Integrated downhole blower system

Abstract

This disclosure describes various implementations of a downhole-blower system that can be used to boost production in a wellbore. The downhole-blower system includes a blower and an electric machine coupled to the blower that can be deployed in a wellbore, and that can, in cooperation, increase production through the wellbore.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A downhole-type blower system comprising:
 a fluid stator;   an electric stator coupled to the fluid stator; and   a rotor shaft within the fluid stator and electric stator, the rotor shaft carrying fluid rotor components configured to cooperate with the fluid stator to move a fluid through the blower system and permanent magnet rotor components configured to cooperate with the electric stator in driving the rotor shaft to rotate.   
     
     
         2 . The downhole type blower of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor shaft is unsupported between a fluid stator bearing assembly and an electric stator bearing assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The downhole type blower of  claim 2 , wherein the electric stator bearing assembly comprises a thrust bearing assembly or a radial bearing assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The downhole type blower of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid stator bearing assembly comprises a thrust bearing assembly or a radial bearing assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The downhole type blower of  claim 2 , wherein the radial bearing assembly is a passive radial magnetic bearing 
     
     
         6 . The downhole-type blower of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid stator and the electric stator are between the fluid stator bearing assembly and the electric stator bearing assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The downhole-type blower of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor shaft residing within the electric stator and the fluid stator is a solid and continuous body. 
     
     
         8 . The downhole-type blower of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor shaft is void of an intermediate coupler to couple the fluid stator and the electric stator. 
     
     
         9 . The downhole-type blower of  claim 1 , wherein the downhole-type blower system is configured to be disposed in a wellbore with the electric stator downhole of the fluid stator. 
     
     
         10 . The down-hole type blower of  claim 9 , wherein the electric stator is arranged to form an annulus with an inner wall of the wellbore, the annulus configured to flow a gas therethrough to cool the electric stator during operation of the downhole-type blower. 
     
     
         11 . The downhole-type blower of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor shaft is configured to not operate at or above a critical speed of the downhole-type blower, the critical speed being a natural frequency of the rotor shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The downhole-type blower of  claim 1 , further comprising a connector configured to connect to and deploy the downhole-type blower within the wellbore. 
     
     
         13 . The downhole-type blower of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid stator is located between the connector and the fluid stator. 
     
     
         14 . The downhole-type blower of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid stator further comprises:
 multiple longitudinal segments that form an outer casing when stacked; and   a bolt configured to compress the multiple longitudinal segments.   
     
     
         15 . A method of operating a down-hole type blower system, the method comprising:
 carrying, by a single shaft, fluid rotor components configured to cooperate with a fluid stator and permanent magnet electric rotor components configured to cooperate with an electric stator; and   rotating, by the single shaft, the permanent magnet rotor to drive the fluid rotor to move the fluid through the down-hole type blower system or the fluid rotor to drive the permanent magnet rotor to produce electricity.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein rotating the single shaft comprises flowing a gas stream across the fluid rotor to induce rotation. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein rotating the single shaft comprises flowing electricity to a set of coils within the electric stator to induce rotation in the permanent magnet rotor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the down-hole type blower system is disposed within a wellbore, wherein the electricity is flowed from a topside facility at a surface of the wellbore. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising controlling a rate of rotation of the single shaft by controlling a frequency of an alternating current supplied to the down-hole wellbore system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein producing electricity comprises rotating the single shaft by flowing gas through the downhole-type blower system to induce an electric current within a set of coils located within the electric stator. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising creating a pressure ratio of less than 2:1 across the downhole-type blower system. 
     
     
         22 . A downhole-type compressor system configured to be disposed within a wellbore, the system comprising:
 a fluid stator;   an electric stator coupled to the fluid stator;   a connector configured to connect to and deploy the downhole-type compressor system within the wellbore; and   a rotor shaft within the fluid stator and electric stator and carrying permanent magnet electric rotor components configured to cooperate with the electric stator to drive electricity through a set of stator coils within the electric stator and fluid rotor components configured to cooperate with the fluid stator in driving the rotor shaft to rotate.