Initiation of explosive devices
OwnerJames E. Brooks, Nolan C. Lercheinventors
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Abstract
A perforating gun or other downhole tool includes one or more explosive devices that are activable by corresponding one or more initiator devices, such as capacitor discharge units (CDUs). Each CDU includes an explosive foil initiator (EFI) or some other type of a high-energy bridge-type initiator, an energy source (e.g., a slapper capacitor), and a switch coupling the energy source and the EFI or other bridge-type initiator. An electrical cable is coupled to the CDUs for providing a voltage to energize the energy source in the CDUs to provide energy to each EFI. In response to activation of a trigger signal down the electrical cable, the switch is closed to couple the energy source to the EFI.
Claims34
A perforating gun for use in a wellbore, comprising:
- a plurality of shaped charges;
- a plurality of initiator components including bridge-type initiators coupled to corresponding shaped charges;
- and
- an electrical cable coupled to the plurality of initiator components,
- each initiator component including an energy source adapted to be energized by a voltage on the electrical cable, the energy source providing energy for activating the bridge-type initiator.
A method of activating a tool having a plurality of explosive devices, comprising:
- providing an initiator device having a bridge-type initiator proximal each explosive device;
- providing an electrical cable to activate each initiator device;
- supplying a first voltage to charge energy sources in corresponding initiator devices;
- and
- supplying an activating signal to couple each energy source to a corresponding bridge-type initiator to activate the bridge-type initiator to detonate an explosive device.
An apparatus for activating an explosive device in a downhole tool, comprising:
- a capacitor discharge unit having a bridge-type initiator, a capacitor, and a switch coupling the capacitor and the bridge-type initiator, the capacitor providing the energy source for the bridge-type initiator, the capacitor discharge unit further including a support structure on which at least the bridge-type initiator and switch are mounted.
A tool, comprising:
- a plurality of explosive devices;
- a plurality of initiator devices each including a bridge-type initiator adapted to detonate a corresponding explosive device, each initiator device including an energy source;
- and
- an electrical cable adapted to energize the energy source in each initiator device, each energy source providing activation power to a corresponding bridge-type initiator.
A method of detonating one or more explosive devices in a wellbore, comprising:
- providing a plurality of bridge-type initiators for initiating the explosive devices;
- coupling a plurality of energy sources to corresponding explosive devices;
- and
- supplying an activating signal on an electrical cable to couple the energy sources to the bridge-type initiators to activate the bridge-type initiators.
An apparatus for activating explosive devices, comprising:
- a distributed energy system including a plurality of energy sources and corresponding bridge-type initiators positioned proximal the explosive devices and an electrical cable coupled to energize the energy sources and to activate the bridge-type initiators with energy from the energy sources.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.