Field of the invention

The invention relates to a structural design of an apparatus with a system of inductors for extreme conditions in the configuration of the electrical power pulse generator or other electric power converter to direct support of a new efficient deep drilling technology to make geothermal energy avai lable at depths of around 1 0 km , or possibly another electric power converter. The invention falls with in the field of technical equipment for deep drillings.

Description of the prior art

Conventional drilling methods of state of the art based on the mechanical principle of rock disintegration are not applicable for large depths of around 1 0 km. Although systems for generation of electrical power pulses are known in the world , they are intended for applications that tolerate long charging times and relatively low pulse repetition frequencies and, moreover, they do not have strict dimensional constraints (e.g. Rai lgun , X-ray radiography, radiolocation) . Most existing power pulse generation systems are based on the use of energy stored in the form of electrostatic field in capacitors, resulting in disadvantages such as short capacitor lifetime , as degradation of capacitors increases with increasing the number of pulses generated (dielectric and electrodes are destroyed) . Furth er disadvantage is the low maximum repetition pulse rate, because one-time pulses are generated, maximum these are pulse units / sec. Its sign ificant disadvantage is also the dim ensional and volume constraints because they were not addressed primarily but secondarily to the power and time parameters of the generated pulses and inductor parameters.

Deep dri lling is characterized by the following specified process requi rements, where hard rock dri lling with a drilling speed of 20 m / h is required. From the point of view time compression of energy, it is the generation of u ltra-high power pulses with the energy supplied in a process greater than 50 kJ / s and a pulse repetition frequency higher than 50 Hz. The dri lling apparatus wou ld operate in an environment with maximum operating pressures of 1 000 bar (1 300 bar for M U D) , ambient temperature 200°C. Even the design of the power pulse source in the deep drilling apparatus is subject to the requirements that the vol ume of the source system is approx. 0.1 m ³ and had a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 1 1 0 mm (maximum 1 50 mm) and maximum source system length of approx. 5 m .

Systems generating high -performance pulses under effect of extreme conditions of high pressure and temperature and with the above-mentioned non-standard geometric constraints have not been developed yet worldwide and in connection with the requirement of deep dri lling implementation , the application of such technology is highly actual on a global scale.

The techn ical shortcomings of the art have provided the possibility to solve this problem by suitable technical means fo r disintegration of hard rocks, where efficient operation of the system at extreme pressures and temperatures and in limited space of deep dri llings would be requi red. This implies that the implementation of a functional system of generation h igh-power electric pulses should be based on innovative technologies and materials and be based on the fact that commercially available materials already exist (toroidal cores with the necessary magnetic characteristics, h igh-power and fast semiconductor switching elem ents etc.), that would allow construction of real apparatus with requi red parameters. The main monitored indicator should be the efficiency, reliability and durabi lity of the apparatus in the given application . Secondary indicators are the requi rements to ensure robustness, modularity and se rvice of the apparatus.

A result of this effort is the described design of apparatus with a system of inductors for operation in extreme conditions in the present invention . Summary of the invention

The above stated shortcomings are according to the present invention eliminated by apparatus with a system of inductors for extreme conditions and capable of operating under extreme conditions in the configu ration of the high-power electrical pulse generator, or also another electrical power converter. The solution in the configuration of the electrical power pulse generator according to the present invention is based on the choice of the princi ple of generating electric pu lses using current multiplication by dynamically changing the connecti on configuration of a certain num ber of “n” identical inductors. These inductors are connected in series using switching elements i n the preparatory phase before the pulse generation and they are gradually energized and the current flowing through the inductors increases. After a defined time, the whole ci rcuit is in certain moment reconfigured using switches from connection of ind uctors in series to parallel connection of inductors to the load, where the discharge switches are closed and the charging switches are disconnected. The output current supplied to the load is in this moment n times the current of one inductor. The individual inductors and semiconductor switches operate with n times lower currents compared to the current supplied to the load.

The nature of the apparatus with a system of inductors for extreme conditions according to the present inventio n lies in the fact that it consists of coaxial ly arranged two output electri c buses of tubular shape, onto which a system of inductive switched modules is pushed, where each module consists of at least one i nductor and at least one protective case with ci rcu its of power / switching electronics. The protective cases comprise : hig h-pressure feedthroughs of the winding connection of inductors, high-pressure feedthroughs of the connection of output electric buses and at least one high-pressure feedthrough of the connection of control wires. The inductors contain a system of toroidal mag netic cores with radial cooling channels between them and at least one winding, where the space betwee n turns of the winding or windings creates a system of axial cooling channel s. Winding or windings may be single layer in the case of, in particular, strip conductors or also multi layer in the case of other types of conductors. They can also be dependent or independent with or without taps. The system of inductive switched modules is enclosed in the cylindrical vessel with liquid coolant filling with forced or natu ral circulation . In addition to cooling , the task of the liquid coolant filling is to fulfill also a very important function , namely to equalize the pressure between the inner volume of the cylindrical vessel and the external environment of the borehole. The cylindrical vessel is enclosed by a cylindrical protective shield, so that between the cylindrical vessel and the cylindrical protective sh ield an annular unidi rectional cooling and / or rinsing channel is placed with input on one end face of the cylindrical protective sh ield and with output on the second opposite end face of the cylindrical protective shield. Also additional tubes and / or insulated electrical conductors and / or electrical and / or optical waveguides may be placed in the annular cooling and / or rinsing channel . The output electric buses pass through the cylindrical vessel and are sealed.

An essential design feature is such a solution for cooling of a system of inductive switched modules, where the forced circulation of liquid coolant filling in th e cylindrical vessel is countercu rrent and has a main axial branch with a central input to the coaxial arrangement of two output electric buses and distributed outputs from the inner shield space of the cyli ndrical vessel. The liquid coolant is e.g . transformer or other oil.

An added value is the solution where the forced circulation of liquid coolant filling in the cylindri cal vessel has additional radial branches with a distributed input from the coaxial arrangement of two output electric buses and distributed outputs from the space of cooling channels in the systems of toroidal magnetic cores of inductors.

If the cooling of the system of inductive switched modules with forced circulation of liquid coolant filling in the cylindrical vessel was insufficient, it would also be possi ble to cool circuits of power / switching electronics in protective cases so that they are connected to supporting cooling ci rcuit. Then , the protective cases would have high - pressu re feedth roughs of cooling circuit connection and the cooling circuit tubes would be placed in the circumference of at least one sector between the inductor windings. Thereby, the coolant for the supporting cooling circuit cou ld be water or an aqueous coolant mixture or any other cooling liquid medium of high thermal conductivity.

The design of the apparatus with a system of inductors for extreme conditions and capable of operating under extreme conditions is sufficiently variable also in the syste m of inductive switched modules itself. From a structural point of view, it seems advantageous if the inductive switched module consists of one inductor and one protective case with ci rcuits of power / switching electron ics. Then , to h igh- pressu re feedthroughs of the winding connection of inductors on the protective case one terminal of the winding of the inductor from previous inductive switched module and one terminal of the winding of the inductor from the next inductive switched module are connected.

One alternative design is also possible, where the inductive switched module consists of N-inductors and a protective case with circuits of power / switching electronics, whereby to high -pressure feedthroughs of the winding connection of inductors o n the protective case first as well as second terminals of windings of N-inductors are connected.

A second alternative constru ction is also possible, where the inductive switched module consists of N-inductors and M-protective cases with ci rcuits of control / switchi ng electronics.

The essence of the present invention is also the fact that apparatus with a system of inductors composed of inductive switched modules with a specific algorithm of their switch ing creates a configuration of the electrical power pulse generator. The same apparatus with a system of inductors composed of inductive switched modules with another specific algorithm of their switching creates a configuration of a DC / DC converter, or also another electric power converter. The functionality of apparatus with a system of inductors for extreme conditions and capable of operating under extreme conditions according to the present invention is clarified as follows. In order for the apparatus with a system of inductors in the config uration of the power pulse generator for deep drilling implementation to be functional, all main necessary requirements must be met at the same time . The first requirement is resistance to high pressures, i deally up to 1 600 bar (1 60 M Pa). At depths of 1 0 km , the target hot horizon having temperatures for efficient power generation , the borehole space is always fi lled with natural or rinse water with a hydrostatic pressu re of 1 000 bar (1 00 M Pa) of the water column . If the geological situation requi res compensation of external rock pressures, a strongly viscous and heavy rinsing with a de nsity of about 1 .6 g/cm ³ is used, having a hydrostatic pressu re of 1 600 bar. All used devices respectively components of the solution according to the present invention resist said pressures or are placed in protective pressure vessels (cases) . The second requi rement is implementation of a device in cylindrical shape with a diameter up to 1 50 mm and a volume up to 70 liters. The generator of steep electric power pulses according to the present invention is placed in close proximity of the plasma drill head to keep pulses with steep edges thanks to minimization of the indu ctance of electrical connection to the load. Placing the generator in the assembly is on the bottom of the borehole together with other mod ules. The solution according to the present invention also provides an availab le space which is lim ited by a borehole diameter of max. 1 50 mm and is limited also in volume to about 70 liters. The thi rd requi rement is resistance to high temperatures, min . to 200°C. The solution according to the present invention has a horizon with te mperature of about 400°C and therefore all the devices as well as the inductor in the borehole are designed for such ambient temperatures by insu lation methods together with intensive oil and water cooling. I nput and flow of coolant (rinsing water and / or other suitable liquid) takes away both the heat supplied from the environment and the heat generated by losses in the generator itself to temperatures below approx. 200°C and some parts (electronic components) below 1 50°C. The fourth requirement is the requ i rement for an energy amount per pulse of ideally at least 1 kJ . The p rocess of fragmentation , destruction of hard bedrock requi res pulses with certain above-threshold power density per mm ² , which is different for different rocks (gran ite, basalt, andesite , etc.) These values need to be set by pulse parameters control. The fifth requirement is min . 20 MW instantaneous power in the pulse peak. The process of disinteg ration , fragmentation of the rock is based on rapid heating by shock of the upper layer of rock and thus uneven dilatation of the surface layer and the layer below it, thereby inducing micro-cracks and / or widening orig inal distu rbances in the rock. This process requ ires that the temperature g radient caused by the radiation of the pulses in th e electric arc is as large as possible and the energy suppli ed mostly in the light spectrum reaches the greatest possible value in the shortest possible time. The technique of time compression of energy into a short time interval (pu lses) in the solution according to the present invention allows supply energies of the order of kJ to the load in the order of microsecond time i ntervals (pulses), which correspond to peak power values on the load of several tens to hundreds of MW. The sixth requi rement is to ensure min . 1 00 Hz repetition pulse frequency, ideally even more. Drilling speed and volume of disintegrated rock per time unit depends on the delivered energy over the entire disintegrated surface (power density) . A rotating electric arc requires at 1 0 to 20 revolutions per second the pulse frequency in the region of 1 00 to 300 Hz in order to evenly cover the whole frontend area of drilled borehole . Higher frequencies are not efficient, since the rock integrates the individual energy doses, the rock temperature increases and the shock effect (large temperature g radient) disappears.

The advantages of the construction solution of apparatus with a system of inductors for extreme conditions in the configuration of the electrical power pulse generator capable of operating under extreme conditions according to the present invention are apparent from the effects shown externally. The innovativeness and originality of the proposed system of generation of electric power pulses can be characterized as follows:

It is a new arrangement of partial fu nctions based on available components, resulting in a new quality that is un ique and meets all necessary conditions;

A multi-factor i nteroperability of individual parts of the system is achieved in a way that has not been used yet. It is a new interoperability of physical properties of components and their way of control, e.g . by a solution of switching of partial circuits and local control of various regimes;

Selected is the adaptability by controlling th e switchi ng of the individual inductive modules of the generator according to different pulse plasma drilling regimes according to the type of rocks (the energy and / or pulse shape and / or pulse repetition f requency is/are adapting) ;

The arrangement and geometry of the solution for a slim cylindrical borehole shape are designed so that the temperature conditions of the unit are homogeneous and with a reserve for high temperatures and pressures and that the temperature fields do not have local extreme values;

The solution of electromagnetic circuits is designed in a coaxial manner at all levels with a combination of axial and radial coolant f low;

Output busses for generated power electrical pu lses are designed in coaxial form , which min imizes inductance and also the magnitude of electromagnetic energy radiation ;

The topology of the electrical power pulse gen erator system is solved in such a way that only the partial currents are switched and not the summary output currents, which increases the reliability and durabi lity of the components used ;

An original solution of protective cases for electronics resisti ng high pressures up to 1 600 bar is desig ned;

Original insulation and cooling solution for high ambient temperatures up to 400°C is designed. Brief description of the drawings

The attached drawings show the construction of apparatus with a system of inductors for extreme conditions in the configuration of the electrical power pulse generator according to the present invention. Fig . 1 shows the configuration with contained main components. Fig . 2 shows one inductive switched module with contained one inductor and one protective case with circuits of power / switching electron ics. Fig . 3 shows one inductive switched module with contained three inductors and one protective case with circuits of power / switching electronics. Fig . 4 shows a schematic diagram of the main cooling ci rcuit of the inductive switched modules. Fig . 5 shows a schematic diagram of the supporting inductor cooling circuit. Fig . 6 shows a schematic diag ram of the secondary cooling circu it of circuits of power / switch ing electron ics placed in protective cases using a suitable liquid coolant filling , e.g . water, and a cooli ng circuit of the cylindrical vessel with contained inductive switched modules by means of flowing coolant, e.g . water or “M U D“. Fig. 7 shows arrangement of the inductor and tubes for the coolant of the secondary cooling ci rcuit led to the protective cases with circuits of power / switching electronics. Fig . 8 shows the construction of the protective case with circu its of power / switching electronics. Fig . 9 shows a cross-sectional view of a drilling assembly with contained apparatus with a system of inductors for extreme conditions in the configuration of the electrical power pulse generator. Fig . 1 0 is a view of the inductor.

Detailed descri ption of the invention

It is u nderstood that that individual embodiments of the invention are presented for illustration and not as limitations of th e technical solutions. Those skilled in the art will find or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation many equivalents to specific embodiments of the inventi on . Such equivalents will also fall within the scope of the following claims .

For those skilled in the art, optimum structu ral design can not be a problem , so these features have not been solved in detail. Example 1

In this example of a particular embodiment of the invention , the described construction of apparatus with a system of inductors for operation in extreme conditions in the configuration of th e electrical power pulse generator with contained specific software is shown i n Fig. 1 to 1 0, which is applied to a drilling device for deep dri lling up to around 1 0 km . The power electric pulse generator consists of two coaxially arranged copper output electric buses 1 of tubular shape, onto which a system of twenty inductive switched modules 1 0 is pushed. Each inductive switched module 1 0 consists of the inductor 2 and a protective case 3 with ci rcuits of power / switching electron ics. Power MOSFETs have been selected as semiconductor switching elements. To excite the power transistors, an excitation ci rcuit has been designed that is galvanically separated and does not need any extra power supply. The control signal has sufficient energy and allows open the power transistors for the necessary time.

High pressure protective cases 3 have two high-pressure feedthroughs 4.1 of the winding connection 1 5 of inducto rs 2. In a particular embodiment, to high-pressure feedth roughs 4.1 of the protective case 3 is one terminal of the winding 1 5 of the previous inductor 2 and one terminal of the winding 1 5 of the following inductor 2 connected. The protective cases 3 have also two high -pressure feedthroughs 4.2, on which there are two output electric buses 1 connected. The protective cases 3 have also a high-pressure feedthrough 4.3 for connecting of control wires 1 1 as shown in Fig . 7 and 8.

Inductors 2 contain a system of toroidal mag netic cores 9 with spacers, thus creating radial cooling channels between toroidal magnetic cores 9 as shown in Fig . 1 0.

The system of inductive switched modules 1 0 is enclosed in the cylindrical vessel 6 with liquid coolant f i lling 1 2 with forced or natu ral circulation . The output electric buses 1 pass through the cylindrical vessel 6 in an insulated and sealed manner. In this case it is oil cooling with e.g . transformer oil. Oi l cooling is provided by the oil pump 1 6. The forced ci rculation of liquid coolant fi lling 1 2 in the cylindrical vessel 6 is countercurrent and has a main axial branch 1 3 with a central input to the coaxial arrangement of two output electri c buses 1 and distributed outputs along the inner shield space of the cylind rical vessel 6 as shown in Fig . 4. The fo rced ci rculation of liquid coolant filling 1 2 in the cylindrical vessel 6 has additional radial branches 1 4 with a distributed input from the coaxial arrangement of two output electric buses 1 and distributed outputs from the space of cooling channels in the systems of toroidal magnetic cores 9 of inductors 2 as shown in Fig . 5.

The cylindrical vessel 6 is enclosed by a cylindrical protective metal shield 7 so that between the cylindrical vessel 6 and the cylindrical protective metal shield 7 an ann ular unidi rectional cooling and / or rinsing channel 8 is placed with input 1 7 in the top part of the cylindrical protective metal shield 7 and with output 1 9 in the bottom part of the cylindrical protective metal shield 7.

In the annular cooling and / or rinsing channel 8, also additional pressu re tubes and / or insu lated electrical conductors and / or waveguides and / or optical fibers may be placed.

Example 2

In this exam ple of a particu lar embodiment of the invention , an alternative construction of apparatus with a system of inductors for extreme conditions is described with a specific algori thm of thei r switching forming a configu ration of the electrical power pulse generator shown in Fig. 6, which is applied to a drilling rig for deep dri lling up to around 1 0 km . In addition , also circu its of power / switching electronics placed in protective cases 3 are cooled in the power pulse generator so that they are connected to secondary supporting cooling ci rcuit 5 with a pump 1 8. Then the protective cases 3 have high-pressu re feedthroughs 4.4 of cooling circuit 5 connection and the cooling circuit 5 tubes are placed in the space of a sector in the winding 1 5 of the inductor 2. Thereby, the coolant is e.g . water. Example 3

In this example of a particular embodiment of the invention , a further alternative construction of apparatus with a system of inductors for extreme conditions is described with a specific algorithm of thei r switching creating a configu ration of the electrical power pulse generator shown in Fig . 3, which is applied to a dri lling device for deep dri lling up to around 1 0 km . In the power electric pulse generator, inductive switched modules 1 0 are specially solved, where each module consists of three inductors 2 and one protective case 3 with circuits of power / switching electronics, whereby to high -pressure feedthroughs 4.1 of the winding connection 1 5 of inductors 2 on the protective case 3 first as well as second terminals of windings 1 5 of three inductors 2 are connected.

Alternatively, each i nductive switched module 1 0 consists of fou r inductors 2 and two protective cases 3 with circuits of power / switch ing electronics.

Example 4

In this example of a particular embodiment of the invention , a further alternative construction of apparatus with a system of inductors for extreme conditions in the configu ration of a DC / DC converter is described , or also another electric power converter, which essentially derives from examples 1 to 3, so th at in this case there is another specific switching algorithm of the individual ind uctive switched modules used in the apparatus.

Industrial applicability

The design of apparatus with a system of inductors for extreme conditions accordi ng to the present invention finds utilization in the technical equipment (drilling rigs) for deep drilling , particularly in the configuration of the electrical power pulse generator, or in the configuration of a DC / DC converter, as well as any other electric power converter. List of reference siq ns

- Electric bus

- Inductor

- Protective case

1 - High-pressu re feedthrough

2 - High-pressu re feedthroughs

3 - High-pressu re feedthroughs

4 - H igh-pressure feedthroughs

- Supporting cooling circu it

- Cylindrical vessel

- Cylindrical protective shield

- Cooling and / or rinsing channel

- Toroidal magnetic core

- Inductive switching module

- Switching control

- Liquid coolant filling

- Main axial coo ling branch

- Radial cooling branches

- Winding connection

- Oil pump

- Input

- Pump

- Output