초록

Devices and related methods for reducing a thermal loading of one or more components may include a housing having an interior for receiving the component(s), and a thermally conductive flowable material in thermal communication to the component(s).

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising: a housing of a downhole tool having an interior for receiving at least one self-heating component; anda non-circulating thermally conductive flowable material at least partially filling the interior of the housing, the flowable material being in dir

1. An apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising: a housing of a downhole tool having an interior for receiving at least one self-heating component; anda non-circulating thermally conductive flowable material at least partially filling the interior of the housing, the flowable material being in direct thermal communication with the at least one self-heating component, wherein the flowable material surrounds the at least one self-heating component and conducts thermal energy from the at least one self-heating component to a heat sink, wherein the thermally conductive flowable material includes at least helium. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flowable material is includes an electrically non-conductive fluid. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flowable material includes a mixture of at least two gases. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flowable material further includes one of (i) a liquid, and (ii) a mixture of at least two liquids. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the thermally conductive flowable material has a thermal conductivity value that is greater than a thermal conductivity value of air. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a chemical reactivity of the flowable material is less than a chemical reactivity of air. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is sealed. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flowable material does not cool the at least one component below an ambient temperature at the downhole tool. 9. An apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising: a housing of a downhole tool having an interior for receiving at least one self-heating component; anda non-circulating thermally conductive flowable material in direct thermal communication with the at least one self-heating component, wherein the flowable material is granular and is flowable in the housing and conducts thermal energy from the at least one self-heating component to a heat sink, wherein the flowable material includes at least one of: (i) diamond, (ii) sapphire, (iii) aluminum nitride, (iv) aluminum oxide, and (v) boron nitride. 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the granular flowable material includes granules having at least two predetermined sizes. 11. The apparatus of claim 9 further compromising a suspension medium in which the granular flowable material is suspended. 12. A method for using a downhole tool, comprising: reducing a temperature surrounding at least one self-heating component in the downhole tool to between an ambient temperature at the downhole tool and a maximum operating temperature of the downhole tool by placing a thermally conductive flowable material in direct thermal communication with the at least one self-heating component, wherein the flowable material surrounds the at least one self-heating component and is not circulated, wherein the flowable material has a thermal conductivity that is greater than the thermal conductivity of air. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising primarily conducting heat away from the at least one self-heating component. 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising reducing the temperature surrounding the self-heating component to no lower than the ambient temperature at the downhole tool.