Coupled electronic and power supply frames for use with borehole conduit connections
An apparatus for retaining electronic components in a downhole component coupling mechanism includes: a power supply frame including a first housing configured to retain a power supply therein and isolate the power supply from downhole fluids, the power supply frame configured to be disposed in and constrained axially by a coupling assembly of a first downhole component and a second downhole component; an electronic component disposed in a second housing in the coupling assembly, the electronic component located external to the power supply frame; and a connector configured to transmit electric power from the power supply to the electronic component to supply electrical power to the electronic component.
1. An apparatus for retaining electronic components in a downhole component coupling mechanism, comprising:
a power supply frame including a first housing configured to retain a power supply therein and isolate the power supply from downhole fluids, the power supply frame configured to be disposed in a coupling assembly including a first coupling portion of a first downhole component and a second coupling portion of a second downhole component, the first coupling portion configured to engage the second coupling portion to connect the first downhole component to the second downhole component, the power supply frame being seprate from the first downhole component, the second downhole component and the coupling assembly, the power supply frame configured to be at least partially disposed in a space formed by at least the second coupling portion and constrained axially by the first coupling portion without any additional securing features upon engagement of the first coupling portion with the second coupling portion;
an electronic component disposed in a second housing in the coupling assembly, the electronic component located external to the power supply frame; and
a connector configured to transmit electric power from the power supply to the electronic component to supply electrical power to the electronic component.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronic component is configured to facilitate transmission of signals between the first downhole component and the second downhole component.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second housing is incorporated in an electronics frame configured to retain the electronic component therein and isolate the electronic component from downhole fluids, the electronics frame configured to be disposed in the coupling assembly and constrained axially by the power supply frame and the coupling assembly.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second housing is attached to the coupling assembly.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power supply frame includes a retaining structure configured to retain the power supply, and a protective structure configured to be disposed at the retaining structure, the protective structure permanently joined to the retaining structure to isolate the power supply from downhole fluids and form the power supply frame.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid conduit formed by at least the power supply frame, the fluid conduit configured to provide fluid communication through the coupling assembly and between the first and second downhole component.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coupling assembly includes a pin located at an end of the first downhole component and a box at an end of the second downhole component, and the power supply frame is configured to be disposed in a bore-back region of the box and constrained axially by the pin and the box when the coupling mechanism is assembled.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connector is a galvanic connector.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the connector is disposed in a sealed tube configured to connect a conductor in the power supply frame to the electronic component.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connector is selected from at least one of a capacitive connector, an inductive connector and a resonant connector.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronic component is disposed in an electronics frame separate from the power supply frame, the electronics frame electrically connected to the power supply frame, the electronics frame and the power supply frame held in contact by the first downhole component and the second downhole component when the coupling assembly is assembled.
12. A method of coupling downhole components comprising:
disposing a power supply in a first housing of a power supply frame, the power supply frame configured to isolate the power supply from downhole fluids;
disposing the power supply frame and a second housing in a coupling assembly of a first downhole component and a second downhole component the coupling assembly including a first coupling portion of a first downhole component and a second coupling portion of a second downhole component, the power supply frame being separate from the first downhole component, the second downhole component and the coupling assembly, wherein disposing the power supply frame includes at least partially inserting the power supply frame into a space formed by at least the second coupling portion;
electrically connecting the power supply to an electronic component disposed in the coupling assembly via an electrical connector disposed at the power supply frame, the electronic component configured to facilitate transmission of signals between the first downhole component and the second downhole component; and
coupling the first downhole component to the second downhole component and constraining the power supply frame by the coupling assembly, wherein coupling includes engaging the first coupling portion with the second coupling portion, communicatively connecting the first downhole component to the second downhole component via the electronic component and the power supply frame, and axially constraining at least the power supply frame by first coupling portion without any additional securing features.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising disposing the first downhole component and the second downhole component in a borehole in an earth formation and performing a downhole operation, the downhole operation including advancing a borehole fluid between the first downhole component and the second downhole component through a fluid conduit formed by at the power supply frame.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second housing is incorporated in an electronics frame, the second housing separate from the first housing, the electronics frame configured to isolate the electronic component from downhole fluids.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein disposing the power supply frame includes electrically connecting the power supply frame to the electronics frame and disposing both the electronics frame and the power supply frame in the coupling assembly, wherein coupling the first downhole component to the second downhole component axially constrains both the electronics frame and the power supply frame.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein disposing the power supply in the first housing includes inserting the power supply into a recess formed in the first housing, and permanently joining a protective structure to the first housing to isolate the power supply from downhole fluids and form the power supply frame.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the coupling assembly includes a pin located at an end of the first downhole component and a box at an end of the second downhole component.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the power supply frame is configured to be disposed in a bore-back region of the box and constrained axially by the pin and the box when the coupling mechanism is assembled.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the electrical connector is a galvanic connector.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the electrical connector is disposed in a sealed tube configured to connect a conductor in the power supply frame to the electronic component.