Electrical feedthrough for subsea submersible well pump in canister

• US 10,447,105 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2016
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Poretti, Arturo L., Martinez, Ignacio, Semple, Ryan P., Clingman, James C., Craig, Chad A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Emily P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gibson, Demetries A
• Application Number:
  US15/381,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20170194830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 310 71
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/0693 Details or arrangements of the wiring
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/10 adapted for use in mining bore holes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5205 Sealing means between cable and housing, e.g. grommet H01R13/5221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5208 having at least two cable receiving openings
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/521 Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/0094 Structural association with other electrical or electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/20 for measuring, monitoring, testing, protecting or switching rectifiers H02K11/04; power electronics H02K11/33
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/25 Devices for sensing temperature, or actuated thereby
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/10 with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/12 specially adapted for operating in liquid or gas combined with cooling arrangements H02K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1285 of the submersible type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/132 Submersible electric motors H02K5/128 takes precedence

Abstract

A subsea pump assembly includes a tubular conduit that has an upstream end plate and an inlet for flowing well fluid into an interior of the conduit. A power cable opening extends through the upstream end plate. An electrical submersible pump and motor are in the interior of the conduit. The motor has a motor assembly housing with an upstream end having an electrical insulator opening. An end connection secures the upstream end to an interior side of the upstream end plate with the insulator opening registering with the power cable opening. An insulated electrical connector is mounted in the insulator opening. A motor wire in the motor assembly housing joins to an inner end of the electrical connector. A power conductor extends from exterior of the conduit through the power cable opening and joins to an outer end of the electrical connector.

Claims

1. A subsea pump assembly, comprising:

a canister adapted to be installed subsea, the canister having a longitudinal axis, a cylindrical wall concentric with the longitudinal axis of the canister, an upstream end plate extending transversely across the cylindrical wall, an inlet for flowing well fluid into an interior of the canister, and a discharge port;

a power cable opening extending through the upstream end plate;

an electrical submersible pump (ESP) in the interior of the canister, the ESP comprising a motor assembly and a pump, the motor assembly having a motor shaft, the pump having an intake in fluid communication with the well fluid in the interior of the canister, the pump having a discharge for pumping the well fluid out the discharge port;

the motor assembly having a motor assembly housing with an upstream end having an electrical insulator opening that is upstream from an upstream end of the motor shaft;

an end connection that secures the upstream end of the motor assembly housing to an interior side of the upstream end plate with the electrical insulator opening registering with the power cable opening, the end connection being located on a longitudinal axis of the ESP;

an insulated electrical connector mounted in the electrical insulator opening;

a motor wire in the motor assembly housing joined to an inner end of the insulated electrical connector;

a power cable exterior of the canister and having a power cable connector connected to an outer side of the upstream end plate in registry with the power cable opening;

a power conductor extending from the power cable connector through the power cable opening and joined to an outer end of the insulated electrical connector;

a dielectric liquid in the motor assembly housing; and

a dielectric liquid communication path in the motor assembly housing communicating the dielectric liquid in the motor assembly housing with the inner end of the insulated electrical connector.

2. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

the electrical insulator opening is located on a longitudinal axis of the motor housing assembly.

3. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

an external flange on the end connection of the motor assembly housing that bolts to the upstream end plate.

4. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the end connection of the motor assembly housing is located on a longitudinal axis of the centrifugal pump.

5. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inlet of the canister extends through the upstream end plate offset and parallel to the power cable opening and the longitudinal axis of the canister.

6. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the motor assembly housing comprises a motor housing;

and wherein the motor assembly further comprises;

a sensor adapter housing secured to the motor housing; and

wherein

the upstream end of the motor assembly housing is located on the sensor adapter housing.

7. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 6, further comprising:

a slot in a sidewall of the sensor adapter housing, the slot being open to the interior of the canister; and

a sensor module secured in the slot, the sensor module having a sensor module axis that is offset from and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the motor housing.

8. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 6, further comprising:

a motor wire passage extending through the sensor adapter housing offset from and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the motor housing; and

the motor wire extends from the motor housing through the motor wire passage to the upstream end of the motor assembly housing.

9. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 8, wherein:

the dielectric liquid in the motor housing assembly is in fluid communication with the motor wire passage.

10. A subsea pump assembly, comprising:

a canister adapted to be installed subsea, the canister having an upstream end plate and a downstream end plate, the upstream end plate and the downstream end plate being normal to a longitudinal axis of the canister, and the canister having an inlet for flowing well fluid into an interior of the canister;

a power cable opening extending through the upstream end plate;

an electrical submersible pump (ESP) in the interior of the canister, the ESP comprising a motor assembly and a pump, the motor assembly having a motor shaft that drives the pump, the pump having an intake in fluid communication with the well fluid in the interior of the canister, the pump having a discharge tube extending through the downstream end plate for pumping the well fluid from the canister;

the motor assembly having a motor assembly housing with an upstream end having an electrical insulator opening that is upstream from the motor shaft;

an end connection that secures the upstream end of the motor assembly housing to an interior side of the upstream end plate with the electrical insulator opening registering with the power cable opening, the end connection being located on a longitudinal axis of the ESP;

an insulated electrical connector mounted in the electrical insulator opening;

a motor wire in the motor assembly housing joined to an inner end of the insulated electrical connector;

a power cable exterior of the canister and having a power cable connector connected to an outer side of the upstream end plate in registry with the power cable opening;

a power conductor extending from the power cable connector through the power cable opening and joined to an outer end of the insulated electrical connector;

a dielectric liquid in the motor assembly housing; and

a dielectric liquid communication path in the motor assembly housing communicating the dielectric liquid in the motor assembly housing with the inner end of the insulated electrical connector.

11. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 10, wherein the power cable opening is located on a longitudinal axis of the ESP.

12. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 10, wherein:

the end connection is bolted to the inner side of the upstream end plate; and

the end connection has an upstream end that inserts into and seals with the power cable opening.

13. The submersible pump according to claim 10, wherein:

the insulated electrical connector comprises three electrical contacts mounted within an electrical insulator secured within the electrical insulator opening of the end connection.

14. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 10, wherein the end connection comprises:

an external flange on the upstream end of the motor assembly housing that fastens to the upstream end plate; and

a seal ring on the end connection that encircles the electrical insulator opening and seals the upstream end of the motor assembly housing to the upstream end plate.

15. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 10, wherein the motor assembly housing comprises a motor housing;

and wherein the motor assembly further comprises;

a sensor unit having at least one sensor, the sensor unit being secured to the motor housing; and

wherein

the upstream end of the motor assembly housing is located on the sensor unit.

16. A subsea pump assembly, comprising:

a tubular conduit adapted to be installed subsea, the tubular conduit having a longitudinal axis and an inlet for flowing well fluid into an interior of the tubular conduit;

an upstream end plate secured to an upstream end of the tubular conduit normal to the longitudinal axis of the tubular conduit;

a power cable opening extending through the upstream end plate;

an electrical submersible pump (ESP) in the interior of the tubular conduit, the ESP comprising a motor and a pump, the pump having an intake in fluid communication with the well fluid in the interior of the tubular conduit, the pump having a discharge for pumping the well fluid from the tubular conduit;

a sensor unit connected to the motor and having at least one sensor, the sensor unit having an upstream end with an electrical insulator opening;

an end connection on the sensor unit that secures the upstream end of the sensor unit to an interior side of the upstream end plate with the insulator opening registering with the power cable opening;

an insulated electrical connector mounted in the insulator opening;

a motor wire in the motor assembly housing extending through the sensor unit and joined to an inner end of the electrical connector;

a power conductor extending from exterior of the tubular conduit through the power cable opening and joined to an outer end of the electrical connector;

wherein the sensor unit comprises;

a sensor adapter housing having a sidewall containing an elongated slot that is open to the interior of the tubular conduit; and

a sensor module secured in the slot, the sensor module having a sensor module axis that is offset from and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sensor adapter housing, the sensor being mounted in the sensor module.

17. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 16, further comprising:

a motor wire passage extending through the sensor unit to the insulator opening, the motor wire extending through the motor wire passage;

a dielectric liquid in the motor; and

wherein the dielectric liquid in the motor is in fluid communication with the motor wire passage.

18. The submersible pump assembly according to claim 16, wherein the motor wire passage extends alongside the slot parallel to and offset from the sensor module axis.