Nanofiber strain gauge sensors in downhole tools
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorHau Jiun Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A downhole drilling tool may include a strain gauge inside a rolling-bearing element. For example, the downhole drilling tool may include a rolling-bearing element having an inner race, an outer race, and one or more bearings disposed between the inner and outer races; and a strain gauge disposed on an interior surface of the rolling-element bearing, the strain gauge including at least one circuit formed by (1) a first substrate and a second substrate defining a gap therebetween and having first conductive fibers and second conductive fibers, respectively, extending therefrom into the gap in an intermingling configuration, (2) an electrical connection between the first and second substrates, and (3) an electrical resistance sensor arranged within the electrical connection.
Claims20
A downhole drilling tool comprising:
- a downhole tool having a rolling-element bearing, the rolling-element bearing having an inner race, an outer race, and one or more bearings disposed between the inner and outer races;
- and
- a strain gauge disposed on an interior surface of the outer race or the inner race of the rolling-element bearing, the strain gauge including at least one circuit formed by (1) a first substrate and a second substrate defining a gap therebetween and having first conductive fibers and second conductive fibers, respectively, extending therefrom into the gap in an intermingling configuration, (2) an electrical connection between the first and second substrates, and (3) an electrical resistance sensor arranged within the electrical connection.
A drilling system comprising:
- a drill string extending into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation and including at least a downhole tool having a rolling-element bearing;
- and
- a strain gauge coupled to the rolling-element bearing, the rolling-element bearing having an inner race, an outer race, and one or more bearings disposed between the inner and outer races, and the strain gauge being disposed on an interior surface of the outer race or the inner race of the rolling-element bearing, the strain gauge including at least one circuit formed by (1) a first substrate and a second substrate defining a gap therebetween and having first conductive fibers and second conductive fibers, respectively, extending therefrom into the gap in an intermingling configuration, (2) an electrical connection between the first and second substrates, and (3) an electrical resistance sensor arranged within the electrical connection.
A method comprising:
- drilling a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation with a drilling system that includes a drill string extending into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation and a downhole tool positioned on the drill string, the downhole tool having a rolling-element bearing and a strain gauge, the rolling-element bearing having an inner race, an outer race, and one or more bearings disposed between the inner and outer races, and the strain gauge being disposed on an interior surface of the outer race or the inner race of the rolling-element bearing, the strain gauge including at least one circuit formed by (1) a first substrate and a second substrate defining a gap therebetween and having first conductive fibers and second conductive fibers, respectively, extending therefrom into the gap in an intermingling configuration, (2) an electrical connection between the first and second substrates, and (3) an electrical resistance sensor arranged within the electrical connection;
- measuring a resistance or resistance change to the at least one circuit as a load is applied to the strain gauge;
- and
- changing a parameter of the drilling based on a measured resistance or resistance change.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.