Cooling apparatus and methods for use with downhole tools
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsSylvain Bedouet, Erik Quam, Nicholas Ellson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Cooling apparatus and methods for use with downhole tools are described. An example apparatus includes a cooling apparatus for use with a downhole tool. The cooling apparatus includes a flow passage having an inlet and an outlet. The outlet is configured for fluid communication with a wellbore and the inlet is spaced from the outlet. The cooling apparatus also includes a pump configured to convey at least one of a drilling fluid or a formation fluid between the inlet and the outlet. Additionally, the cooling apparatus includes a heat exchanger coupled to a surface adjacent the flow passage and a component of the downhole tool to convey heat from the component to the cooling fluid.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a cooling apparatus for use with a downhole tool, comprising:
- a flow passage having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the outlet is configured for fluid communication with a wellbore, and wherein the inlet is spaced from the outlet;
- a pump configured to convey at least one of a drilling fluid or a formation fluid between the inlet and the outlet;
- and
- a heat exchanger coupled to a surface adjacent the flow passage and a component of the downhole tool, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to convey heat from the component to the at least one of the drilling fluid or the formation fluid.
A method of cooling a component in a downhole tool, comprising:
- positioning the downhole tool in a wellbore;
- determining that a predetermined condition has been satisfied;
- and
- in response to the predetermined condition being satisfied, pumping at least one of a drilling fluid or a formation fluid through a flow path of the downhole tool to the wellbore to cause heat from a component in the downhole tool to be conducted through a heat exchanger to the at least one of the drilling fluid or the formation fluid in the flow path.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a cooling apparatus for use with a downhole tool, comprising:
- a first flow passage having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the first flow passage comprises a portion of a flow line of the downhole tool, wherein the outlet is configured for fluid communication with a wellbore, and wherein the inlet is spaced from the outlet and is configured for fluid communication with the wellbore;
- a first pump configured to convey a first cooling fluid between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the cooling fluid comprises at least one of a drilling fluid or a formation fluid;
- a first heat exchanger coupled to a surface adjacent the flow passage and a component of the downhole tool, wherein the component is disposed in a housing of the downhole tool, and wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to convey heat from the component to the first cooling fluid;
- and
- a second flow passage configured to flow a second cooling fluid past a second heat exchanger, wherein the second heat exchanger is adjacent the second flow passage and a second component of the downhole tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.