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US 5,326,970 AGranted
Method and apparatus for logging media of a borehole
OwnerJohn R. Baylessinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The method and apparatus for logging the media of an earth formation wherein repetitive bursts of x-rays are emitted that penetrate the media with a portion of these x-rays to be scattered and picked up by a plurality of detectors to detect certain physical properties of the media such as density and lithology. The x-rays are produced by an electron beam striking an x-ray target. This electron beam is produced electrically within an electron beam generator and then accelerated through a linear induction accelerator. The linear induction accelerator, in contrast to other alternatives, is of simple design and inherently insensitive to mechanical shock and vibration and to variations in operating temperature.
Claims24
An apparatus for logging media comprising:
- first means for producing a series of repetitive electrical pulses;
- an electron beam injector receiving said electrical pulses and producing an electron beam;
- a plurality of induction-type acceleration cells of a linear induction accelerator, said cells containing magnetic induction cores, said cells receiving said electron beam and confining and focusing and directing said electron beam along a path, said cells receiving said pulses which drive said cells, each cell of said cells containing a plurality of permanent magnets encompassing said path, said magnets producing a substantially constant magnetic field over the operating temperature range of -10.degree. C. to 200.degree. C., said induction cores to provide a high inductance for said electrical pulses and said magnets to focus and guide said electron beam, said cells substantially raising the energy level of said electron beam;
- second means for producing x-rays, said second means to receive said electron beam and responsively create a stream of x-rays, said stream of x-rays to be emitted exteriorly of said apparatus and penetrate said media;
- and
- detector means located to receive scattered said x-rays from said media, whereby comparing of the energy and amount of said x-rays received by said detector means to the amount of x-rays emitted exteriorly of said apparatus results in a determination as to the properties of density and composition of said media.
3 more elements
The method of logging the media surrounding a borehole that transverses an earth formation comprising the steps of:
- repetitively producing electrical pulses;
- conducting of said pulses into a transmission line which connects to an in-line series of induction-type acceleration cells containing induction cores;
- producing electron beam pulses and supplying said electron beam pulses to said acceleration cells with said electron beam pulses being accelerated to a high energy level;
- bombarding a target with said electron beam pulses that are now accelerated to said high energy level causing production of x-ray pulses;
- directing said x-ray pulses into said media obtaining a scattered burst of x-rays with each x-ray pulse of said x-ray pulses;
- detecting x-rays in specified energy ranges for each said scattered burst so that the properties of said media can be determined from a single said scattered burst;
- and
- providing a transmission line assembly, which is impedance matched along its longitudinal length, to said series of induction-type acceleration cells so that each pulse that is transmitted to each said acceleration cell is essentially identical in voltage, current and duration.
5 more elements
The method of logging the media surrounding a borehole that transverses an earth formation comprising the steps repetitively producing electrical pulses;
- conducting of said electrical pulses into a transmission line which connects to a series of induction-type acceleration cells containing induction cores with said transmission line being constructed to supply essentially the same voltage, current and pulse length to each cell of said acceleration cells;
- producing electron beam pulses and supplying said electron beam pulses to said acceleration cells with said electron beam pulses being accelerated to a high energy level;
- bombarding a target with said electron beam pulses that are now accelerated to said high energy level causing production of x-ray pulses;
- directing of said x-ray pulses into said media obtaining a scattered burst of x-rays with each x-ray pulse of said x-ray pulses;
- and
- detecting x-rays in specified energy ranges for each said burst so that the properties of said media can be determined from a single said burst.
3 more elements
An apparatus for logging the media surrounding a borehole that traverses an earth formation, said borehole having a longitudinal center axis, said apparatus comprising:
- means for producing a repetitive series of electrical pulses, said means including a strip transmission line which has a plurality of separate points of connection along its longitudinal length;
- means for producing an electron beam;
- a linear induction accelerator means for receiving said electrical pulses and said electron beam, said electrical pulses causing acceleration of said electron beam to high energy levels along a path generally parallel to said longitudinal center axis of the borehole, said linear induction accelerator means being constructed of a plurality of separate induction cells, each said cell having a center opening with said center openings of said cells combining to form said path, each said induction cell being electrically connected to said transmission line by means of a said point of connections, said transmission line being constructed so the electrical impedance is substantially equal for each said induction cell;
- direction altering means for redirecting said electron beam from said path to a direction substantially transverse to said longitudinal center axis;
- means responsive to bombardment by said electron beam for repetitively emitting bursts of x-rays that penetrate said media;
- and
- means for detecting scattered x-rays, whereby based on the quantity and type of x-rays that are scattered a determination is made as to the properties of density and composition of said media.
4 more elements
The apparatus for logging the media surrounding a borehole that traverses in earth formation, said borehole having a longitudinal center axis, said apparatus comprising:
- means for producing a repetitive series of electrical pulses, said means includes a pulse-forming line formed of alternating strips of electrically conductive plates and electrically insulating sheets;
- means for producing an electron beam;
- a linear induction accelerator means for receiving said electrical pulses and said electron beam, said electrical pulses causing acceleration of said electron beam to high energy levels along a path generally parallel to said longitudinal center axis of the borehole;
- direction altering means for redirecting said electron beam from path to a direction substantially transverse to said longitudinal center axis;
- means responsive to bombardment by said electron beam for repetitively emitting bursts of x-rays that penetrate said media;
- and
- means for detecting scattered x-rays, whereby based on the quantity and type of x-rays that are scattered, a determination is made as to the properties of density and composition of said media.
4 more elements
An apparatus for logging media comprising:
- first means for producing a series of repetitive electrical pulses;
- an electron beam injector receiving said electrical pulses and producing an electron beam;
- a plurality of induction-type acceleration cells of a linear induction accelerator, said cells containing magnetic induction cores, said cells receiving said electron beam along a path, said cells receiving said pulses which drive said cells, each cell of said cells containing a plurality of permanent magnets encompassing said path, said magnets producing a substantially constant magnetic field over the operating temperature range of -10.degree. C. to 200.degree. C., said induction core is to provide a high inductance for said electrical pulses and said magnets to focus and guide said electron beam, said cells substantially raising the energy level of said electron beam;
- second means for producing x-rays, said second means to receive said electron beam and responsively create a stream of x-rays, said stream of x-rays to be emitted exteriorly of said apparatus and penetrate said media;
- and
- detector means located to receive scattered said x-rays from said media, said detector means comprises a plurality of separate detectors, at least two said detectors to detect low energy x-rays and at least one other said detector to detect high energy x-rays, said detectors that detect low energy x-rays being located in between said detector that detects high energy x-rays and the point of emission of said x-rays into the media, whereby comparing of the amount of said x-rays received by said detector means to the amount of x-rays emitted exteriorly of said apparatus results in a determination as to the properties of density and composition of said media.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.