# US 11,306,578 B2 · Thermal barrier for downhole flasked electronics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,578 B2 - Document ID: US11306578B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/954,224 - Filed: 2018-04-16 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-16 - Assignees: Baker Hughes, A Ge Company, LLC - Applicants: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC - Inventors: Michael Joseph Mannas; Dominik Hoheisel; Thomas Kruspe; Sebastian Jung - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306578B2 ## CPC - E21B 47/0175: {Cooling arrangements} - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - E21B 36/00: Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones - E21B 36/003: {Insulating arrangements} - E21B 43/2607: {Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations} - E21B 47/017: Protecting measuring instruments - F28F 7/02: Blocks traversed by passages for heat-exchange media {(F28D7/0008 takes precedence)} - F24T 2010/53: {Methods for installation} - F28F 2270/00: Thermal insulation; Thermal decoupling - Y02E 10/10: Geothermal energy - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - F24T: GEOTHERMAL COLLECTORS; GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Apparatus and methods directed to an assembly associated with a downhole tool, and including: a thermal housing; at least one internal component inside the thermal housing, wherein the at least one internal component comprises at least one thermally sensitive component; and a thermal isolation support connecting the at least one internal component to the tool. The thermal isolation support may comprise an additive manufacturing structural framework connected to the tool. The structural framework may include a plurality of structural members, with a majority of the plurality of structural members substantially non-parallel with a longitudinal axis of the downhole tool. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for use in a borehole intersecting an earth formation, the apparatus comprising: an assembly associated with a downhole tool and configured to thermally isolate a thermally sensitive component, the assembly comprising: a thermal housing; at least one internal component inside the thermal housing, wherein the at least one internal component comprises the thermally sensitive component and a chassis; a thermal isolation support connecting the chassis to the downhole tool; wherein the thermal isolation support comprises an additive manufacturing structural framework, the framwork including a plurality of connected structural members, with a structural member of the plurality defining a channel through the structural member configured to one of: (i) permit flow of a fluid through the channel and (ii) include a cabling through the channel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a majority of the plurality of connected structural members are substantially non-parallel with a longitudinal axis of the downhole tool. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one structural member of the plurality of the additive manufacturing structural framework is directly connected to at least two other structural members of the plurality. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the framework includes first structural members of the plurality comprising a first material and second structural members of the plurality comprising a second material different than the first material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the additive manufacturing structural framework comprises clockwise helixes and counterclockwise helixes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the channel is part of a cooling system and is configured for one of transferring the fluid into an interior of the thermal housing and transferring the fluid from the interior of the thermal housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermally sensitive component comprises at least one downhole electronic component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one internal component is supported substantially exclusively by the thermal isolation support. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the additive manufacturing structural framework comprises a multi-material additive manufacturing structural framework including an electrically non-conductive material and an electrically conductive material. ### Claim 10 A method of investigating a borehole intersecting an earth formation, the method comprising: conveying a downhole tool in the borehole, the downhole tool having associated therewith an assembly configured to thermally isolate a thermally sensitive component, the assembly comprising: a thermal housing; at least one internal component inside the thermal housing, wherein the at least one internal component comprises the thermally sensitive component and a chassis; a thermal isolation support connecting the chassis to the downhole tool; wherein the thermal isolation support comprises an additive manufacturing structural framework, the framework including a plurality of connnected strucutral members, with a structural member of the plurality of defining at least one of (i) a channel through the structural member configured to permit flow of a fluid through the channel, and (ii) an electrical conductor provided by a portion of the strucutal member made up of electrically conductive material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the channel is part of a cooling system and is configured for one of transferring the fluid into an interior of the thermal housing and transferring the fluid from the interior of the thermal housing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the additive manufacturing structural framework comprises a multi-material additive manufacturing structural framework including an electrically insulating material joined with the electrically conductive material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the thermally sensitive component comprises at least one downhole electronic component. ### Claim 14 An apparatus for use in a borehole intersecting an earth formation, the apparatus comprising: an assembly associated with a downhole tool and configured to thermally isolate a thermally sensitive component, the assembly comprising: a thermal housing; at least one internal component inside the thermal housing, wherein the at least one internal component comprises the thermally sensitive component; a thermal isolation support connecting the at least one internal component to the downhole tool; wherein the thermal isolation support comprises an additive manufacturing structural framework connected to the downhole tool, the framework including a plurality of connected structural members, with a structural member of the plurality defining an electrical conductor provided by a portion of the structural member made up of electrically conductive material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the additive manufacturing structural framework comprises a multi-material additive manufacturing structural framework including an electrically insulating material joined with the electrically conductive material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the electrically insulating material comprises at least one of i) a plastic; and ii) a polymer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the electrically conductive material comprises at least one of: i) titanium; and ii) inconel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the additive manufacturing structural framework comprises clockwise helixes and counterclockwise helixes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a majority of the plurality of connected structural members are substantially non-parallel with a longitudinal axis of the downhole tool. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein at least one structural member of the plurality of the additive manufacturing structural framework is directly connected to at least two other structural members of the plurality.