Superhydrophobic compositions and coating process for the internal surface of tubular structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9926467-B2
Application number	US-201715644236-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2017
Priority date	Nov 21, 2012
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A method for depositing a coating includes creating a vacuum within an interior volume of a tubular structure, wherein the tubular structure also includes an internal surface. Gas is supplied to the interior volume of the tubular structure, wherein the gas includes a plasma precursor in the gas phase. The tubular structure is biased relative to ground. Plasma having a density is formed and cyclically positioned along the length of the tubular structure. Positive ions of the plasma precursor gas are generated and are deposited on the internal surface forming a coating on the internal surface, wherein the coating exhibits a water contact angle of greater than 120°.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for forming a conformal coating on a tubular structure, comprising:
a tubular structure including an internal surface defining an interior volume and at least two opposing ends, wherein each opposing end includes an opening;
at least two vacuum pumping stations, wherein each vacuum pumping station is coupled to one of said openings;
a gas supply port coupled to said interior volume;
a plurality of magnetic field coils, wherein each magnetic field coil is arranged around said tubular structure and said magnetic field coils are spaced along the length of said tubular structure; and
an arbitrary waveform generator electrically connected to said magnetic field coils configured to impose a variable current to said magnetic field coils and configured to provide a phase offset between at least two of said magnetic field coils.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said gas supply port includes an internal gas manifold extending along the axial length of said tubular structure.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said magnetic field coils provide a magnetic flux density of 1-2000 gauss.

Assignees

• Southwest Res Inst
• Shell Oil Co

Inventors

• Miller Michael A
• Wei Ronghua
• Hatton Gregory J

Classifications

• B05D1/62

  Plasma-deposition of organic layers (plasma deposition in general C23C14/00, C23C16/00) · CPC title

• B05D2202/10

  based on Fe · CPC title

• B05D5/08

  to obtain an anti-friction or anti-adhesive surface (rendering particulate materials free-flowing in general, e.g. making them hydrophobic B01J2/30) · CPC title

• H01J37/32669

  Particular magnets or magnet arrangements for controlling the discharge · CPC title

• E21B17/00

  Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; {Cables;} Casings; Tubings · CPC title