System and method for monitoring motion of downhole tool components of a drilling system
AssigneeAPS Technology, Inc.
InventorsDaniel E. Burgess, Allen Kopfstein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drilling system tool including at least one sensor configured to detect movement of one or more components of the drilling system tool. The sensor is configured to operate at high pressures and temperatures typical in the drilling environment downhole. The sensors are suitable for vibration damping tools, rotary steerable motors systems, downhole motors, drill bits, or other similar downhole drilling equipment that includes a movable component.
Claims45
A tool assembly configured to be carried by a drill string that is configured to define a borehole in an earthen formation during a drilling operation, the tool assembly comprising:
- a first member;
- a second member that is moveable relative to the first member during the drilling operation;
- a sensor module coupled to the first member, the sensor module including at least one proximity sensor spaced from the second member so that the second member is within a detectable range of the at least one proximity sensor, wherein the at least one proximity sensor is configured to detect information indicative of movement of the second member relative to the first member;
- and
- a downhole computer processor carried by either the first member or the second member, the downhole computer processor in electronic communication with the at least one proximity sensor, the downhole computer processor configured to, in response to the information indicative of the movement of the second member relative to the first member, determine a position of the second member relative to the first member;
- wherein the downhole computer processor is configured to compensate measured distance between the at least one proximity sensor and the second member based on radial offset, a measured pressure, and a measured temperature proximate to the sensor module to provide a compensated distance between the at least one proximity sensor and the second member, thereby improving accuracy of the determined position of the second member relative to the first member.
A tool assembly for a drill string that is configured to define a borehole in an earthen formation during a drilling operation, the tool assembly comprising:
- a first member elongated along a central axis;
- a second member that is moveable relative to the first member during the drilling operation, wherein the second member is moveable in response to vibration of a drill bit coupled to a downhole end of the drill string;
- a sensor module coupled to the first member, the sensor module including a set of proximity sensors spaced apart from the second member in a direction perpendicular to the central axis, each proximity sensor configured to detect information indicative of a measured distance between the proximity sensor and the second member;
- a temperature sensor configured to measure temperature proximate to the sensor module;
- a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure proximate to the sensor module;
- and
- a downhole computer processor configured to, in response to the information indicative of the measured distance between the set of proximity sensors and the second member, the temperature, and the pressure, determine a position of the second member relative to the first member;
- and
- wherein the downhole computer processor is configured to compensate the measured distance between each proximity sensor and the second member based on the measured pressure and the measured temperature proximate to the sensor module to provide a compensated distance between each proximity sensor and the second member thereby improving accuracy of the determined position of the second member relative to the first member.
A method for determining a relative position of components of a downhole tool along a drill string configured to drill a borehole into an earthen formation, the method comprising:
- detecting, via a plurality of proximity sensors mounted to a first component of the downhole tool, a second component of the downhole tool within a detection range of the plurality of proximity sensors;
- determining, via a downhole computer processor in electronic communication with the plurality of proximity sensors, a distance from each proximity sensor to a detected portion of the second component;
- and
- determining, via the downhole computer processor, a position of the second component relative to the first component based on the distance between the plurality of proximity sensors and the detected portion of the second component and compensating the distance between the plurality of proximity sensors and the detected portion of the second component based on at least one of a measured pressure and a measured temperature proximate to the plurality of proximity sensors, thereby improving accuracy of the determined position of the second component relative to the first component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.