Super-capacitor Amplifier for Low Impedance Drilling Telemetry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electromagnetic telemetry tools for underground drilling are inefficient in low impedance geological formations, producing little output and operating at low efficiency, which limits their ability to operate effectively in these conditions.
Innovation Solution
A drilling system that includes a super-capacitor amplifier with switched capacitor converters, which amplify the signal using alternating charge and discharge cycles, and a current limiting circuit to manage power consumption, allowing for efficient transmission of data through low impedance formations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If transformer and inductor-based converters are used in prior art EM tools, then the system can operate in open hole conditions with impedance exceeding one ohm, but the system produces little output and operates at low efficiency in low impedance geological formations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental operating parameters of the converter by switching from transformer/inductor-based operation to switched capacitor converter operation. This parameter change enables the system to adapt to low impedance formations (much less than one ohm) while maintaining high output and efficiency, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and productivity across different formation types
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes magnetic field-based transformation (transformer/inductor) with electric field-based switching (switched capacitor converters). This substitution eliminates the inefficiencies associated with magnetic core losses and inductive coupling in low impedance conditions, thereby improving both output and efficiency while maintaining adaptability across different formation impedances
2Adaptability or versatility
If prior art EM tools operate in low impedance geological formations, then the system can access these formations, but the output is little and efficiency is low which limits operation duration
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the converter architecture to switched capacitor converters, the system achieves both adaptability to low impedance formations and improved efficiency. The higher efficiency reduces power consumption, thereby extending operation duration downhole while maintaining the ability to operate in low impedance formations
Solution Approach 2:
The switched capacitor converter system is designed to efficiently manage its own power requirements in low impedance conditions. The alternating charge and discharge cycles of the capacitors enable the system to self-regulate power delivery, minimizing losses and extending operational duration without external intervention
3Productivity
If a large antenna is used for low frequency transmission, then the transmission effectiveness is improved, but the device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the need for large physical antenna structures with an electronically amplified signal approach. The switched capacitor converter amplifies the signal before transmission, allowing effective low frequency transmission with a smaller, more compact antenna system, thereby maintaining transmission effectiveness while reducing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary signal amplification using the switched capacitor converter before the signal reaches the antenna. This preliminary action ensures that the signal is sufficiently strong for effective transmission, allowing the use of a smaller antenna while maintaining transmission effectiveness
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enhances the output and efficiency of electromagnetic telemetry in low impedance geological formations, enabling longer operation and improved data transmission in underground drilling applications.
Implementation Method 1
each converter stage may include capacitors and switches that are arranged to perform a current amplification of an input signal; wherein each converter stage is arranged to operate with alternating charge cycles and discharge cycles
Implementation Method 2
The antenna is arranged to transmit the amplified information via the geological formation
Data Source
AI summary
A drilling system that may include a drilling element for drilling a hole in a geological formation; a sensor module arranged to collect information about the drilling; a transmitter that is arranged to receive the information from the sensor module, amplify the information by a super-capacitor amplifier to provide amplified information and to provide the amplified information to a first element and to a second element of an antenna, the first and second elements of the antenna are located at two opposite sides of a band gap; wherein the antenna is arranged to transmit the amplified information via the geological formation; wherein the super-capacitor amplifier comprises a plurality of switched capacitor converters, each switched capacitor converter comprises a plurality of converter stages, each converter stage comprises capacitors and switches that are arranged to perform a current amplification of an input signal; wherein each converter stage is arranged to operate with alternating charge cycles and discharge cycles.