System to harvest energy in a wellbore

摘要

A system to harvest mechanical energy in a wellbore, wherein the mechanical energy comes from motion. The system uses mechanical energy coming from at least one of: motion of a drill bit, motion of a drill string, motion of flowing air or drilling mud down the drill string to the drill bit and up an annulus between the drill string and the wellbore, and motion of a bottom hole assembly connected to the drill string. The system can include a plurality of piezoelectric stand bundles, wherein each individual piezoelectric strand can vibrate as the pressure housing moves in the wellbore, thereby producing electricity.

主权项

1. A system to harvest mechanical energy in a wellbore, wherein the mechanical energy comes from motion, the system comprising:
a. a pressure housing with an internal chamber having a bulkhead, wherein the pressure housing is inside a drilling collar and connected to a sub assembly; b. a segmented pendulous member, the segmented pendulous member having a plurality of segments, with a first segment anchored to the bulkhead in the internal chamber; c. a double bow spring station, the double bow spring station connected between the first segment and another segment of the segmented pendulous member, the double bow spring station comprising:
(a) a top side with a plurality of edges; and(b) a bottom side connected to the top side only at the plurality of edges; and
wherein the segmented pendulous member with the double bow spring station is configured to simultaneously: (i) swing in a pendulum motion as the motion is transferred to the segmented pendulous member and (ii) move axially using the double bow spring station, with the motion from at least one of:1. a drill bit;2. a drill string;3. air as the air moves down the drill string to the drill bit and up an annulus between the drill string and the wellbore;4. drilling mud as the drilling mud moves down the drill string to the drill bit and up the annulus between the drill string and the wellbore; and5. a bottom hole assembly connected to the drill string; d. at least one piezoelectric strand bundle wrapped helically around one of the segments of the segmented pendulous member, the at least one piezoelectric strand bundle comprising a plurality of piezoelectric strands, each of the piezoelectric strands vibrating as motion is transferred to the segmented pendulous member; e. at least one piezoelectric strand bundle sheet mounted to at least one of:
(i) the double bow spring station on the top side, the bottom side, or both the top side and the bottom side;(ii) a segment of the segmented pendulous member; and(iii) a tab extending from the segmented pendulous member, and wherein each of the piezoelectric strand bundle sheets comprises a plurality of piezoelectric strands, each of the piezoelectric strands vibrating as external motion is transferred to the segmented pendulous member; f. a plurality of electrodes, wherein at least two electrodes are connected to each of at least one of: the at least one piezoelectric strand bundle and the at least one piezoelectric strand bundle sheet to receive electricity produced by vibrations of each of the piezoelectric strands; and g. at least one energy storage device for receiving a voltage from the plurality of electrodes.