System and method thermopile energy harvesting for subsurface well bore sensors
| DWPI Title: System for powering borehole sensor with thermal energy, comprises annular space formed between the casing and tubular pipe, and power source placed in borehole to power sensor in response to temperature gradient between surface of the casing and surface of the tubular pipe |
| Abstract: A system and method for powering a borehole sensor with thermal energy is disclosed. The system includes a tubular pipe inserted into a subsurface borehole. A borehole casing is coaxially disposed with the tubular pipe. An annular space between the casing and the tubular pipe has a power source placed in the borehole to power a sensor in response to a temperature gradient between a surface of the casing and a surface of the tubular pipe. The method includes attaching thermopiles on the borehole casing or tubing; placing the thermopile in the annulus between the casing and the tubing; inducing a thermal gradient across the thermopile; generating an electrical energy in response to the temperature gradient; powering the sensor from the generated energy; and monitoring vertical expansion of a CO2 plume. |
| Use: System for powering a borehole sensor with thermal energy. |
| Advantage: The system includes thermoelectric modules or thermoelectric generators to convert heat directly into electric power. Solid-state heat engines require no moving parts, are robust and are very reliable in long-life applications. The system uses a reliable long-term power source for wireless, self-sufficient sensor networks for real-time to long-term monitoring of carbon dioxide plumes and the health of injection/monitoring wells and fluid migration towards underground sources of drinking water. TEGs utilize the small temperature differentials that exist in actively pumped wells. When additional power is required, thermal pulses, or intermittent pumping, generates greater temperature gradients to increase power output. Long-term power supplies may be coupled with a power conditioning circuit and a rechargeable battery. The thermoelectric generators are scalable, so increased voltage or power output can be achieved by simply adding additional TEGs in series or in parallel. The system provides support for real-time high-resolution monitoring, for faster response time in cases of pressure build-up and leakage. |
| Novelty: The energy harvesting system (10) comprises a tubular pipe inserted into a subsurface borehole (18), a casing (22) in thermal contact with an inner wall of the borehole, coaxially set with the tubular pipe to form an annular space (20), and a power source set within the borehole in electrical communication with the sensor, and the power source is configured to generate an electrical power in response to a temperature gradient between a surface of the casing and a surface of the tubular pipe. The power source comprises at least one thermopile (12) comprising an array of thermoelectric generator (TEG) modules, and at least one thermopile is set within the wall surface and embedded into a cement or rock formation. |
| Filed: 6/26/2020 |
| Application Number: US16912778A |
| Tech ID: SD 15038.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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