Applied cooling for electronics of downhole tool
Systems and methods for cooling an electronics compartment of a downhole tool include a tool assembly. The tool assembly is an elongated member formed of axially aligned tool units. The tool units include a turbine and the electronics compartment. The electronics compartment has an interior cavity containing electronics components. The tool units further include a compressor powered by the turbine. The compressor is operable to compress a coolant fluid. The compressor has a central heat exchanger operable to cool a non-electrically conductive fluid with the coolant fluid. An impeller is rotated by the turbine. The impeller is operable to circulate the non-electrically conductive fluid past the electronics components.
1. A system for cooling an electronics compartment of a downhole tool, the system including:
a tool assembly, the tool assembly being an elongated member formed of axially aligned tool units, the tool units including:
a turbine;
the electronics compartment having an interior cavity containing electronics components;
a compressor powered by the turbine, the compressor operable to compress a coolant fluid, the compressor having a central heat exchanger operable to cool a non-electrically conductive fluid with the coolant fluid;
and
an impeller rotated by the turbine, the impeller operable to circulate the non-electrically conductive fluid past the electronics components.
2. The system of claim 1 , further including a centralizer circumscribing the tool assembly and operable to centralize the tool assembly within an outer tool tubular.
3. The system of claim 2 , where the outer tool tubular is secured in-line with a drilling string.
4. The system of claim 1 , where the tool assembly defines a measurement while drilling downhole tool.
5. The system of claim 1 , where the tool assembly has an axial length in a range of 5 meters to 10 meters.
6. The system of claim 1 , where the electronics components are submerged within the non-electrically conductive fluid.
7. A system for cooling an electronics compartment of a downhole tool, the system including:
a tool assembly, the tool assembly being an elongated member formed of axially aligned tool units, the tool units including:
a turbine located at a downhole end of the tool assembly;
a rotary compressor located axially adjacent to the turbine and rotated by the turbine, the rotary compressor operable to compress a coolant fluid, the rotary compressor having a central heat exchanger operable to cool a non-electrically conductive fluid with the coolant fluid;
the electronics compartment located axially adjacent to the rotary compressor, the electronics compartment having an interior cavity containing electronics components; and
an impeller rotated by the turbine, the impeller operable to direct the non-electrically conductive fluid from the rotary compressor to the electronics compartment.
8. The system of claim 7 , further including a centralizer circumscribing the tool assembly and operable to centralize the tool assembly within an outer tool tubular.
9. The system of claim 8 , where the outer tool tubular is secured in-line with a drilling string.
10. The system of claim 8 , where an outer heat exchanger of the rotary compressor is in thermal communication with a flow of fluid external to the tool assembly that is within the outer tool tubular.
11. The system of claim 7 , where the tool assembly has an axial length in a range of 5 meters to 10 meters.
12. The system of claim 7 , where electronics components are submerged within the non-electrically conductive fluid.
13. A method for cooling an electronics compartment of a downhole tool, the method including:
forming a tool assembly, the tool assembly being an elongated member formed of axially aligned tool units, the tool units including:
a turbine;
the electronics compartment having an interior cavity containing electronics components;
a compressor with a central heat exchanger; and
an impeller;
powering the compressor with the turbine to compress a coolant fluid;
cooling a non-electrically conductive fluid with the coolant fluid in the central heat exchanger; and
rotating the impeller with the turbine to circulate the non-electrically conductive fluid past the electronics components.
14. The method of claim 13 , further including centralizing the tool assembly within an outer tool tubular with a centralizer circumscribing the tool assembly.
15. The method of claim 14 , further including securing the outer tool tubular in-line with a drilling string.
16. The method of claim 13 , where forming the tool assembly includes forming the tool assembly that is a measurement while drilling downhole tool.
17. The method of claim 13 , where forming the tool assembly includes forming the tool assembly with an axial length in a range of 5 meters to 10 meters.
18. The method of claim 13 , further including submerging the electronics components within the non-electrically conductive fluid.