Patent · US Active

Drilling fluid through-flow axial flux turbine generator

US12031415B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
1References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 2, 2023
Grant dateJul 9, 2024
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 2, 2043

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF05B2220/7068
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The invention provides a generator suited for drilling equipment, such as oil and gas applications. A turbine can drive the permanent-magnet, synchronous generator. The generator uses axial flux topology for a stator and a rotor. The design permits a wide airgap between the stator and rotor, so fluid and debris from drilling operations can flow through the generator relatively unobstructed, and the fluid flow can provide a power source to rotate the turbine coupled to the rotor to generate electrical power. The airgap can accommodate non-magnetic sealing plates to provide additional protection to the generator components. The rotor includes a Halbach magnet array of permanent magnets, producing high-intensity magnetic flux in an axial direction. The Halbach magnet array avoids any necessity for the conventional rotor back-iron to return the flux. The proposed generator is intended to generate electric power for drilling equipment, permitting the elimination of costly batteries.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.