Back to results
US 11,536,116 B2Granted
Alternative energy battery charging systems for well construction
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsMatthew Olson, Stephen McGuire
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drilling rig includes a rig component, an actuator coupled to the rig component, an electric power storage device coupled to the actuator and configured to cause the actuator to actuate. The actuator, by actuating, may perform a safety function in the rig component. The rig also includes a renewable power generator coupled to the electric power storage device and configured to supply at least some of the electric current to the electric power storage device that is supplied to the actuator.
Claims18
A drilling rig, comprising:
- a rig component;
- an actuator coupled to the rig component;
- an electric power storage device coupled to the actuator and configured to cause the actuator to actuate, whereby the actuator, by actuating, performs a safety function in the rig component;
- and
- a renewable power generator coupled to the electric power storage device and configured to supply at least some of the electric current to the electric power storage device that is supplied to the actuator,
- wherein the renewable power generator is configured to provide a trickle charge to the electric power storage device, wherein the electric power storage device is configured to discharge over time without actuating the actuator, and wherein the trickle charge is configured to maintain the electric power storage device in a fully charged state,
- wherein the electric power storage device is coupled to a primary power source that provides a first current to the electric power storage device, and wherein the renewable power generator is configured to provide a second current to the electric power storage device, the first current being greater than the second current, wherein the second current is the trickle charge, and
- wherein the primary power source and the renewable power generator are electrically tied together.
5 more elements
A method for powering a rig component, comprising:
- receiving a first electric current from a primary power source;
- and
- initially charging an electric power storage device using the first electric current from the primary power source,
- generating a second electric current using a renewable power generator of a drilling rig;
- storing the second electric current in the electric power storage device,
- wherein the primary power source and the renewable power generator are electrically tied together;
- actuating an actuator coupled to the rig component by supplying at least the second electric current that was stored from the electric power storage device to the actuator or to an electric-to-hydraulic conversion device that supplies hydraulic power to the actuator,
- wherein generating the second electric current comprises using the renewable power generator to provide a trickle charge to the electric power storage device, thereby maintaining the electric power storage device in a fully-charged state.
5 more elements
A drilling rig, comprising:
- a rig component comprising a blowout preventer having a ram;
- an actuator configured to actuate the ram;
- an electric power storage device coupled to the actuator and configured to supply electric current to the actuator;
- and
- a renewable power generator coupled to the electric power storage device and configured to supply at least some of the electric current to the electric power storage device that is supplied to the actuator, the renewable power generator comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a solar panel, a wind turbine, a hydroelectric power generator, a geothermal power generator, and a regenerative power generator,
- wherein the electric power storage device is coupled to a primary power source that provides a first current to the electric power storage device, wherein the renewable power generator is configured to provide a second current to the electric power storage device, the first current being greater than the second current, wherein the primary power source and the renewable power generator are electrically tied together, and
- wherein the renewable power generator is configured to provide a trickle charge to the electric power storage device, wherein the electric power storage device is configured to discharge over time without actuating the actuator, and wherein the trickle charge is configured to maintain the electric power storage device in a fully charged state.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.