WO2008137940A1 - Système et procédé de contrôle de flux thermique dans un outil de fond de trou - Google Patents

Système et procédé de contrôle de flux thermique dans un outil de fond de trou Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2008137940A1
WO2008137940A1 PCT/US2008/062924 US2008062924W WO2008137940A1 WO 2008137940 A1 WO2008137940 A1 WO 2008137940A1 US 2008062924 W US2008062924 W US 2008062924W WO 2008137940 A1 WO2008137940 A1 WO 2008137940A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
heat
thermal
thermal rectifier
heat source
flow
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Application number
PCT/US2008/062924
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English (en)
Inventor
Rocco Difoggio
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Baker Hughes Incorporated
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
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Application filed by Baker Hughes Incorporated filed Critical Baker Hughes Incorporated
Publication of WO2008137940A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008137940A1/fr

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B47/00—Survey of boreholes or wells
    • E21B47/01—Devices for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits, pipes, rods or wirelines; Protecting measuring instruments in boreholes against heat, shock, pressure or the like
    • E21B47/017—Protecting measuring instruments
    • E21B47/0175—Cooling arrangements
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B47/00—Survey of boreholes or wells
    • E21B47/01—Devices for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits, pipes, rods or wirelines; Protecting measuring instruments in boreholes against heat, shock, pressure or the like
    • E21B47/017—Protecting measuring instruments

Definitions

  • the field of the present invention relates to down hole tools and in particular to controlling heat flow in down hole tools.
  • a borehole is drilled through a formation deep into the earth.
  • Such bore holes are drilled or formed by a drill bit connected to the end of a series of sections of drill pipe, so as to form an assembly commonly referred to as a "drill string".
  • the drill string extends from the surface to the bottom of the borehole.
  • a high pressure fluid referred to as "drilling mud”
  • the drilling mud then flows to the surface through an annular passage formed between the exterior of the drill string and the surface or interior wall of the bore hole.
  • the distal or bottom end of the drill string which includes the drill bit, is referred to as a "downhole assembly".
  • the downhole assembly often includes specialized modules or tools within the drill string that make up an electrical system for the drill string.
  • Such modules often include sensing modules.
  • the sensing modules provide the drill string operator with information regarding the formation as it is being drilled through, using techniques commonly referred to as “measurement while drilling” (MWD) or “logging while drilling” (LWD).
  • MWD measurement while drilling
  • LWD logging while drilling
  • resistivity sensors may be used to transmit and receive high frequency signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves) that travel through the formation surrounding the sensor.
  • such an electrical system may include many sophisticated electronic components, such as the sensors themselves, which in many cases include printed circuit boards. Additional associated components for storing and processing data in the control module may also be included on printed circuit boards.
  • these electronic components generate heat.
  • the components of a typical MWD system i.e., a magnetometer, accelerometer, solenoid driver, microprocessor, power supply and gamma scintillator
  • the temperature of the formation itself typically exceeds the maximum temperature capability of the components.
  • a thermal rectifier material or device is provided in a downhole tool.
  • the thermal rectifier material or device that controls heat flow in the downhole tool so that heat flows more easily in a first direction, away from a heat source such as an electronics package in the tool, toward a heat sink, than in a second direction, away from the heat sink and toward the heat source.
  • the thermal rectifier material is useful in cooling systems that remove heat from heat sources such as electronics in downhole tools.
  • FIG. 1 is an depiction of a particular illustrative embodiment in a monitoring while drilling environment
  • FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section through a portion of the down tool attached to the drill string as shown in FIG. 1 incorporating a thermal rectifier material in combination with a sorption cooling apparatus or a thermoelectric cooling device;
  • FIG. 3 is a transverse cross section through one of the sensor modules shown in FIG. 2 taken along line III— III;
  • FIG. 4 is an depiction of an illustrative embodiment shown deployed in a wire line environment;
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an illustrative embodiment showing heat flow when an thermoelectric cooling device is electrically powered, during a pulsed thermoelectric cooling device "on" cycle;
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an illustrative embodiment showing heat flow when the thermoelectric cooling device is not electrically powered during a pulsed thermoelectric cooling device "off cycle;
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of another illustrative embodiment showing a thermal rectifier material controlling heat flow into a thermal flask; and [0016] FIG. 8 is a flow chart of functions performed in a particular illustrative embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
  • an apparatus for controlling heat flow in a downhole tool includes a thermal rectifier material positioned between a heat source and a heat sink in the downhole tool for reducing a flow of heat from the heat sink to the heat source.
  • the thermal rectifier material allows more heat to flow in a first direction away from the heat source and toward the heat sink, than in a second direction away from the heat sink and toward the heat source.
  • the thermal rectifier material may be formed into a plate or other configuration for fitting into the structure of the downhole tool.
  • the apparatus further includes a cooling device for transferring heat from the heat source through the thermal rectifier material.
  • the cooling device is a thermoelectric cooling device that is electrically pulsed off and on so as to reduce the amount of heat generated by the thermoelectric cooling device itself (which it also has to pump away).
  • the thermal rectifier material comprises a plurality of asymmetric nanotubes having their axes aligned along a heat flow path between the heat source and the heat sink.
  • the nanotubes are carbon and boron nanotubes, unevenly coated with a heavy platinum coating.
  • the thermal rectifier material surrounds a liquid supply, a phase change material or an insulating flask wherein the thermal rectifier material allows more heat to flow through the thermal rectifier in a first direction toward the liquid supply, phase change material or insulating flask than in a direction through the thermal rectifier material away from the liquid supply, phase change material or insulating flask.
  • the liquid supply is used generate vapor to transmit heat from a heat source through a vapor passage in a sorption cooling system.
  • the phase change material insulates the insulating flask.
  • a method for controlling heat flow in a downhole tool includes conducting a first quantity of heat through a thermal rectifier material along a heat flow path in a first direction away from a heat source and toward a heat sink; and conducting a second quantity of heat along the heat flow path, wherein the second quantity of heat is less than the first quantity of heat and wherein the second quantity of heat flows away from the heat sink and toward the heat source in a second direction.
  • the thermal rectifier material further comprises a plurality of nanotubes having a plurality of axes aligned along the heat flow path.
  • the thermal rectifier material surrounds a liquid supply in a sorption cooling system.
  • the thermal rectifier material is positioned between a heat source and a heat sink.
  • the heat source is a thermoelectric cooling device pumping heat from downhole electronics.
  • the method includes pulsing power to the thermoelectric cooling device cyclically off and on.
  • a system for controlling heat flow is disclosed. The system includes a downhole tool; and a thermal rectifier material positioned between a heat source and a heat sink in the downhole tool for reducing a flow of heat from the heat sink to the heat source.
  • the thermal rectifier material is a formed into a plate that allows more heat to flow in a first direction away from the heat source and toward the heat sink, than in a second direction away from the heat sink and toward the heat source.
  • the system further includes a cooling device for transferring heat from the heat source through the thermal rectifier.
  • the cooling device is a thermoelectric cooling device that is electrically pulsed off and on.
  • the thermal rectifier material comprises a plurality of nanotubes having their axes aligned along a heat flow path between the heat source and the heat sink.
  • a thermal rectifier is a material that has higher thermal conductivity in one direction than it does in the opposite direction. This anisotropic behavior does not violate the laws of thermodynamics because heat still flows "downhill," that is, from a hotter region towards a colder region. For a thermal rectifier, heat flows "downhill” more easily in one direction than it does in the opposite direction. See, for example, Chang et al. in Solid State Thermal Rectifier, Science, 17 November 2006, vol. 314, no. 5802, pp. 1 121-1 124. Thermal rectifier phenomenon can be manifest in a rectifier material embodying carbon and/or boron nitride nanotubes that have unevenly coated with a heavy platinum compound.
  • thermoelectric (TE) cooling device can be used to cool or remove heat from heat sources, such as electronics and detectors downhole.
  • Each TE cooling device can be configured as a thin plate that pumps or removes heat from one face of the TE to an opposite face of the TE when the TE is supplied with electrical power.
  • the TE can be cyclically pulsed off and on to save power and to reduce self heating, which must also be pumped away.
  • a thermal rectifier is used so that the TE cooling device does not have to be run continuously and instead can be run in a cyclical pulsed on and off mode in which the power to the TE is cycled on and off.
  • the thermal rectifier material is positioned so that it is oriented to allow heat to flow more easily in a first direction away from the TE cooling device toward the heat sink than in a second direction away from the heat sink and toward the TE cooling device.
  • Running the TE cooling device continuously not only uses more power that cycling the TE cooling device on and off, but running continuously also generates more heat within the TE cooling device and that heat also has to be pumped away by the TE cooling device, thereby adding to the heat load and reducing the TE cooling device's overall effectiveness.
  • a thermal rectifier material or device configured as a plate (such as one constructed of similarly-oriented parallel nanotubes, as in Chang et al., or configured as another suitable thermal rectifier assembly of materials) is placed between the TE cooling device and the heat sink, then, once the heat is pumped out of a device such as the downhole electronics and into a heat sink, it would be more difficult for heat to flow in the opposite direction back from the heat sink to the device (assuming that the rectifier was oriented to have lower thermal conductivity for the return trip). That is why conceptually, a thermal rectifier material is thought of as being a thermal "check valve" for which it is easy to pump heat out but hard for pumped-out heat to return.
  • Electronic components can be somewhat insulated from heat down hole using electronic insulator flasks, such as a Dewar flask.
  • Electronic thermal insulator flasks utilize high thermal capacity materials in an attempt to insulate the electronics inside the insulator flask from heat and thus retard heat transfer from the borehole into an electronics chamber inside the insulator flask.
  • Designers also place thermal insulators adjacent to the electronics to retard the increase in temperature caused by heat entering the flask and heat generated within the flask by the electronics.
  • the design goal is to keep the ambient temperature inside of the electronics chamber flask below the critical temperature at which electronic failure may occur.
  • Designers seek to keep the temperature below critical for the duration of the logging run, which is usually less than 12 hours.
  • a thermal rectifier material is positioned adjacent or surrounding the electronic container flask and oriented so that heat escapes the flask more easily than heat enters the flask.
  • a thermoelectric cooling device is provided to cool electronics and/or a component that removes heat from the flask or electronics/sensor region without requiring extremely long cool down cycles which impede downhole operations.
  • a downhole tool component cooling system uses a sorption cooling system that does not require an external electrical power source.
  • the sorption cooling system of a particular illustrative embodiment utilizes the potential energy of sorption to remove heat from a temperature sensitive tool component.
  • the sorption system removes heat from a tool component, such as downhole electronics, and moves the exiting heat to a second, hotter region in the downhole tool.
  • a thermal rectifier material allows less returning heat to flow back into the tool component from the hotter region.
  • a cooling region of the tool adjacent to the temperature-sensitive component or electronics to be sorption cooled, contains a liquid source (such as water) which in the present example is a solid form of water to avoid spillage.
  • the solid source of water releases its water as its temperature increases.
  • this solid source of water can be a low-temperature hydrate, desiccant, sorbent, or polymeric absorber from which water (or some other liquid) vapor is generated when heated sufficiently.
  • sodium polyacrylate is a polymeric water absorber that can absorb up to 40 times its weight in water and still appear to be a dry solid.
  • Sorption cooling occurs as a first portion of the solid source of liquid or water releases water or another liquid vapor. Upon release from the first portion of the solid source of water or liquid, the remaining portion of this solid source of water or liquid is cooled, and this remaining portion in turn cools the adjacent thermally sensitive component (i.e., electronics), thereby keeping the adjacent component within a safe operating temperature with continued sorption cooling.
  • an illustrative embodiment provides a structure and method whereby the downhole electronics or other thermally-sensitive components are surrounded by or adjacent to a solid source of water, such as a low-temperature hydrate, desiccant, sorbent, polymeric absorber or some mixture of these.
  • a thermal rectifier material is provided to enhance the performance and utility of a sorbent or sorption cooling system.
  • thermal rectifier material in combination with a thermoelectric cooling device or a sorbent cooling system for use in a downhole tool deployed in a well may include a thermal , but is not limited to, one of more of the following components: (i) a tool housing adapted to be disposed in a well and exposed to the fluid in the well, (ii) a solid source of liquid (e.g., a low-regeneration-temperature hydrate, desiccant, sorbent, or polymeric absorber that releases water when heated), adjacent to a thermally sensor or electronic component to be cooled (iii) optionally, a Dewar flask lined with phase change material surrounding the electronics/sensor and liquid supply, (iv) optionally, a vapor passage for transferring vapor from the liquid supply; and (v) a high-temperature sorbent or desiccant in thermal contact with the housing for receiving and adsorb
  • a solid source of liquid e.g., a low-regeneration-temperature hydrate, desiccan
  • a desiccant is a specific type of sorbent, that is a substance that sorbs (adsorbs or absorbs) water. All desiccants are sorbents but not all sorbents are desiccants.
  • the electronics or sensor adjacent to the low-temperature hydrate, desiccant, or sorbent is kept cool by the latent heat of fusion and heat of desorption.
  • the thermal rectifier material allows heat to easily pass through it exiting the Dewar flask, but allows heat to flow less easily through it entering the Dewar flask.
  • FIG. 1 A drilling operation according one particular illustrative embodiment is shown in FIG. 1.
  • a drilling rig 1 drives a drill string 3 that, which typically is comprised of a number of interconnecting sections.
  • a downhole assembly 11 is formed at the distal end of the drill string 3.
  • the downhole assembly 11 includes a drill bit 7 that advances to form a bore 4 in the surrounding formation 6.
  • a portion of the downhole assembly 11, incorporating an electronic system 8 and cooling systems according to a particular illustrative embodiment is shown in FIG. 2.
  • the electrical system 8 may, for example, provide information to a data acquisition and analysis system 13 located at the surface.
  • the electrical system 8 includes one or more electronic components.
  • Such electronic components include those that incorporate transistors, integrated circuits, resistors, capacitors, and inductors, as well as electronic components such as sensing elements, including accelerometers, magnetometers, photomultiplier tubes, and strain gages.
  • the downhole portion 11 of the drill string 3 includes a drill pipe, or collar, 2 that extends through the bore 4.
  • a centrally disposed passage 20 is formed within the drill pipe 2 and allows drilling mud 22 to be pumped from the surface down to the drill bit.
  • the drilling mud 23 flows up through the annular passage formed between the outer surface of the drill pipe 2 and the internal diameter of the bore 4 for return to the surface.
  • the drilling mud flows over both the inside and outside surfaces of the drill pipe.
  • the pressure of the drilling mud 22 flowing through the drill pipe internal passage 20 will typically be between 1,000 and 20,000 pounds per square inch, and, during drilling, its flow rate and velocity will typically be in the 100 to 1500 GPM range and 5 to 150 feet per second range, respectively.
  • the electrical system 8 is disposed within the drill pipe central passage 20.
  • the electrical system 8 includes a number of sensor modules 10, a control module 12, a power regulator module 14, an acoustic pulser module 18, and a turbine alternator 16 that are supported within the passage 20, for example, by struts extending between the modules and the drill pipe 2.
  • power for the electrical system 8, including the electronic components and sensors, discussed below is supplied by a battery, a wireline or any other typical power supply method such as the turbine alternator 16, shown in FIG. 2, which is driven by the drilling mud 22.
  • the turbine alternator 16 may be of the axial, radial or mixed flow type.
  • the alternator 16 could be driven by a positive displacement motor driven by the drilling mud 22, such as a Moineau-type motor.
  • power could be supplied by any power supply apparatus including an energy storage device located downhole, such as a battery.
  • each sensor module 10 is comprised of a cylindrical housing 52, which in an illustrative embodiment is formed from stainless steel or a beryllium copper alloy.
  • An annular passage 30 is formed between the outer surface 51 of the cylindrical housing 52 and the inner surface of the drill pipe 2.
  • the drilling mud 22 flows through the annular passage 30 on its way to the drill bit 7, as previously discussed.
  • the housing 52 contains an electronic component 54 for the sensor module.
  • the electronic component 54 may, but according to a particular illustrative embodiment, does not necessarily, include one or more printed circuit boards including a processor associated with the sensing device, as previously discussed. Alternatively, the assembly shown in FIG.
  • the control module 12 comprises the control module 12, power regulator module 14, or pulser module 18, in which case the electronic component 54 may be different than those used in the sensor modules 10, although it may, but does not necessarily, include one or more printed circuit boards.
  • the electronic component 54 may be different than those used in the sensor modules 10, although it may, but does not necessarily, include one or more printed circuit boards.
  • one or more of the electronic components or sensors in the electrical system 8 are cooled by evaporation of liquid from the liquid supply 132 adjacent to or surrounding electronics 54.
  • a highly heat-conductive polymer is optionally provided proximate or touching the electronics or circuit board to facilitate heat removal from the electronics or circuit board, as shown in FIG. 4.
  • These polymers are typically loaded with highly heat-conductive minerals. At room temperature, they feel quite cool to the touch because they quickly draw heat from one's fingers.
  • Water is a particularly effective coolant for use in a sorption cooling system. Evaporation of one liter of water removes 631.63 Watt-hours of energy, which equals 543 cal/ml. Water is also inexpensive, readily available worldwide, nontoxic, chemically stable, and poses no environmental disposal problems. Thus, evaporation of one liter of water can remove 632 Watts for one hour, 63 Watts for 10 hours, or 6.3 Watts for 100 hours.
  • a low-temperature solid source of water is placed inside the cooling region of the downhole tool, preferably inside a Dewar flask.
  • a high-temperature desiccant that is in thermal contact with the wellbore fluid adsorbs the water released by the low-temperature solid source of water.
  • the high-temperature desiccant is chosen based on the desired operating temperature, that is, the temperature at which a desiccant releases water.
  • approximately 6.25 volumes of loosely packed high-temperature desiccant are utilized to sorb 1 volume of water.
  • the high-temperature desiccant can either be discarded or regenerated.
  • This higher temperature desiccant can be regenerated by heating it to the water release temperature to release the water or other liquid it has absorbed by the higher temperature desiccant during sorption cooling.
  • Some sorbents referred to as desiccants, are able to selectively sorb water. Some desiccants retain sorbed water even at relatively high temperatures.
  • Molecular Sieve 3A (MS-3A), and 13X are synthetic zeolites that are high-temperature desiccants. The temperature for desiccant regeneration or expulsion of sorbed water for MS- 3 A ranges from 175° C to 350° C.
  • FIG. 4 schematically depicts a well bore 101 extending into a laminated earth formation, into which well bore a logging tool including sensors and electronics as used according to the present invention has been lowered.
  • the well bore in FIG. 4 extends into an earth formation which includes a hydrocarbon- bearing sand layer 103 located between an upper shale layer 105 and a higher conductivity than the hydrocarbon bearing sand layer 103.
  • An electronic logging tool 109 having sensors and electronics and a sorption or thermal conductive cooling system, has been lowered into the well bore 101 via a wire line 111 extending through a blowout preventer 113 (shown schematically) located at the earth surface 115.
  • the surface equipment 122 includes an electric power supply to provide electric power to the set of coils 118 and a signal processor to receive and process electric signals from the sensors and electronics 119.
  • a power supply and signal processor are located in the logging tool.
  • the wire line may be utilized for provision of power and data transmission.
  • electronics 502 act as a heat producing heat source and thus are positioned adjacent thermal rectifier material 506.
  • the thermoelectric cooling device 504 is positioned between thermal rectifier material 506 and heat sink 508.
  • the heat sink is adjacent tool housing exterior which adjoins borehole fluid 501, thus transferring heat from the heat sink to the borehole fluid.
  • Exiting heat 514 flows more easily through the thermal rectifier material 506 in a direction from electronics 502 through thermoelectric cooling device 504 toward the heat sink 508.
  • the thermal electric cooling device is in a pulsed on mode so that power is cyclically applied on and off to the thermoelectric cooling device so that the thermoelectric cooling device pumps exiting heat 514 from electronics or heat source 502 toward heat sink 508 through thermal rectifier material 506.
  • the thermoelectric cooling device is placed adjacent the electronics and the thermal rectifier material is placed between the thermoelectric cooling device and the heat sink.
  • FIG. 6 as shown in FIG. 6 the thermo electric cooling device is in an off cycle so that heat is not being pumped by the thermo electric cooling device from the electronics.
  • the thermal electric cooling device conducts returning heat 516 so that heat flows back from the heat sink through the thermal rectifier material during the thermal electric cooling device off cycle.
  • the quantity of exiting heat is greater than the quantity of returning heat, due to the anisotropic properties of the thermal rectifier material. That is, exiting heat 514 flows through the thermal rectifier material more easily in a direction away from the electronics (heat source) toward the heat sink, than returning heat 516 flows in the opposite direction away from the heat sink and toward the electronics (heat source).
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of another particular illustrative embodiment.
  • a thermal rectifier material 137 or device allows heat to flow out of a Dewar insulating flask 132 more easily than into the flask, thus enabling a phase change material 134 inside the flask to heat more slowly and to cool more rapidly.
  • the thermal rectifier material enables the phase change material to return to solid form more rapidly for redeployment down hole.
  • the electronics 54 or another device such as a sensor to be cooled are adjacent a solid liquid supply 131, for example a hydrate material containing water which releases water vapor 133 to cool electronics 54.
  • the liquid supply 131 may also be positioned adjacent to electronics 54.
  • the electronics 54 and liquid container 131 are encased and surrounded by a phase change material 134.
  • the phase change material acts as a temporary heat sink which retards heat flow into the chamber formed by the interior of the phase change material.
  • the electronics 54, liquid container 131, and phase change material 134 are encased and surrounded by, in one particular illustrative embodiment, a thermally insulating Dewar flask 132.
  • Insulating Dewar flask 132 and phase change material 134 serve as thermal insulator barriers to retard heat flow from surrounding areas into the electronics 54.
  • the Dewar insulating flask is lined or surrounded by thermal rectifier material 137. Exiting heat 514 passes through the thermal rectifier material 137.
  • Vapor passage 138 runs through Dewar flask 132, phase change material 134 and liquid container 131, thereby providing a vapor escape route from liquid supply 131 to desiccant 140. As the water evaporates the water vapor 139 escapes through the vapor passage and removes heat from the adjacent to the heat source or electronics 54 or cools a similarly situated sensor.
  • the vapor evaporates from the liquid supply 131 and passes through vapor passage 138 to desiccant 140 where the vapor is adsorbed.
  • the liquid preferably water, cools at it evaporates, thereby cooling electronics 54 adjacent to liquid supply 131.
  • Desiccant 140 adsorbs water vapor thereby keeping the vapor pressure low inside of liquid container 132 and facilitating further evaporation and cooling.
  • filter 135 comprises a porous rock which controls evaporation and thus controls the temperature of the liquid inside liquid supply 131 by controlling the evaporation rate of the liquid from liquid supply 131.
  • Filter 135 controls the vapor pressure inside liquid supply 131, thereby controlling the evaporation rate from the liquid inside of liquid supply 131 by controlling the flow rate of vapor escaping from liquid supply 131.
  • filter 135 comprises a passive filter of porous rocks. Any suitable material which temporarily absorbs the water vapor or temporarily retards the flow of the vapor from lower passage 138a through vapor passage 138 and releases it again to the upper portion 138b of vapor passage 138 is a suitable filter.
  • the filter 135 releases the vapor into the upper vapor passage 138b where it travels through the upper vapor passage 138b to desiccant 140.
  • passive filter 135 limits the cooling rate of the electronics during a downhole run to avoid overcooling to an unnecessarily low temperature that would cause more rapid heat flow across Dewar walls and therefore waste water and desiccant.
  • Desiccant 140 is contained in desiccant chamber 142 which is in thermal contact with down tool housing 52. Downhole tool housing is in thermal contact with borehole annulus containing borehole mud 23, thereby enabling heat to flow out of desiccant chamber 142 into the bore hole. Thus, heat is removed from electronics 54, and transmitted to desiccant 140 via the liquid vapor and conducted out of the downhole tool housing 52 to the bore hole through tool housing exterior 509. [0048] Turning now to FIG. 8, a flow chart 800 is shown, wherein in another particular illustrative embodiment, heat flow is controlled by a thermal rectifier material in a downhole tool.
  • the thermal rectifier material is positioned between a heat source and a heat sink for reducing the flow of heat from the heat sink to the heat source at block 802.
  • the thermal rectifier material is configured as a plate that allows more heat to flow in a first direction away from the heat source and toward a heat sink than in a second direction away from the heat sink and toward the heat source at block 802.
  • a thermoelectric cooling device transfers heat from the heat source (e.g., electronics) through the thermal rectifier at block 806 and pumps the heat to a heat sink.
  • the power to the thermoelectric cooling device is cyclically pulsed off and on at block 808.
  • the thermal rectifier material in one particular illustrative embodiment, includes a plurality of nanotubes having axes aligned along the heat flow path between the heat source and the heat sink at block 810.
  • the nanotubes are carbon and boron nanotubes evenly coated with a heavy platinum coating at block 812.
  • Numerous thermal rectifier materials are suitable for use in other illustrative embodiments. Some of the suitable thermal rectifier materials are described herein, but are not intended to be limiting as to thermal rectifier materials, which are also suitable for downhole use in other illustrative embodiments.

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un appareil pour contrôler le flux thermique dans un outil de fond de trou en utilisant un matériau de rectification thermique. Le matériau de rectification thermique est positionné entre une source thermique et un dissipateur thermique pour réduire le flux thermique qui retourne à la source thermique à partir du dissipateur thermique. En effet, le rectificateur thermique sert de façon conceptuelle de « clapet de non-retour thermique » de sorte que la chaleur, qui s'est écoulée (ou a été pompée) hors d'une région, rencontre des difficultés pour retourner à cette région. Un autre mode de réalisation de l'appareil permet de contrôler le flux thermique dans un outil de fond de trou qui comprend un matériau de rectification thermique entourant une alimentation en liquide, le matériau de rectification thermique permettant à davantage de chaleur de s'écouler à travers le rectificateur thermique dans une première direction s'éloignant de l'alimentation en liquide, que dans une direction vers l'alimentation en liquide à travers le matériau de rectification thermique.
PCT/US2008/062924 2007-05-08 2008-05-07 Système et procédé de contrôle de flux thermique dans un outil de fond de trou WO2008137940A1 (fr)

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US11/745,735 2007-05-08
US11/745,735 US20080277162A1 (en) 2007-05-08 2007-05-08 System and method for controlling heat flow in a downhole tool

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