Methods and apparatus for driving a means in a drill string while drilling

Abstract

.[.A method and at least one mechanism for carrying out the method is disclosed. A method of (1) generating time modulated torque pulses by engaging and disengaging a mud turbine driven rotating torque generator in the bottom of a wellbore, and (2) monitoring the top of the drill string for the torque pulses therein may be practiced by a mud driven turbine inertial wheel for being momentarily and precisely braked or decelerated relative to a drill collar on the lower end of a drill string in a wellbore while drilling for generating the time modulated torque pulses in the drill string for being monitored at the surface. Mechanical, electrical, and fluid operated brakes and a mud turbine driven motor are disclosed for providing power to a motor at the bottom of the drill string or for being intermittently braked rapidly for generating the torque pulses..]. .Iadd. Methods and apparatuses for driving a means, as a power generator in a drill string while drilling, in a well are disclosed. One method comprises (1) circulating drilling mud internally of the drill string, (2) rotating a turbine in the drill string with the circulating drilling mud, (3) driving the power generator in the drill string with the mud driven turbine, and (4) powering a modulated torque pulse generator control system with the power generator for generating modulated torque pulses in the drill string. A transmission system for driving a modulated pulse generator means while drilling comprises (1) mud driven turbine means including a cylindrically shaped turbine having inwardly extending vanes for receiving and having drilling mud circulating therethrough, and (2) the mud driven cylindrical turbine means being responsive to the circulating drilling mud for powering the modulated pulse generator means while drilling. .Iaddend.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for driving .Iadd.an electrical .Iaddend.generator in the lower end of a drill string while drilling for powering a control system in the drill string .Iadd.for controlling a torque pulse generator for generating modulated torque pulses in the drill string .Iaddend.comprising the steps of, (a) circulating drilling mud internally of the drill string upper end to the drill string lower end,   .Iadd.(b) flowing the drilling mud internally of a vaned turbine wheel in the drill string, .Iaddend.   .[.b.]. .Iadd.(c) .Iaddend.rotating .[.a.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.vaned turbine wheel in the drill string by action of the downwardly circulating drilling mud .[.and.]. .Iadd.internally of the vaned turbine wheel, .Iaddend.   .Iadd.(d) controlling the modulated torque pulse generator with a control system, .Iaddend.   .[.(c).]. .Iadd.(e) .Iaddend.driving .[.a.]. .Iadd.the electrical .Iaddend.generator in the drill string with the .Iadd.internal .Iaddend.mud driven rotating vaned turbine wheel, and   .[.(d).]. .Iadd.(f) .Iaddend.generating electricity with said .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.generator for powering the .Iadd.modulated torque pulse generator .Iaddend.control system .Iadd.while drilling.Iaddend..   
     
     
       2. A transmission cycle for driving a .Iadd.power .Iaddend.generator in the lower end of a drill string for powering a control system in the drill string while drilling .Iadd.for controlling a torque pulse generator for generating modulated torque pulses in the drill string .Iaddend.comprising, (a) pump means for circulating drilling mud from the upper end of the drill string downwardly to the drill string lower end while drilling,   .Iadd.(b) turbine wheel means in the drill string lower end having drilling mud circulating internally thereof, .Iaddend.   .[.(b).]. .Iadd.(c) said .Iaddend.mud driven turbine wheel means .[.in the drill string lower end.]. .Iadd.being .Iaddend.connected to a .Iadd.power .Iaddend.generator in said drill string lower end,   .[.(c).]. .Iadd.(d) .Iaddend.said mud driven turbine wheel means being responsive to said downwardly circulating mud .[.in the drill string.]. .Iadd.therethrough .Iaddend.while drilling for driving said .Iadd.power .Iaddend.generator,   .[.(d).]. .Iadd.(e) .Iaddend.a .Iadd.modulated torque pulse generator .Iaddend.control system mounted in the drill string, and   .[.(e).]. .Iadd.(f) .Iaddend.said .Iadd.power .Iaddend.generator being responsive to said mud driven turbine wheel means .Iadd.with said drilling mud circulating therethrough .Iaddend.for powering said .Iadd.modulated torque pulse generator .Iaddend.control system .Iadd.while drilling.Iaddend.. .Iadd.   
     
     
       3.  A method for driving a power generator in a drill string while drilling for powering a control system in the drill string for controlling a torque pulse generator for generating modulated torque pulses in the drill string comprising the steps of, (a) circulating drilling mud internally of the drill string,   (b) flowing the circulating drilling mud internally of a vaned turbine wheel in the drill string,   (c) rotating the vaned turbine wheel in the drill string with the circulating drilling mud therein,   (d) driving the power generator in the drill string with the internal mud driven vane turbine wheel, and   (e) powering a torque pulse generator control system while drilling with the power generator for generating modulated torque pulses in the drill string. .Iaddend. .Iadd.4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein the method comprises the additional steps,   (a) rotating the turbine with inwardly extending vanes on the internal surface thereof, and   (b) circulating the drilling mud internally of the vaned turbine for driving the power generator for powering the torque pulse generator   
     
     
        control system. .Iaddend. .Iadd.5.  A transmission system for driving a torque pulse generator means for generating modulated torque pulses in a drill string while drilling comprising, (a) pump means for circulating drilling mud through a mud driven turbine means in a drill string while drilling, wherein,   (b) said mud driven turbine means comprises a cylinder rotatably mounted in the drill string,   (c) inwardly extending vanes on the internal surface of said cylinder,   (d) torque pulse generator means in said drill string,   (e) said pump means being means for circulating drilling mud through said cylinder while drilling for rotating said cylinder for powering said torque pulse generator means for generating modulated torque pulses in the drill string,   (f) said mud driven turbine means being responsive to said circulating drilling mud while drilling for driving said torque pulse generator means for generating the modulated torque pulses in said drill string. .Iaddend. .Iadd.6. A method for driving a torque pulse generator means for generating modulated torque pulses in a drill string while drilling comprising the steps of,   (a) circulating drilling mud through the drill string,   (b) flowing the drilling mud internally of a vaned turbine means in the drill string,   (c) rotating turbine means in the drill string with the circulating drilling mud, and   (d) powering the torque pulse generator means with the rotating vane turbine means for generating modulated torque pulses in the drill string   
     
     
        while drilling. .Iaddend. .Iadd.7.  A method for driving a pulse generator system in a well while drilling comprising the steps of, (a) rotating a cylindrically shaped turbine rotor with inwardly extending vanes on the internal surface of the cylinder,   (b) circulating drilling mud internally of the cylindrical turbine,   (c) contacting the inwardly extending vanes of the cylindrical turbine with the circulating drilling mud as the drilling mud circulates through the cylindrical turbine for rotating the turbine, and   (d) driving the pulse generator system by rotation of the cylindrical turbine while drilling. .Iaddend. .Iadd.8. A transmission system for driving a modulated pulse generator control system means in a drill string while drilling in a well comprising,   (a) mud driven turbine means including a cylindrical shaped turbine having inwardly extending vanes,   (b) said cylindrical shaped turbine means inwardly extending vanes having drilling mud circulating internally thereof, and   (c) said mud driven cylindrical turbine means with the inwardly extending vanes being responsive to said circulating drilling mud for powering said modulated pulse generator control system means while drilling. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.9.  A transmission system for driving a pulse generator means for generating modulated pulses in a drill string while drilling in a well comprising, (a) pump means for circulating drilling mud through a drill string while drilling,   (b) mud driven turbine means for a power generator means in the drill string,   (c) said mud driven turbine rotor means comprising a cylindrically shaped turbine having inwardly extending vanes for receiving and having drilling mud circulating internally of said cylindrical turbine,   (d) said mud driven cylindrical turbine means with said inwardly extending vanes being responsive to said circulating drilling mud therethrough while drilling for driving said power generator means,   (e) pulse generator means in the drill string, and   (f) said power generator means being responsive to said mud driven cylindrical turbine means for powering said pulse generator means while drilling. .Iaddend.