Piezoelectric generator for hydraulic systems
The present disclosure generally relates to electrical power generation from a piezoelectric material. A piezoelectric power generator assembly is disclosed including a housing, a piezoelectric transducer located in the housing, and a piston located in the housing, wherein the piezoelectric transducer is configured to generate an electrical charge when contacted by the piston. A piezoelectric power generator assembly is also disclosed including a housing comprising a flowline located within the housing and a piezoelectric transducer located in the housing and disposed about a perimeter of the flowline, wherein the piezoelectric transducer is configured to generate an electrical charge when contacted by a fluid contained in the flowline. A subsea drilling system is disclosed including a subsea blowout preventer stack and a piezoelectric power generator assembly for powering sensors on the blowout preventer stack configured to monitor characteristics of the stack.
1. A power generator assembly comprising:
a housing comprising a flow passage;
a piezoelectric transducer located about a perimeter of the flow passage and configured to generate an electrical charge when subjected to a stress exerted by a fluid pressure of a fluid in the flow passage;
a hydraulically actuatable device and a flow line configured to convey the fluid to the hydraulically actuatable device, wherein the fluid is pressurized hydraulic fluid for operating the hydraulically actuatable device; and
a sensor configured to monitor a characteristic of the hydraulically actuatable device, wherein the sensor is powered by the electrical charge generated by the piezoelectric transducer.
2. The power generator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flow passage has a circular profile.
3. The power generator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an electronics module including a capacitor bank.
4. The power generator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulically actuatable device is a valve.
5. The power generator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a storage device including a processor and a memory device capable of receiving and storing sensor measurement data.
6. The power generator assembly of claim 4 , wherein the valve is configured to adjust between an open position and a closed position and the characteristic is the position of the valve.
7. The power generator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a subsea blowout preventer stack comprising the hydraulically actuatable device and the flowline for conveying the fluid to the hydraulically actuatable device.
8. The power generator assembly of claim 7 , wherein the hydraulically actuatable device is a ram.
9. The power generator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a hall-effect sensor configured to measure a position of the hydraulically actuatable device.
10. The power generator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to measure a temperature at the hydraulically actuatable device, a pressure at the hydraulically actuatable device, or both.
11. The power generator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is powered entirely by the electrical charge generated by the piezoelectric transducer.
12. The power generator assembly of claim 1 , comprising a wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit sensor data obtained by the sensor to another location.
13. The power generator assembly of claim 1 , comprising a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, wherein the RFID tag enables transfer of sensor data obtained by the sensor to a remotely-operated vehicle.