CFD modelling of thermo-electric devices for thermal management in downhole tools

Weerasinghe, Rohitha; Hughes, Tom

Abstract

Investigation of oil and gas fields using vertical seismic profiling subjects the electronics used to extreme temperatures and pressures. As wells become deeper, the need for effective thermal management in instrumentation and the demands placed on the tools increases. Various techniques including vacuum insulation, heat pipes, phase change media and thermo-electric cooling (TEC) devices are used to maximise the time equipment can be exposed to these hostile conditions. The performance of such devices is temperature dependent and the level of cooling attained is a function of thermal efficiency. This work examines the effect of different TEC devices on the thermal performance of a commercially available Vertical Seismic Profiling tool. Experimental validation of the model is based on measurements and is presented here. The predictions agree closely with the measurements and the model can be used as a computational tool reducing cost and time in measurements

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: Therminic 2015
• Start Date: Sep 30, 2015
• End Date: Oct 2, 2015
• Acceptance Date: Aug 14, 2015
• Deposit Date: May 4, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: May 4, 2016
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: thermo-electric devices, CFD modelling
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/829906
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/THERMINIC.2015.7389611
• Additional Information: Additional Information : © 2015 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.; Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : Therminic 2015
• Contract Date: May 4, 2016