Impulse rotor generator

1. An impulse rotor generator for generating power in response to a primary mud flow in a drill string, said generator comprising:

a power rotor,

at least one stationary magnetic pickup,

a pickup coil mounted on said at least one stationary magnetic pickup,

said power rotor being positioned at least in part in said primary mud flow and being rotatable in response to said primary mud flow, said power rotor having an axis of rotation that is transverse to said primary mud flow,

said power rotor having a plurality of magnets affixed thereto, said magnets being arranged so as to magnetically couple with the at least one stationary magnetic pickup,

wherein upon rotation of said power rotor in response to said primary mud flow, a current is produced in said pickup coil mounted on said at least one stationary magnetic pickup.

2. The impulse rotor generator of claim 1 , wherein said power rotor comprises a plurality of paddle segments.

3. The impulse rotor generator of claim 2 , wherein said power rotor comprises 6 paddle segments.

4. The impulse rotor generator of claim 1 , wherein said generator comprises a plurality of stationary magnetic pickups.

5. The impulse rotor generator of claim 4 , wherein said generator comprises 4 stationary magnetic pickups.

6. The impulse rotor generator of claim 1 , wherein at least one side of said power rotor comprises 6 magnets, arranged so as to magnetically couple with the at least one stationary magnetic pickup.

7. The impulse rotor generator of claim 6 , wherein said power rotor comprises 6 paddle segments, and wherein each of said 6 magnets are associated with a respective paddle segment.

8. The impulse rotor generator of claim 1 , wherein said pickup coil is housed within a canister that is positioned over said at least one stationary magnetic pickup.

9. The impulse rotor generator of claim 8 , wherein said canister is provided with seals to inhibit ingress of drilling mud into the region of the pickup coil.

10. An impulse rotor generator for generating power in response to a primary mud flow in a drill string, said generator comprising:

a pressure barrel dimensioned to form an annulus between said apparatus and said drill string, said annulus permitting the passage of said primary mud flow,

a power rotor located at least in part in said pressure barrel, said power rotor being rotatable about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the pressure barrel, said power rotor extending at least in part in said annulus, so as to rotate in response to the primary mud flow through said annulus

said power rotor having a plurality of magnets affixed thereto, said plurality of magnets being arranged to magnetically couple with at least one adjacently positioned stationary magnetic pickup,

said stationary magnetic pickup having mounted thereon a pickup coil in which a current in generated in response to rotation of the power rotor relative to said stationary magnetic pickup.

11. The impulse rotor generator of claim 10 , wherein said power rotor comprises a plurality of paddle segments.

12. The impulse rotor generator of claim 11 , wherein said power rotor comprises 6 paddle segments.

13. The impulse rotor generator of claim 10 , wherein said generator comprises a plurality of stationary magnetic pickups.

14. The impulse rotor generator of claim 13 , wherein said generator comprises 4 stationary magnetic pickups.

15. The impulse rotor generator of claim 10 , wherein at least one side of said power rotor comprises 6 magnets, arranged so as to magnetically couple with the at least one stationary magnetic pickup.

16. The impulse rotor generator of claim 15 , wherein said power rotor comprises 6 paddle segments, and wherein each of said 6 magnets are associated with a respective paddle segment.

17. The impulse rotor generator of claim 10 , wherein said pickup coil is housed within a canister that is positioned over the at least one stationary magnetic pickup.

18. The impulse rotor generator of claim 17 , wherein said canister is provided with seals to inhibit ingress of drilling mud into the region of the pickup coil.

19. The impulse rotor generator of claim 10 , wherein said pressure barrel is configured at each end with suitable attachment facings for insertion into a drill string.

20. An impulse rotor generator for generating power in response to a primary mud flow in a drill string, said generator comprising:

a power rotor,

at least one stationary magnetic pickup,

a pickup coil mounted on said at least one stationary magnetic pickup,

said power rotor being positioned at least in part in said primary mud flow and being rotatable in response to said primary mud flow, said power rotor having an axis of rotation that is transverse to said primary mud flow,

said power rotor having at least one section of magnetically permeable material that spans said power rotor from side to side;

said stationary magnetic pickup having at least one magnet affixed thereto, said magnet being arranged so as to permit said stationary magnetic pickup to magnetically couple with the at least one section of magnetically permeable material spanning said power rotor;

wherein upon rotation of said power rotor in response to said primary mud flow, a current is produced in said pickup coil mounted on said at least one stationary magnetic pickup.