Electrical power generation for downhole exploration or production devices

Abstract

A method and system for generating electrical power in a downhole well is disclosed. In an embodiment, the electrical power is generated by the rotational motion of a downhole tool and enables the charging or recharging of batteries in downhole sensors or sensors in other remote locations, such as in a water column. Magnets are arranged in a manner to provide a rotating magnetic field and are then coupled or attached to the rod/rotor assembly in close proximity to the rotating tool. By utilizing the rotational energy of a tool that uses or causes rotational motion during operations in conjunction with the windings of an electrical conductor and power conditioning circuitry, the rotation of the magnets induces an electrical current in the electrical conductor and power conditioning circuitry that can then be used to directly charge a tool and/or to instead charge or recharge the batteries that power the downhole or below-surface sensor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.