Additives for Improving Motor Oil Properties

• US 20100187925A1
• Filed: 01/26/2010
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Tingler, Kevin S., O'Bryan, Suresha R., Salma, Tauseef, Sheth, Ketankumar K., Yang, Jianzhong
• Granted Patent: US 8,076,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/87
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 171/06 Particles of special shape or size
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/041 Carbon; Graphite; Carbon black
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/0413 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/061 Carbides; Hydrides; Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/0613 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/062 Oxides; Hydroxides; Carbonates or bicarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/0623 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/065 Sulfides; Selenides; Tellurides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/0653 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/066 Molybdenum sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/0663 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/105 Silica
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/1053 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2219/044 Sulfonic acids, Derivatives thereof, e.g. neutral salts
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/06 Particles of special shape or size
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/14 Electric or magnetic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/132 Submersible electric motors H02K5/128 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/16 Means for supporting bearings, e.g. insulating supports or means for fitting bearings in the bearing-shields magnetic bearings H02K7/09
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/19 for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil

Abstract

An electric submersible motor is provided that includes a plurality of rotors and bearings mounted on a shaft, and a stator external to said rotors. A running clearance is located between an inner diameter of the stator and external diameter of the rotors, and includes a lubricating oil that includes a base hydrocarbon oil and a plurality of nanoparticles. Also provided is an improved lubricant oil and method of preparation thereof are provided. The lubricant oil includes a hydrocarbon containing base oil and a plurality of nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may be present in an amount up to 30% by volume.

Claims

1. A submersible electric motor for down hole use well, the motor comprising:

a shaft;

a plurality of rotors and bearings mounted on said shaft, each rotor comprising a hollow cylinder comprising a stack of laminations, a copper bar and end rings, and wherein each rotor is supported by at least one bearing;

a stator positioned external to said rotors;

a running clearance located between an internal diameter of the stator and an outside diameter of the rotor; and

wherein the motor is filled with an oil;

wherein the oil comprises a base oil comprising a hydrocarbon and a plurality of nanoparticles suspended in said base oil.

2. The submersible electric motor of claim 1, wherein the oil comprises up to about 30% by volume nanoparticles.

3. The submersible electric motor of claim 1, wherein the oil comprises between about 0.001 and 5% by volume nanoparticles.

4. The submersible electric motor of claim 1, wherein the oil is a synthetic oil.

5. The submersible electric motor of claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes;

carbon nano-onions;

graphite nanoparticles, nanotubes or nanofluids;

diamond nanoparticles or derivatives thereof;

nanofluids;

silicon dioxide nanoparticles or organic functionalized derivatives thereof;

aluminum oxide nanoparticles or organic functionalized derivatives thereof;

metal oxide nanoparticles;

metal sulfonates nanoparticles;

molybdenum disulfide nanoparticles or nanotubes;

tungsten disulfide nanoparticles or nanotubes;

alumoxane nanoparticles or functionalized derivatives thereof;

beryllium oxide nanoparticles and nanotubes;

carbide nanoparticles;

nitride nanoparticles; and

combinations thereof.

6. A submersible electric motor for down hole use well, the motor comprising:

a shaft;

at least one rotor and at least one bearing mounted on said shaft;

a stator positioned external to the at least one rotor;

a running clearance located between an internal diameter of the stator and an outside diameter of the rotor; and

a lubricating oil disposed within the running clearance and other cavities of the motor;

wherein the oil comprises a hydrocarbon containing base oil; and

a plurality of nanoparticles suspended in base oil;

wherein said plurality of nanoparticles have an average particle diameter of less than about 200 nm and are present in an amount of up to about 10% by volume.

7. The submersible electric motor of claim 6, wherein the plurality of nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes;

carbon nano-onions;

graphite nanoparticles, nanotubes or nanofluids;

diamond nanoparticles or derivatives thereof;

nanofluids;

silicon dioxide nanoparticles or organic functionalized derivatives thereof;

aluminum oxide nanoparticles or organic functionalized derivatives thereof;

metal oxide nanoparticles;

metal sulfonates nanoparticles;

molybdenum disulfide nanoparticles or nanotubes;

tungsten disulfide nanoparticles or nanotubes;

alumoxane nanoparticles or functionalized derivatives thereof;

beryllium oxide nanoparticles and nanotubes;

carbide nanoparticles;

nitride nanoparticles; and

combinations thereof.

8. The submersible electric motor of claim 6, wherein the nanoparticles are present in a concentration of up to about 25% by volume.

9. The submersible electric motor of claim 6, wherein the nanoparticles are present in a concentration of between about 0.001 and 15% by volume.

10. The submersible electric motor of claim 6, wherein the nanoparticle is hydrophobic.

11. The submersible electric motor of claim 6, wherein the nanoparticle additive is partially soluble in the base oil.

12. The submersible electric motor of claim 6, wherein the base oil is a synthetic oil.

13. A method of lubricating an electric submersible pump assembly disposable within a wellbore, the assembly comprising a motor, the motor comprising a plurality of rotors and bearings mounted on a shaft, a stator external to said plurality of rotors, and a running clearance between an internal diameter of the stator and an external diameter of the rotor, the motor being coupled to a pump via a seal section, the motor shaft being coupled to a shaft in the seal section, which in turn is coupled to a shaft in the pump, the method comprising;

dispensing a plurality of nanoparticles into a lubricating oil, then dispensing the lubricating oil into motor and the seal section.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the base lubricating oil is a synthetic oil.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of nanoparticles is selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes;

carbon nano-onions;

graphite nanoparticles, nanotubes or nanofluids;

diamond nanoparticles or derivatives thereof;

nanofluids;

silicon dioxide nanoparticles or organic functionalized derivatives thereof;

aluminum oxide nanoparticles or organic functionalized derivatives thereof;

metal oxide nanoparticles;

metal sulfonates nanoparticles;

molybdenum disulfide nanoparticles or nanotubes;

tungsten disulfide nanoparticles or nanotubes;

alumoxane nanoparticles or, functionalized derivatives thereof;

beryllium oxide nanoparticles and nanotubes;

carbide nanoparticles;

nitride nanoparticles; and

combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the nanoparticles are present in a concentration of up to about 20% by volume.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the nanoparticles are present in a concentration of up to about 30% by volume.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the nanoparticles are present in a concentration of between about 0.001 and 15% by volume.