Patent Application
20090267452
1. Field of the Disclosure
The field of the present disclosure relates to energy generation in an oil field environment.
2. Background
The exploitation of hydrocarbon reserves includes several phases including production and processing at a well site. Well site activities include monitoring of several parameters of the well site to ensure safety at the site and surrounding areas and to ensure the produced hydrocarbon products, either at the raw product stage or during or after well site processing, have a desired quality.
Information obtained by well site monitoring is used by well site personnel and by off-site personnel and customers for various purposes, including control of the well site and recording various production and well site parameters. In remote locations where power is scarce alternative power sources are used to power wireless (or none wireless) devices. Traditionally Solar power has been used as such power source. Another, alternative for Solar is the use of piezoelectric material to convert energy generated by vibration into power. The use of such material to harvest vibration energy allows for battery-less operation, extended rechargeable battery life and maintenance free telemetry.
A system and method are disclosed for generating energy from vibration energy and from contraction and expansion energy.
For detailed understanding of the present disclosure, references should be made to the following detailed description of the several illustrative embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements have been given like numerals and wherein:
Portions of the present disclosure, detailed description and claims may be presented in terms of logic, software or software implemented aspects typically encoded on a variety of computer readable media including, but not limited to, computer-readable media, machine-readable media, program storage media or computer program product. Such media may be handled, read, sensed and/or interpreted by a computer or information processing device. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that such media may take various forms such as cards, tapes, magnetic disks, and optical disks. Examples of magnetic disks include floppy disks and hard drives, and examples of optical disks include compact disk read only memory (“CD-ROM”) and digital versatile disc (“DVD”). It should be understood that the given implementations are illustrative only and do not limit the present invention.
Some portions of the present disclosure, detailed description and claims use the term information, data, message, and these terms may be used in the singular or plural form. The term information as used herein refers to any information relating to well site monitoring and may include any one or combination of data, signal, message, command, and response, any of which may be analog or digital and may be communicated by wireless or wired transmission.
In a particular illustrative embodiment, a power generation system and one or more wireless transmitters are coupled or connected to an analog input or digital input device, such as an oil field apparatus such as a pressure sensor, communicating data to one or more wireless receivers connected to an analog output or digital output device. The power generation system, wireless transmitter and receiver can be housed in a package suited or housing for industrial areas. The housing can be a gas tight box in one embodiment. In another embodiment the wireless transmitter includes but is not limited to a main controller board, one more digital input input/output (IO) channels, one more analog input IO channels, a radio unit, and an antenna mounted to the housing and a power source (i.e. battery pack). The wireless receiver includes but is not limited to a main controller board including a processor and a computer readable medium containing data and a computer program, one more digital input IO channels, one more analog input IO channels, a radio unit, an antenna mounted on the housing and a power source (i.e., battery pack). In another embodiment a system is provided having at least one transmitter/receiver set, a number of transmitters communicating with a single receiver set, two or more sets of any combination of thereof.
In a particular embodiment, a power generation system is disclosed the system including but not limited to an electric energy generation material in contact with an external surface of a flow pipe; an electrical energy storage element in electrical communication with the electric energy generation material; and an electrical device in electrical communication with the energy storage element. In another particular embodiment, in the power generation system the electric energy generation material further includes but is not limited to a clamp mechanically fastened to the exterior surface of the flow pipe. In another particular embodiment, in the power generation system the electric energy generation material further includes but is not limited to an electric energy generation pendulum piece having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is mechanically attached to the external surface of the flow pipe. In another particular embodiment, in the power generation system the electric energy generation pendulum piece second end is attached to a mass.
In another particular embodiment, in the power generation system the electric energy generation pendulum piece is surrounded by a housing structure. In another particular embodiment, in the power generation system the electric energy generation material further includes but is not limited to a flow meter containing the electric energy generation material. In another particular embodiment, in the power generation system the flow meter is substantially made out of the electric energy generation material. In another particular embodiment, in the power generation system the electrical device further includes but is not limited to a radio transmitter in wireless communication with a SCADA system.
In another particular embodiment, in the power generation system the electric energy generation further includes but is not limited to a piezoelectric material that generates electrical energy from vibration energy due to flow of a fluid in the flow pipe. In another particular embodiment, in the power generation system the electric energy generation further includes but is not limited to a piezoelectric material that generates electrical energy from thermal expansion and contraction of the flow pipe.
In another particular embodiment, a method is disclosed for generating power, the method including but not limited to fastening a electric energy generation material to an external surface of a flow pipe; transferring power generated by the electric energy generation material to an electrical energy storage element in electrical communication with the electric energy generation material; and transferring power from the electrical energy storage element to an electrical device in electrical communication with the energy storage element. In another particular embodiment, in the power generating method the electric energy generation material further includes but is not limited to a clamp mechanically fastened to the exterior of the flow pipe.
In another particular embodiment, in the power generating method the electric energy generation material further includes but is not limited to a electric energy generation pendulum piece having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is mechanically attached to the external surface of the flow pipe. In another particular embodiment, in the power generating method the electric energy generation pendulum piece second end is attached to a mass. In another particular embodiment, in the power generating method the electric energy generation pendulum piece is surrounded by a housing structure. In another particular embodiment, in the power generating method the electric energy generation material further includes but is not limited to a flow meter containing the electric energy generation material. In another particular embodiment, in the power generating method the flow meter is substantially made out of the electric energy generation material. In another particular embodiment, in the power generating method the electrical device further includes but is not limited to a radio transmitter in wireless communication with a SCADA system. In another particular embodiment, in the power generating method the electric energy generation further includes but is not limited to a piezoelectric material, the method further including but not limited to generating electrical energy in the piezoelectric material from turbulent energy from vibration due to flow of a fluid in the flow pipe.
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Power input device 706 provides power to rectifiers 708. Rectifiers 708 are in electrical communication with capacitors 714 and voltage regulator diode 720. The output from capacitors 712 and are in electrical communication with rectifier 726, which is provided to power output 114 which is electrical communication with capacitor 730. Power input device 708 provides power to rectifiers 710. Rectifiers 710 are in electrical communication with capacitors 716 and voltage regulator diode 722. The output from capacitors 716 are in electrical communication with rectifier 728, which provides power output 114 which is electrical communication with capacitor 730.
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The present disclosure is to be taken as illustrative rather than as limiting the scope or nature of the claims below. Numerous modifications and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art after studying the disclosure, including use of equivalent functional and/or structural substitutes for elements described herein, use of equivalent functional couplings for couplings described herein, and/or use of equivalent functional actions for actions described herein. Such insubstantial variations are to be considered within the scope of the claims below.
Given the above disclosure of general concepts and specific embodiments, the scope of protection is defined by the claims appended hereto. The issued claims are not to be taken as limiting Applicant's right to claim disclosed, but not yet literally claimed subject matter by way of one or more further applications including those filed pursuant to the laws of the United States and/or international treaty.
