System and method for forming capacitors in wellbores
A system and method for installing an energy storage system, the energy storage system including an electrical load and a cement capacitor electrically connected to the electrical load. The cement capacitor includes a first cement electrode; a second cement electrode; and a separator between the first cement electrode and the second cement electrode, wherein the separator electrically insulates the first cement electrode from the second cement electrode. The cement capacitor is charged by passing electricity to the cement capacitor via the electrical load. The cement capacitor is discharged by passing electricity from the cement capacitor to the electrical load.
1 . A cement capacitor, comprising:
a pipe installed in a borehole;
a first cement electrode installed adjacent to the pipe;
a second cement electrode; and
a separator between the first cement electrode and the second cement electrode, wherein the separator electrically insulates the first cement electrode from the second cement electrode.
2 . The cement capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the cement electrodes are formed from high surface area cement.
3 . The cement capacitor of claim 2 , wherein the high surface area cement includes one or more of carbon black, graphite, carbon nanotubes, charcoal, graphene, metal nanotubes and foamed metal particulates.
4 . The cement capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the pipe is conductive, and
wherein the first cement electrode is electrically connected to the pipe and the second cement electrode is electrically connected to ground.
5 . The cement capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the first and second cement electrodes are electrically connected to a first electrical line and to a second electrical line, respectively.
6 . The cement capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the separator is a separator tube installed in an annulus, the separator tube surrounding the pipe.
7 . The cement capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the separator electrically insulates the first cement electrode from the second cement electrode while allowing ions to pass through the separator.
8 . The cement capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the separator is a material selected from a group of materials including a fibrous material, a porous solid material, a nonporous insulating material and a woven material that is partially bonded to a material to increase structural integrity.
9 . The cement capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the first cement electrode is connected to a first electrically conductive surface and wherein the second cement electrode is connected to a second electrically conductive surface.
10 . An energy storage system, comprising:
an electrical load; and
a cement capacitor electrically connected to the electrical load, the cement capacitor including:
a casing installed in a borehole;
a first cement electrode installed adjacent to the casing;
a second cement electrode; and
a separator between the first cement electrode and the second cement electrode,
wherein the separator electrically insulates the first cement electrode from the second cement electrode while allowing ions to pass through the separator,
wherein the cement capacitor is charged by passing electricity to the cement capacitor via the electrical load, and
wherein the cement capacitor discharges via the electrical load.
11 . The energy storage system of claim 10 , wherein the cement electrodes are formed from high surface area cement.
12 . The energy storage system of claim 10 , wherein the cement electrodes include carbon black, wherein the carbon black is mixed into the cement for the electrodes before the cement is placed in the borehole.
13 . The energy storage system of claim 10 , wherein the first cement electrode is electrically connected to the casing and the second cement electrode is electrically connected to ground.
14 . The energy storage system of claim 10 , wherein the separator is one or more of a nonporous insulating material, a fibrous material, a porous solid material and a woven material that is partially bonded to a material to increase structural integrity.