Magnetostrictive power supply for bottom hole assembly with rotation-resistant housing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9948213-B2
Application number	US-201214001533-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2012
Priority date	Mar 10, 2011
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A power supply includes a rotor having an undulated surface ( 658, 858, 958, 10, 58 ) and a magnetostrictive material disposed adjacent to the undulated surface. The undulated surface alternatingly compresses the magnetostrictive material as the rotor rotates, inducing an electric current in a conductor coupled to the magnetostrictive material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power supply comprising:
a rotor disposed axially on a shaft comprising an undulated surface;
a magnetostrictive material disposed adjacent to the undulated surface, wherein the magnetostrictive material engages the undulated surface of the rotor;
a plurality of windings around the magnetostrictive material, wherein at least a plurality of the plurality of windings that experiences the same phase of the rotor are wired together; and
a cylindrical flat-faced member disposed axially on the shaft, wherein a flat-faced surface of the cylindrical flat-faced member is opposite the undulated surface, wherein the magnetostrictive material is disposed between the flat-faced surface and the undulated surface such that the flat-faced surface and the undulated surface vary a cylindrical compressive load on the magnetostrictive material, and wherein the undulated surface alternatingly compresses the magnetostrictive material as the rotor rotates, inducing an electric current in a conductor coupled to the magnetostrictive material.

2. The power supply of claim 1 , further comprising:
a magnetostrictive array comprising the magnetostrictive material in a plurality of members disposed adjacent to the undulated surface.

3. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the rotor comprises:
a shaft rotatably coupled with a cam rotor, wherein the cam rotor comprises the undulated surface.

4. The power supply of claim 1 , further comprising:
a magnetostrictive array comprising the magnetostrictive material in a plurality of members disposed adjacent to the undulated surface; and
wherein the rotor comprises a shaft, and the plurality of members is oriented along an axis of the shaft.

5. The power supply of claim 4 , wherein the rotor comprises the undulated surface and a flat outer face.

6. The power supply of claim 1 , further comprising:
a magnetostrictive array comprising the magnetostrictive material in a plurality of members disposed adjacent to the undulated surface; and
wherein the rotor comprises a shaft, and the plurality of members is oriented radially with respect to an axis of the shaft.

7. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the undulated surface comprises a symmetrical pattern.

8. The power supply of claim 2 , further comprising:
a conductor arrangement comprising the conductor and a winding around each of the plurality of members.

9. The power supply of claim 2 , further comprising:
a conductor arrangement comprising the conductor and a winding around a group of two or more of the plurality of members.

10. The power supply of claim 2 , wherein adjacent members of the plurality of members are approximately 180 degrees out of phase with respect to the undulated surface.

11. The power supply of claim 10 , further comprising:
a two-phase conductor arrangement comprising the conductor and coupled to the plurality of members.

12. The power supply of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conductor arrangement comprising the conductor and coupled to the plurality of members, wherein the undulated surface comprises a number of lobes, and wherein the power supply outputs a waveform at a frequency corresponding to a rotational speed of the times the number of lobes.

13. The power supply of claim 2 , wherein the cam rotor is splined to and floats on the shaft.

14. A bottom-hole assembly comprising:
a rotation-resistant housing;
a rotor disposed axially on a shaft and coupled with a stator disposed within the rotation-resistant housing, wherein the rotor comprises an undulated surface;
an array of members disposed adjacent to the undulated surface, each member comprising magnetostrictive material;
a plurality of windings around the magnetostrictive material, wherein at least a plurality of the plurality of windings that experiences the same phase of the rotor are wired together; and
a cylindrical flat-faced member disposed axially on the shaft, wherein a flat-faced surface of the cylindrical flat-faced member is opposite the undulated surface, wherein the magnetostrictive material is disposed between the flat-faced surface and the undulated surface such that the flat-faced surface and the undulated surface vary a cylindrical compressive load on the magnetostrictive material, and wherein the undulated surface alternatingly compresses the array of members as the rotor rotates, inducing an electric current in a conductor coupled to the array of members.

15. The bottom hole assembly of claim 14 , wherein:
the rotor comprises a shaft extending through a rotation-resistant housing; and
the plurality of members is oriented along an axis of the shaft.

16. The bottom hole assembly of claim 15 , wherein:
the rotor comprises the undulated surface and a flat outer surface.

17. The bottom hole assembly of claim 14 , wherein:
the rotor comprises a shaft extending through a rotation-resistant housing; and
the array of members is oriented radially with respect to an axis of the shaft.

18. The bottom hole assembly of claim 14 , wherein:
the stator comprises the undulated surface; and
the array of members is rotatably coupled with the rotor.

19. The bottom hole assembly of claim 14 , wherein the rotor is coupled to a positive displacement motor.

20. A method of supplying power, the method comprising:
providing a rotor disposed axially on a shaft and coupled with a stator, wherein the rotor comprises an undulated surface;
providing a magnetostrictive material disposed adjacent to the undulated surface, wherein the magnetostrictive material engages the undulated surface of the rotor;
providing a plurality of windings around the magnetostrictive material, wherein at least a plurality of the plurality of windings that experiences the same phase of the rotor are wired together; and
providing a cylindrical flat-faced member disposed axially on the shaft, wherein a flat-faced surface of the cylindrical flat-faced member is opposite the undulated surface, wherein the magnetostrictive material is disposed between the flat-faced surface and the undulated surface such that the flat-faced surface and the undulated surface vary a cylindrical compressive load on the magnetostrictive material, and wherein the undulated surface alternatingly compresses the magnetostrictive material as the rotor rotates, inducing an electric current in a conductor coupled to the magnetostrictive material.

Assignees

• Hay Richard Thomas
• Dudley James H
• Samuel Robello
• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Hay Richard Thomas
• Dudley James H
• Samuel Robello

Classifications

• H02K16/00

  Machines with more than one rotor or stator {(machines for transmitting mechanical power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft and comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; permanent magnet machines with multiple rotors or stators relatively rotated for vectorially combining the excitation fields or the armature voltages H02K21/029)} · CPC title

• H02K7/1853

  driven by intermittent forces · CPC title

• E21B41/0085

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

• H02N2/18 Primary

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

• H02K35/06

  with moving flux distributors, and both coil systems and magnets stationary · CPC title