Systems and methods of harvesting energy in a wellbore

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9337705-B2
Application number	US-201314073152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2013
Priority date	Mar 10, 2011
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

A downhole assembly including a turbine to be disposed within a wellbore and a rotating array. The rotating array includes magnetic material and is coupled to the turbine. The downhole assembly also includes a magnetostrictive material coupled to the rotating array to strain the magnetostrictive material to induce an electric current in a conductor coupled to the magnetostrictive material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole assembly to harvest energy in a wellbore, the downhole assembly comprising:
a turbine to be disposed within a wellbore;
a rotor coupled to the turbine; and
an imbalanced rotary load comprising a form with at least one eccentricity with respect to a rotational axis of the imbalanced rotary load, wherein the imbalanced rotary load is disposed proximate to magnetostrictive material and coupled to the rotor so that the imbalanced rotary load rotates in response to fluid flow rotating the turbine;
wherein, consequent to the rotation of the imbalanced rotary load, resulting forces strain the magnetostrictive material, thereby inducing an electrical current in a conductor disposed proximate to the magnetostrictive material.

2. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the turbine drives the rotor via a magnetic coupling element in response to fluid flow within the wellbore.

3. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a carriage in which the imbalanced rotary load is disposed, wherein the magnetostrictive material is included in a magnetostrictive beam array coupled to the carriage.

4. The downhole assembly of claim 3 , wherein the magnetostrictive beam array is a circular array.

5. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bearing assembly coupled to an end of the imbalanced rotary load.

6. The downhole assembly of claim 5 , wherein the bearing assembly transfers the resulting forces to the magnetostrictive material, consequent to the rotation of the imbalanced rotary load.

7. The downhole assembly of claim 6 , wherein the magnetostrictive material is included in a magnetostrictive beam array comprising a plurality of beams in a circular arrangement about the bearing assembly and the end of the imbalanced rotary load.

Assignees

• Hardin Jr John R
• Sitka Mark
• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Hardin Jr John R
• Sitka Mark

Classifications

• E21B41/0085 Primary

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

• F03B13/00

  Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus (if the apparatus aspects are predominant, see the relevant subclasses for such apparatus, e.g. H02K7/18); Power stations or aggregates (incorporating only machines or engines of positive-displacement type F03C; hydraulic engineering aspects E02B; {combinations with wind energy converters F03D9/008}) · CPC title

• H02K7/1823 Primary

  structurally associated with turbines or similar engines · CPC title

• H01L41/125

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02N2/18

  producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators (for measurement devices G01) · CPC title