprising water.

7 . The well tool according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reactants comprises a first reactant comprising NaCl and a second reactant comprising water.

8 . The well tool according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reactants comprises a first reactant comprising thionyl chloride (SOCl2) and a second reactant comprising cobalt(II) sulfate heptahydrate.

9 . The well tool according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reactants comprises a first reactant comprising potassium chloride and a second reactant comprising water.

10 . The well tool according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reactants comprises a first reactant comprising ammonium nitrate and a second reactant comprising water.

11 . The well tool according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reactants comprises a first reactant comprising ethanoic acid and a second reactant comprising sodium carbonate.

12 . The well tool according to claim 1 additionally comprising a temperature sensing means senses a component temperature equal to or in excess of the set temperature.

13 . A method of controlling a temperature of a downhole tool component comprising: mounting a cooling device in the tool in thermal communication with the component, placing in the cooling device a plurality of reactants in the which when combined create an endothermic reaction; separating the reactants in the cooling device; placing the downhole tool with her component and cooling device in a borehole at a subterranean location; monitoring the temperature of the component; and combining the reactants to cause an endothermic reaction to cool the downhole component when the monitored temperature reaches a set temperature.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the separating step comprises placing the reactants in containers separated by a closed valve.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the combining step comprises opening the valve to place the reactants in chemical contact.

16 . The method of claim 13 wherein the separating step comprises placing the reactants in containers separated by a diaphragm.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the combining step comprises piercing the diaphragm to place the reactants in chemical contact.

18 . The method of claim 13 wherein the step of mounting a cooling device comprises mounting a plurality of cooling devices each set to combine endothermic reactants at different set temperatures.

19 . A method of using a well tool to perform a function at a subterranean location in a well bore, the well tool having a component which when exposed to an elevated temperature in the subterranean well bore will malfunction, the method comprising:
assembling a cooling device in thermal contact with the temperature sensitive component, placing in the cooling device a temperature sensing means sensing the temperature of the temperature sensitive component, placing in the cooling device a plurality of reactants the type which when mixed together cause an endothermic reaction, and separating the reactants from each other; sensing the temperature of the component: and combining the reactive components to create a endothermic reaction to cool the component.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Bondarenko Oleg

Classifications

• C09K5/18 Primary

  Non-reversible chemical reactions · CPC title

• E21B36/001 Primary

  Cooling arrangements · CPC title

• E21B47/065

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B47/0175

  Cooling arrangements · CPC title

• E21B47/07

  Temperature · CPC title