Transverse flow downhole power generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9879506-B2
Application number	US-201414759962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2014
Priority date	Sep 19, 2014
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

An example well system includes a base pipe having an interior and defining one or more flow ports, the base pipe being positionable within a wellbore adjacent a subterranean formation. A flow path for a fluid extends between the interior of the base pipe, through the one or more flow ports, and to an exterior of the base pipe. A transverse turbine is positioned in the flow path, the transverse turbine including a rotor and a plurality of blades positioned to receive a flow of the fluid perpendicular to a rotational axis of the rotor. A generator includes one or more magnets rotatable with rotation of the transverse turbine and one or more coil windings mounted on a stator. The flow of the fluid rotates the transverse turbine and rotation of the transverse turbine generates electrical power in the generator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A well system, comprising:
a base pipe having an interior, an exterior, and one or more flow ports defined through the base pipe to facilitate fluid communication between the interior and the exterior, the base pipe being positionable within a wellbore adjacent a subterranean formation;
a turbine housing operatively coupled to the base pipe and at least partially defining a flow path for a fluid that extends between the interior and the exterior of the base pipe and through the turbine housing;
a transverse turbine positioned in the turbine housing and arranged in the flow path, the transverse turbine including a rotor and a plurality of blades positioned to receive a flow of the fluid that is against the rotor and perpendicular to a rotational axis of the rotor, wherein the turbine housing has an inlet and an outlet across the rotational axis and on opposite sides of the transverse turbine; and
a generator including one or more magnets rotatable with rotation of the transverse turbine and one or more coil windings mounted on a stator, wherein the flow of the fluid rotates the transverse turbine and rotation of the transverse turbine generates electrical power in the generator.

2. The well system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of oil, water, gas, steam, an aqueous or liquid chemical, a gravel slurry, an acid, carbon dioxide, cement, any derivative thereof, and any combination thereof.

3. The well system of claim 1 , further comprising a nozzle positioned in the flow path upstream from the transverse turbine.

4. The well system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnets are positioned on at least one of the transverse turbine and the rotor.

5. The well system of claim 1 , wherein the generator further comprises:
one or more electrical leads extending from the one or more coil windings to convey the electrical power; and
a power conditioning unit communicably coupled to the one or more coil windings to receive the electrical power via the one or more electrical leads, the power conditioning unit providing a power supply to one or more loads used in a downhole environment.

6. The well system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more loads are selected from the group consisting of a downhole sensor, a telemetry device, a digital processing circuit, an actuatable choke, and an actuatable valve.

7. The well system of claim 1 , wherein the generator further comprises one or more electrical leads that extend to provide the electrical power directly to one or more loads.

8. The well system of claim 1 , wherein the generator is selected from the group consisting of a permanent magnet alternating current generator, a direct current generator, and an alternator.

9. The well system of claim 1 , wherein the transverse turbine is selected from the group consisting of a cross-flow turbine, a water wheel turbine, a Pelton wheel turbine, a Turgo turbine, a Francis turbine and a Jonval turbine.

10. The well system of claim 1 , further comprising a sand screen arranged about the base pipe, the flow path further extending through the sand screen.

11. The well system of claim 1 , wherein the base pipe is production tubing and the well system further comprises:
a completion string positioned within the wellbore adjacent the subterranean formation and defining one or more completion string flow ports, wherein the production tubing is disposed within the completion string; and
a sand screen arranged about the completion string, the flow path further extending through the sand screen and through the one or more completion string flow ports.

12. A method, comprising:
positioning a base pipe within a wellbore adjacent a subterranean formation, the base pipe having an interior, an exterior, and one or more flow ports defined through the base pipe to facilitate fluid communication between the interior and the exterior;
flowing a fluid through a flow path at least partially defined by a turbine housing operatively coupled to the base pipe, the flow path extending between the interior and the exterior of the base pipe and through the turbine housing;
receiving a flow of the fluid with a transverse turbine positioned in the turbine housing and arranged in the flow path, the transverse turbine including a rotor and a plurality of blades;
receiving the flow of the fluid with the plurality of blades, the flow of the fluid being against the rotor and perpendicular to a rotational axis of the rotor, wherein the transverse turbine is positioned between an inlet and an outlet that are across the rotational axis and on opposite sides of the transverse turbine;
rotating the transverse turbine in response to receiving the flow of the fluid; and
generating electrical power with a generator including one or more magnets rotatable with rotation of the transverse turbine and one or more coil windings mounted on a stator.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein flowing the fluid within the flow path comprises flowing the fluid from the interior of the base pipe, through the transverse turbine, and to the exterior of the base pipe.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein flowing the fluid within the flow path comprises flowing the fluid from the exterior of the base pipe, through the transverse turbine, and to the interior of the base pipe.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising increasing a kinetic energy of the flow of the fluid with a nozzle positioned in the flow path upstream from the transverse turbine.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
conveying the electrical power to a power conditioning unit with one or more electrical leads extending from the one or more coil windings; and
providing a power supply to one or more loads used in a downhole environment with the power conditioning unit, wherein the one or more loads are selected from the group consisting of a downhole sensor, a telemetry device, a digital processing circuit, an actuatable choke, and an actuatable valve.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising conveying the electrical power to one or more loads with one or more electrical leads extending from the one or more coil windings, the one or more loads being selected from the group consisting of a downhole sensor, a telemetry device, a digital processing circuit, an actuatable choke, and an actuatable valve.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein a sand screen is arranged about the base pipe and wherein flowing the fluid within the flow path further comprises flowing the fluid through the sand screen.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the base pipe is production tubing disposed within a completion string positioned within the wellbore adjacent the subterranean formation, the completion string defining one or more completion string flow ports and having a sand screen arranged thereabout, wherein flowing the fluid within the flow path further comprises flowing the fluid through the sand screen and through the one or more completion string flow ports.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of oil, water, gas, steam, an aqueous or liquid chemical, a gravel slurry, an acid, carbon dioxide, a cement, any derivative thereof, and any combination thereof.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Frosell Thomas Jules
• Fripp Michael Linley
• Murphree Zachary Ryan
• Gano John

Classifications

• E21B33/12

  Packers; Plugs (used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16) · CPC title

• H02K7/1823

  structurally associated with turbines or similar engines · CPC title

• E21B41/0085 Primary

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

• E21B47/12

  Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling · CPC title

• E21B43/088

  Wire screens (comprising porous materials E21B43/082; comprising woven materials E21B43/084) · CPC title