High temperature charge amplifier for geothermal applications
| DWPI Title: Charge amplifier circuit for use multi-chip module for e.g. geothermal application, has voltage to current converter for converting filtered output voltage signal to current output signal, where circuit output is voltage output signal |
| Abstract: An amplifier circuit in a multi-chip module includes a charge to voltage converter circuit, a voltage amplifier a low pass filter and a voltage to current converter. The charge to voltage converter receives a signal representing an electrical charge and generates a voltage signal proportional to the input signal. The voltage amplifier receives the voltage signal from the charge to voltage converter, then amplifies the voltage signal by the gain factor to output an amplified voltage signal. The lowpass filter passes low frequency components of the amplified voltage signal and attenuates frequency components greater than a cutoff frequency. The voltage to current converter receives the output signal of the lowpass filter and converts the output signal to a current output signal; wherein an amplifier circuit output is selectable between the output signal of the lowpass filter and the current output signal. |
| Use: Charge amplifier circuit for use in a multi-chip module for temperature downhole applications e.g. geothermal and oil and gas exploration applications. |
| Advantage: The circuit increases amplifier sensitivity and decreases size and power consumption of an amplifier. The circuit allows external resistors to convert the circuit to an instrumentation amplifier, thus expanding utility of the circuit for downhole sensing applications. The circuit utilizes a current output mode to drive a well-logging cable directly, thus eliminating a need to provide expensive digital electronics downhole. |
| Novelty: The circuit (10) has a lowpass filter (20) for passing low frequency components of an amplified voltage signal and attenuate frequency components of the amplified voltage signal greater than cutoff frequency of the lowpass filter to create a filtered voltage output signal. A voltage to current converter (22) is arranged to receive the filtered voltage output signal of the lowpass filter, and converts the filtered output voltage signal to a current output signal, where an amplifier circuit output is the voltage output signal or the current output signal. |
| Filed: 9/10/2013 |
| Application Number: US14023209A |
| Tech ID: SD 12309.1 |
| 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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