High permittivity fluid
The present invention provides for an electrically insulating fluid or material of high relative permittivity or dielectric constant. The fluid has a low conductivity and high relative strength and is applicable to pulsed power drilling applications.
1 . An electrical insulating formulation comprising:
a first, carbon-based material having a dielectric constant greater than approximately 2.6;
a second, carbon-based material, different from said first material, having a dielectric constant greater than approximately 10.0; and
said first material at least partially miscible with said second material; and
said insulating formulation having low electrical conductivity.
2 . The formulation of claim 1 wherein said first material and said second material are substantially non-aqueous.
3 . The formulation of claim 1 wherein said first material comprises one or more oils.
4 . The formulation of claim 3 wherein said one or more oils comprise one or more natural or synthetic oils.
5 . The formulation of claim 3 wherein said first material comprises castor oil.
6 . The formulation of claim 3 wherein said first material comprises jojoba oil.
7 . The formulation of claim 3 wherein said first material comprises mineral oil.
8 . The formulation of claim 1 wherein said second material comprises one or more solvents.
9 . The formulation of claim 1 wherein said second material comprises one or more carbonates.
10 . The formulation of claim 9 wherein said first material comprises castor oil.
11 . The formulation of claim 9 wherein said second material comprises one or more alkylene carbonates.
12 . The formulation of claim 11 wherein said first material comprises castor oil.
13 . The formulation of claim 9 wherein said second material comprises butylene carbonate.
14 . The formulation of claim 1 wherein said first material comprises a solution comprising one or more oils and said first material is in a concentration of from between approximately 1.0 and 99.0 percent by volume and wherein said second material comprises a solution comprising one or more alkylene carbonates and said second material is in a concentration of from between approximately 1.0 and 99.0 percent by volume.
15 . The formulation of claim 14 wherein said first material comprises a solution comprising one or more oils and said first material is in a concentration of from between approximately 40.0 and 95.0 percent by volume and wherein said second material comprises a solution comprising one or more alkylene carbonates and said second material is in a concentration of from between approximately 5.0 and 60.0 percent by volume.
16 . The formulation of claim 15 wherein said first material comprises a solution comprising one or more oils and said first material is in a concentration of from between approximately 65.0 and 90.0 percent by volume and wherein said second material comprises a solution comprising one or more alkylene carbonates and said second material is in a concentration of from between approximately 10.0 and 35.0 percent by volume.
17 . The formulation of claim 1 wherein said first material comprises a solution comprising one or more oils and said first material is in a concentration of from between approximately 75.0 and 85.0 percent by volume and wherein said second material comprises a solution comprising one or more alkylene carbonates and said second material is in a concentration of from between approximately 15.0 and 25.0 percent by volume.
18 . The formulation of claim 1 wherein said first material and said second material are biodegradable.
19 . The formulation of claim 1 wherein said first material and said second material are non-toxic.
20 . The formulation of claim 1 wherein said first material and said second material are not hazardous to the environment.
21 . A method for drilling in hard materials comprising the steps of:
providing a first material having a dielectric constant of greater than approximately 2.6;
mixing the first material with a second material having a dielectric constant greater than approximately 10.0 to provide an insulating formulation comprising a low electrical conductivity; and
disposing the formulation about a drilling environment to provide electrical insulation for a drilling process.
22 . The method of claim 21 wherein the first material and the second material are substantially non-aqueous.
23 . The method of claim 21 wherein the first material comprises one or more oils.
24 . The method of claim 23 wherein the one or more oils comprise one or more natural or synthetic oils.
25 . The method of claim 23 wherein the first material comprises castor oil.
26 . The method of claim 23 wherein the first material comprises jojoba.
27 . The method of claim 23 wherein the first material comprises mineral oil.
28 . The method of claim 21 wherein the second material comprises one or more solvents.
29 . The method of claim 21 wherein the second material comprises one or more carbonates.
30 . The method of claim 29 wherein the first material comprises castor oil.
31 . The method of claim 29 wherein the second material comprises one or more alkylene carbonates.
32 . The method of claim 21 wherein the first material comprises castor oil.
33 . The method of claim 29 wherein the second material comprises butylene carbonate.
34 . The method of claim 21 wherein the first material comprises a solution comprising one or more oils and the first material is in a concentration of from between approximately 1.0 and 99.0 percent by volume and wherein the second material comprises a solution comprising one or more alkylene carbonates and the second material is in a concentration of from between approximately 1.0 and 99.0 percent by volume.
35 . The method of claim 34 wherein the first material comprises a solution comprising one or more oils and the first material is in a concentration of from between approximately 40.0 and 95.0 percent by volume and wherein the second material comprises a solution comprising one or more alkylene carbonates and the second material is in a concentration of from between approximately 5.0 and 60.0 percent by volume.
36 . The method of claim 35 wherein the first material comprises a solution comprising one or more oils and the first material is in a concentration of from between approximately 65.0 and 90.0 percent by volume and wherein the second material comprises a solution comprising one or more alkylene carbonates and the second material is in a concentration of from between approximately 10.0 and 35.0 percent by volume.
37 . The method of claim 36 wherein the first material comprises a solution comprising one or more oils and the first material is in a concentration of from between approximately 75.0 and 85.0 percent by volume and wherein the second material comprises a solution comprising one or more alkylene carbonates and the second material is in a concentration of from between approximately 15.0 and 25.0 percent by volume.
38 . The method of claim 21 wherein the first material and the second material are biodegradable.
39 . The method of claim 21 wherein the first material and the second material are non-toxic.
40 . The method of claim 21 wherein the first material and the second material are not hazardous to the environment.
41 . An electrical insulating formulation comprising:
castor oil;
butylene carbonate;
a dielectric strength of at least approximately 300 kV/cm (1 μsec);
a dielectric constant of at least approximately 6; and
a conductivity of less than approximately 10 −5 mho/cm.
42 . The formulation of claim 41 wherein said conductivity is less than approximately 10 −6 mho/cm.