# US 11,111,752 B2 · Water and gas barrier for hydraulic systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,111,752 B2 - Document ID: US11111752B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/216,399 - Filed: 2018-12-11 - Published: 2020-06-11 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-11 - Assignees: Baker Hughes, A Ge Company, LLC - Applicants: Karsten Fuhst; Volker Peters; Christian Preiser; Nils Schneider; Ingo Roders; Natalja Wendt; Sebastian Jung; Thomas Kruspe - Inventors: Karsten Fuhst; Volker Peters; Christian Preiser; Nils Schneider; Ingo Roders; Natalja Wendt; Sebastian Jung; Thomas Kruspe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111752B2 ## CPC - E21B 33/1208: {characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means (E21B33/1277 takes precedence)} - E21B 23/04: operated by fluid means, e.g. actuated by explosion (E21B23/08 takes precedence) - E21B 23/0412: {characterised by pressure chambers, e.g. vacuum chambers} - E21B 23/0415: {using particular fluids, e.g. electro-active liquids} - E21B 41/00: Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 - E21B 2200/01: Sealings characterised by their shape - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A downhole tool including a body having a hydraulic fluid chamber, and a flexible multi-layer barrier impermeable to gas and water mounted at the body separating the hydraulic fluid chamber from fluids external to the body. The flexible multi-layer barrier including a first elastomeric layer, a second elastomeric layer, and a gas impermeable layer arranged between the first elastomeric layer and the second elastomeric layer, the gas impermeable layer being formed from a metal layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A downhole tool comprising: a body including a hydraulic fluid chamber; and a flexible multi-layer barrier impermeable to gas and water mounted at the body separating the hydraulic fluid chamber from fluids external to the body, the flexible multi-layer barrier comprising: a first elastomeric layer; a second elastomeric layer; and a gas impermeable layer arranged between the first elastomeric layer and the second elastomeric layer, the gas impermeable layer being formed from a metal layer, wherein the metal layer comprises a metal having a melting point less than about 30° C. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The downhole tool according to claim 1, wherein the first elastomeric layer is spaced from the second elastomeric layer by a void, the void being filled with a barrier fluid defining the gas impermeable layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The downhole tool according to claim 2, further comprising: a first piston supporting the first elastomeric layer arranged in the body, and a second piston supporting the second elastomeric layer arranged in the body, wherein the barrier fluid is arranged between the first and second pistons. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The downhole tool according to claim 3, wherein the first elastomeric layer defines a first seal extending about the first piston and the second elastomeric layer defines a second seal extending about the second piston. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The downhole tool according to claim 2, wherein the first elastomeric layer defines a membrane extending across the body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The downhole tool according to claim 5, further comprising: a piston arranged in the body supporting the second elastomeric layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The downhole tool according to claim 6, wherein the second elastomeric layer defines a seal extending about the piston. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The downhole tool according to claim 6, wherein the first elastomeric layer includes a central opening, at least a portion of the piston extending through the central opening. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The downhole tool according to claim 1, wherein the first elastomeric layer comprises a first membrane, and the second elastomeric layer comprises a second membrane, the first membrane including a first plurality of cavities, and the second membrane including a second plurality of cavities, the gas impermeable layer defining a barrier fluid arranged in at least one of the first plurality of cavities and the second plurality of cavities. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The downhole tool according to claim 1, wherein the flexible multi-layer barrier comprises a laminate material with the first elastomeric layer being bonded to the second elastomeric layer through the metal layer. ### Claim 11 A resource exploration and recovery system comprising: a first system; a second system fluidically connected to the first system by one or more tubulars; and a downhole tool carried by the one or more tubulars, the downhole tool comprising: a body including a hydraulic chamber; and a flexible multi-layer barrier impermeable to gas and water mounted at the body separating the hydraulic chamber from fluids external to the body, the flexible multi-layer barrier comprising: a first elastomeric layer; a second elastomeric layer; and a gas impermeable layer arranged between the first elastomeric layer and the second elastomeric layer, the gas impermeable layer being formed from a metal layer, wherein the metal layer comprises a metal having a melting point less than about 30° C. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 11, wherein the first elastomeric layer is spaced from the second elastomeric layer by a void, the void being filled with a barrier fluid defining the gas impermeable layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 12, further comprising: a first piston supporting the first elastomeric layer arranged in the body, and a second piston supporting the second elastomeric layer arranged in the body, wherein the barrier fluid is arranged between the first and second pistons. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 12, wherein the first elastomeric layer defines a membrane extending across the body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 14, further comprising: a piston arranged in the body supporting the second elastomeric layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 15, wherein the first elastomeric layer includes a central opening, at least a portion of the piston extending through the central opening. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 11, wherein the first elastomeric layer comprises a first membrane, and the second elastomeric layer comprises a second membrane, the first membrane including a first plurality of cavities, and the second membrane including a second plurality of cavities, the metal layer defining a barrier fluid arranged in at least one of the first plurality of cavities and the second plurality of cavities. ### Claim 18 A subsurface hydraulic system operable in a subterranean environment comprising: a flexible multi-layer barrier separating a hydraulic fluid chamber from fluids external to the subsurface hydraulic system, the flexible multi-layer barrier being impermeable to gas and water and including a single elastomeric layer bonded to a gas impermeable layer formed from a metal having a recrystallization temperature that is below a lowest temperature of the subterranean environment. ### Claim 19 A downhole tool, configured to operate in a subterranean environment comprising: a body including an inner annular wall defining a hydraulic fluid chamber; and a flexible multi-layer barrier impermeable to gas and water mounted at the body separating the hydraulic fluid chamber from fluids external to the body, the flexible multi-layer barrier comprising: a first elastomeric layer; a second elastomeric layer; and a metal layer, wherein the metal layer comprises a metal having a recrystallization temperature that is below a lowest temperature of the subterranean environment.