Nested thermally insulated containers for improved heat transfer reduction

Abstract

A nested, vacuum insulated container has an outer vacuum insulated enclosure with a first double wall enclosure having at least one open longitudinal end and a closed longitudinal end. An annular space between an inner wall and an outer wall of the first enclosure is evacuated. The open end of the first double wall enclosure is oriented in a first direction. An inner vacuum insulated enclosure is disposed within the outer vacuum insulated enclosure and comprises a second double wall enclosure in a U shape having at an open longitudinal end and a closed longitudinal end. An annular space between an inner wall and an outer wall of the second enclosure is evacuated. The open end of the second double wall enclosure is oriented in a second direction opposed to the first direction.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Continuation of International Application No. PCT / US2024 / 057580 filed on Nov. 26, 2024. Priority is claimed from US Provisional Application No. 63 / 602,673 filed on Nov. 27, 2023. Both the foregoing applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicableNAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

[0003] Not Applicable.BACKGROUND

[0004] This disclosure relates to the field of thermally insulated containers. In some aspects, thermally insulated containers are used in well intervention tools. More specifically, the disclosure relates to thermally insulated containers having extended time before adverse temperature is reached within the container, and for use of such containers in well intervention tools to enable the tools to operate, e.g., at elevated temperatures, for extended periods of time.

[0005] The term “well intervention tools” includes any instrument conveyable along the interior of a subsurface well for performing tasks related to, for example and without limitation drilling, completion and reworking of the well. Conveyance of the tool(s) may be performed, for example, by deploying the tool at the end of an armored electrical cable, at the end of a coiled tubing or by segmented pipe such as drill pipe or completion pipe. In the case of conveyance by coiled tubing or drill pipe, the tool may be deployed during drilling the well.

[0006] Some well intervention tools comprise electronic circuitry in order to control various functions performed by the tool, and / or to make measurements about the well and the earthen formations adjacent to the well Those skilled in the art are aware that many wells, in particular very deep wells and / or wells used to recover geothermal energy expose the electronic circuits to high temperatures, and in the case of while-drilling operations, expose the circuits to high amplitude shock and vibration. Furthermore, while-drilling well intervention tools may be subjected to high temperature and shock for extended periods of time, e.g., several weeks.

[0007] It is known in the art to enclose electronic circuits in well intervention tools within a vacuum-insulated container (e.g., Dewar flask). In the case of while-drilling well intervention, using such vacuum insulated containers have proven to be impractical at least in part because the required structure of the flask includes a large opening at one axial end and the extended time such tools are deployed in wells. The axial end of such flask is generally closed by a plug made from a material that reduces heat transfer between outside the container and inside. For example, the plug may be made from low thermal conductivity material, or a material with a melting point below the expected ambient external temperature, such material having a suitable latent heat of fusion to absorb heat energy by melting and thereby reduce heat entry into the container. While the vacuum insulated part of such flasks provides excellent thermal isolation, the plug typically provides substantially less thermal isolation, and as a result becomes a limiting element for deployment time and / or temperature differential of well intervention tools using such flasks.

[0008] It is also known in the art to use nested thermally insulated containers to reduce heat transfer between the interior of the innermost thermally insulated container in a nested arrangement and the ambient environment outside the exterior of the nested thermally insulated containers. An example of such nested containers is described in US Pat. App. Pub. No. 2023 / 0083743 filed by Johnston et al. A limitation of the nested containers shown in the foregoing reference is that it is impractical to assemble and disassemble the nested containers to gain access to devices disposed within the innermost container. This becomes particularly difficult in the case of one or more annular spaces between adjacent nested container walls being evacuated to provide thermal performance comparable to a Dewar flask or similar vacuum insulated container.

[0009] Accordingly, there is a need for improved nested thermally insulating containers to facilitate use of such containers with well intervention tools requiring access to devices disposed in the innermost nested container. Such tools may include while-drilling well intervention tools, although the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such tools.SUMMARY

[0010] One aspect of the present disclosure is a nested, vacuum insulated container. A container according to this aspect has an outer vacuum insulated enclosure with a first double wall enclosure in a U shape having at least one open longitudinal end and a closed longitudinal end. An annular space between an inner wall and an outer wall of the first enclosure is evacuated. The open end of the first double wall enclosure is oriented in a first direction. An inner vacuum insulated enclosure is disposed within the outer vacuum insulated enclosure and comprises a second double wall enclosure in a U shape having at an open longitudinal end and a closed longitudinal end. An annular space between an inner wall and an outer wall of the second enclosure is evacuated. The open end of the second double wall enclosure is oriented in a second direction opposed to the first direction.

[0011] Some implementations further comprise an outer insulated plug disposed in the at least one open longitudinal end of the outer vacuum insulated enclosure.

[0012] Some implementations further comprise an inner insulated plug disposed in the open longitudinal end of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

[0013] Some implementations further comprise an active or passive heat transfer device disposed in the inner vacuum insulated enclosure

[0014] In some implementations, the active or passive heat transfer device comprises a composite material plug disposed in the inner vacuum insulated enclosure between the inner insulated plug and a device to be thermally isolated disposed in an interior of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

[0015] In some implementations, the outer vacuum insulated enclosure is open at a second longitudinal end, wherein a second outer insulating plug is disposed in the second longitudinal end.

[0016] Some implementations further comprise an insulating layer disposed between the inner vacuum insulated enclosure and the outer vacuum insulated enclosure.

[0017] In some implementations, the insulating layer comprises an aerogel.

[0018] A well intervention tool according to another aspect of the present disclosure has a pressure resistant housing and a nested, vacuum insulated container disposed in the housing. The nested, vacuum insulated container comprises an outer vacuum insulated enclosure comprising a first double wall enclosure in a U shape having at least one open longitudinal end and a closed longitudinal end. An annular space between an inner wall and an outer wall of the first double wall enclosure is evacuated. The open end of the first double wall enclosure is oriented in a first direction. An inner vacuum insulated enclosure is disposed within the outer vacuum insulated enclosure and comprises a second double wall enclosure in a U shape having an open longitudinal end and a closed longitudinal end. An annular space between an inner wall and an outer wall of the second double wall enclosure is evacuated. The open end of the second double wall enclosure is oriented in a second direction opposed to the first direction. A device to be thermally isolated from ambient environment outside the pressure resistant housing is disposed within an interior of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

[0019] Some implementations further comprise an outer insulated plug disposed in the at least one open longitudinal end of the outer vacuum insulated enclosure.

[0020] Some implementations further comprise an inner insulated plug disposed in the open longitudinal end of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

[0021] Some implementations further comprise an active or passive heat transfer device disposed in the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

[0022] In some implementations, the active or passive heat transfer device comprises a composite material plug disposed in the inner vacuum insulated enclosure between the inner insulated plug and a device to be thermally isolated disposed in an interior of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

[0023] In some implementations, the outer vacuum insulated enclosure is open at a second longitudinal end, wherein a second outer insulating plug is disposed in the second longitudinal end.

[0024] Some implementations further comprise an insulating layer disposed between the inner vacuum insulated enclosure and the outer vacuum insulated enclosure.

[0025] In some implementations, the insulating layer comprises an aerogel.

[0026] Some implementations further comprise an isolating layer disposed between the outer vacuum insulated enclosure and the pressure resistant housing.

[0027] In some implementations, the isolating layer comprises a polymeric fiber.

[0028] Other aspects and possible advantages will be apparent from the description and claims that follow.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG. 1A shows a cross section of an example implementation of a nested vacuum insulated container according to the present disclosure.

[0030] FIGS. 1B and 1C show enlarged views of parts of the nested vacuum insulated container shown in FIG. 1.

[0031] FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show example implementations of a nested vacuum insulated container according to the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] FIG. 1A shows a cross section view of an example implementation of a part 10 of a well intervention tool (“tool part”) having therein a nested, vacuum insulated container 11 according to the present disclosure. FIGS. 1B and 1C show enlarged views of certain portions of the tool part 10, the positions of which are indicated in FIG. 1A.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 1A, the tool part 10 may comprise a pressure resistant housing 24 arranged to traverse the interior of a subsurface well (not shown) and to prevent entry of fluid under pressure in the subsurface well (not shown) from entering the interior of the pressure resistant housing 24. An adapter 26 may be disposed at one longitudinal end of the pressure resistant housing 24 to exclude fluid from entering the interior of the pressure resistant housing 24 and to make mechanical and other connection (e.g., electrical, optical) to other parts of a well intervention tool (not shown).

[0034] A nested, vacuum insulated container 11 may be disposed in the interior of the pressure resistant housing 24. The nested, vacuum insulated container 11, shown in partial expanded view in FIG. 1B, may comprise an inner, double wall, vacuum insulated enclosure 12. An annular space between an inner wall 12B of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 and an outer wall 12A thereof may be evacuated and sealed to thermally isolate the interior of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 from the ambient environment outside the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12. The inner 12B and outer 12A walls of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 may be generally U shaped such that one longitudinal end of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 is open, whereby devices (shown at 28 in FIG. 1A), e.g., sensors and / or electronic circuitry to be thermally isolated may be disposed in the interior of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12. Such devices (28 in FIG. 1A) may be referred to as a “payload.”

[0035] Referring once again to FIG. 1A, an inner insulated plug 15 may be disposed in the open longitudinal end of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 (shown in more detail in FIG. 1C). The open end of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 may be oriented in a first direction, which may be directed away from the adapter 26. In some implementations, a thermal isolation plug 27 may be disposed between the payload 28 and the inner insulated plug 15. The thermal isolation plug 27 may be made from a composition of two or more materials chosen to provide greater thermal isolation than a conventional plug material. In some implementations, the thermal isolation plug 27 may comprise any active or passive heat transfer device.

[0036] The inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 may be disposed in the interior of an outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20. The outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20 may be disposed within the pressure resistant housing 24 and may comprise a double wall enclosure having an evacuated annular space between the inner wall 20B (see FIG. 1C) and the outer wall 20A (see FIG. 1C) thereof. The outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20 may be generally U shaped and have an open longitudinal end arranged to accept insertion of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 into the interior of the outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20. The outer vacuum insulated enclosure may 20 comprise an outer insulated plug 22, which may be similar in material and geometric configuration to the inner insulated plug 15 used to close the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12.

[0037] In the present example implementation, the open end of the outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20 may be oriented in a direction opposed to the direction of the open end of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12. In the present example implementation, the open end of the outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20, and therefore, the outer insulated plug 22 may be disposed adjacent to the closed end of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12, whereby the closed end of the inner insulated enclosure 12 minimizes heat movement into the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 through its closed end. Correspondingly, the inner insulated plug 15 may be disposed proximate the closed end of the outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20 to minimize heat transfer between the outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20 and the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 15.

[0038] In some implementations, and referring to FIG. 1B, the assembled, nested vacuum insulated enclosures 12, 20 may be disposed within the pressure resistant housing 24. An isolation sleeve 18, which may be made from low thermal diffusivity material such as a polymeric fiber such as KEVLAR brand fiber, may provide mechanical integrity and shock failure resistance to the assembled vacuum insulated enclosures 12, 20. KEVLAR is a registered trademark of Du Pont Safety and Construction, Inc., Chestnut Run Plaza, 974 Centre Road Wilmington Delaware. An annular space between the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 and the outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20 may have disposed therein a material 14 such as aerogel to mechanically and thermally insulate the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 and the outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20. Details of the inner insulated plug 15, aerogel insulator 14 and the isolation sleeve 18 may be better understood with reference to FIG. 1C.

[0039] The arrangement of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 within the outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20 may be observed with reference to FIG. 2. The open end 12A of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12 is oriented toward the closed end of the outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20, whereby the open end 20A thereof is oriented toward the closed end of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure 12. As shown in FIG. 2, heat energy moves most freely in a direction indicated by arrow 30.

[0040] In some implementations, both longitudinal ends of the outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20 may be open. Such arrangement may be used, for example where a number of outer vacuum insulated enclosures may be juxtaposed end to end to be able to dispose a plurality of inner vacuum insulated enclosures therein. Referring to FIG. 3, such double open ended outer vacuum insulated enclosure is shown at 120, wherein an outer insulated plug 15A may be inserted into one of the open longitudinal ends of the outer vacuum insulated enclosure 120.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows an arrangement of nested inner and outer vacuum insulated enclosures 12, 20, respectively, similar to the arrangement in FIG. 1 and wherein the open longitudinal end of the outer vacuum insulated enclosure 20 may have disposed therein thermally insulating material 20B to reduce heat energy movement in the direction shown by the arrow 30.

[0042] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the arrangement shown in and explained with reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C may be further nested within one or more additional vacuum insulated enclosures, whereby each successive further outer vacuum insulated enclosure is oriented to have its open end in a direction opposed to the orientation of the interiorly adjacent vacuum insulated enclosure.

[0043] In light of the principles and example implementations described and illustrated herein, it will be recognized that the example implementations can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. The foregoing discussion has focused on specific implementations, but other configurations are also contemplated. In particular, even though expressions such as in “an implementation,” or the like are used herein, these phrases are meant to generally reference implementation possibilities, and are not intended to limit the disclosure to particular implementation configurations. As used herein, these terms may reference the same or different implementations that are combinable into other implementations. As a rule, any implementation referenced herein is freely combinable with any one or more of the other implementations referenced herein, and any number of features of different implementations are combinable with one another, unless indicated otherwise. Although only a few examples have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible within the scope of the described examples. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A nested, vacuum insulated container, comprising:an outer vacuum insulated enclosure comprising a first double wall enclosure having at least one open longitudinal end and a closed longitudinal end, an annular space between an inner wall and an outer wall of the first double wall enclosure being evacuated, the open end of the first double wall enclosure oriented in a first direction; andan inner vacuum insulated enclosure disposed within the outer vacuum insulated enclosure and comprising a second double wall enclosure in a U shape having an open longitudinal end and a closed longitudinal end, an annular space between an inner wall and an outer wall of the second double wall enclosure being evacuated, the open end of the second double wall enclosure oriented in a second direction opposed to the first direction.

2. The container of claim 1 further comprising an outer insulated plug disposed in the at least one open longitudinal end of the outer vacuum insulated enclosure.

3. The container of claim 1 further comprising an inner insulated plug disposed in the open longitudinal end of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

4. The container of claim 3 further comprising an active or passive heat transfer device disposed in the interior of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

5. The container of claim 4 wherein the active or passive heat transfer device comprises a composite material plug disposed in the inner vacuum insulated enclosure between the inner insulated plug and a device to be thermally isolated disposed in an interior of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

6. The container of claim 1 wherein the outer vacuum insulated enclosure is open at a second longitudinal end, wherein a second outer insulating plug is disposed in the second longitudinal end.

7. The container of claim 1 further comprising an insulating layer disposed between the inner vacuum insulated enclosure and the outer vacuum insulated enclosure.

8. The container of claim 7 wherein the insulating layer comprises an aerogel.

9. A well intervention tool, comprising:a pressure resistant housing;a nested, vacuum insulated container comprising an outer vacuum insulated enclosure comprising a first double wall enclosure having at least one open longitudinal end and a closed longitudinal end, an annular space between an inner wall and an outer wall of the first double wall enclosure being evacuated, the open end of the first double wall enclosure oriented in a first direction and an inner vacuum insulated enclosure disposed within the outer vacuum insulated enclosure and comprising a second double wall enclosure in a U shape having an open longitudinal end and a closed longitudinal end, an annular space between an inner wall and an outer wall of the second double wall enclosure being evacuated, the open end of the second double wall enclosure oriented in a second direction opposed to the first direction; anda device to be thermally isolated from ambient environment outside the pressure resistant housing disposed within an interior of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

10. The tool of claim 9 further comprising an outer insulated plug disposed in the at least one open longitudinal end of the outer vacuum insulated enclosure.

11. The tool of claim 9 further comprising an inner insulated plug disposed in the open longitudinal end of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

12. The tool of claim 11 further comprising an active or passive heat transfer device disposed in the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

13. The tool of claim 12 wherein the active or passive heat transfer device comprises a composite material plug disposed in the inner vacuum insulated enclosure between the inner insulated plug and a device to be thermally isolated disposed in an interior of the inner vacuum insulated enclosure.

14. The tool of claim 9 wherein the outer vacuum insulated enclosure is open at a second longitudinal end, wherein a second outer insulating plug is disposed in the second longitudinal end.

15. The tool of claim 9 further comprising an insulating layer disposed between the inner vacuum insulated enclosure and the outer vacuum insulated enclosure.

16. The tool of claim 15 wherein the insulating layer comprises an aerogel.

17. The tool of claim 9 further comprising an isolating layer disposed between the outer vacuum insulated enclosure and the pressure resistant housing.

18. The tool of claim 17 wherein the isolating layer comprises a polymeric fiber.

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