Hermetically sealed motor lead tube

• US 7,857,604 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2008
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Yingst, Bradley Ellis, Cain, Sean A., Neuroth, David H., Shaw, Chris K., Dalrymple, Larry V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer; Devon C
• Assistant Examiner(s): LETTMAN, BRYAN MATTHEW
• Application Number:
  US12/207,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20090068037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 417/423.7, 417/422, 310/87
• US Class Current: 417/422
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/128 Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives
• 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

Abstract

An electrical submersible pump assembly has a motor cooperatively engaged with a pump for driving the pump and a motor lead extending to the motor for supplying power to the motor. The motor lead has an electrical conductor enclosed within a tube. The tube is sealed from an exterior environment of the motor and contains a dielectric fluid. The motor may be filled with a dielectric lubricant and the interior of the tube of the motor lead may be in fluid communication with the dielectric lubricant. Alternatively, the motor may filled with a dielectric lubricant and the dielectric fluid within the interior of the tube of the motor lead may be sealed from the dielectric lubricant.

Claims

1. An electrical submersible pump assembly, comprising:

a motor cooperatively engaged with a pump for driving the pump;

a power cable;

a motor lead exterior of the motor, the motor lead having a second end electrically connected to the motor and a first end electrically connected to the power cable for supplying power to the motor, the motor lead comprising solid electrical conductor covered by a layer of insulation and enclosed within a tube, the tube being sealed from an exterior environment of the motor, the tube and the layer of insulation having a space between them containing a dielectric fluid in contact with the layer of insulation, the space being open at the first end of the tube and closed at the second end of the tube;

wherein the motor is filled with a dielectric lubricant and the dielectric fluid in the interior of the tube of the motor lead from the first end to the second end of the tube is in fluid communication with the dielectric lubricant;

a tubular housing enclosing the motor and the pump, the housing having an intake for receiving well fluid, the pump having a pump intake within the housing for receiving the well fluid flowing into the housing and a discharge conduit extending sealingly out of the housing; and

the power cable extending to an exterior end of a penetrator mounted in a portion of a wall of the housing,

wherein the tube extends within the housing from the motor to an interior end of the penetrator, the tube adapted to be immersed in well fluid flowing into the housing to the pump intake and being located exterior of the discharge conduit, and

wherein the penetrator seals the space between the layer of insulation and the tube, preventing any of the dielectric fluid from flowing past the penetrator into the power cable.

2. The pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric fluid within the tube comprises the dielectric lubricant.

3. The pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric fluid within the tube comprises a grease.

4. The pump assembly according to claim 1,

wherein the closed second end of the tube prevents the dielectric fluid from flowing out the second end of the tube.

5. An electrical submersible pump assembly, comprising:

a motor cooperatively engaged with a pump for driving the pump;

a subsea tubular flowline jumper housing enclosing the motor and the pump, the housing having an intake adapted to be coupled to a subsea production outlet for receiving well fluid, the pump having an intake within the housing for receiving the well fluid and a discharge conduit extending sealingly out of the housing, the discharge conduit adapted to be coupled to a subsea flowline;

a power cable for connection to a power source exterior of the housing and extending to an exterior end of a penetrator sealingly mounted in a portion of a wall of the housing;

a motor lead extending within the housing from the motor to an interior end of the penetrator for supplying power to the motor, the motor lead comprising an electrical conductor comprising a solid copper wire covered with an insulation layer and enclosed within a metal tube that is exterior of the discharge conduit, the insulation layer having an exterior smaller than an interior of the tube, defining a space between the insulation layer and the tube, the space having an open end at the motor and a closed end at the penetrator, the tube being immersed in the well fluid flowing into the housing to the intake of the pump, and the space containing a dielectric fluid; and

wherein

the motor is filled with a dielectric lubricant and the dielectric fluid within the interior of the tube of the motor lead in a portion of the tube exterior of the motor is in fluid communication with the dielectric lubricant.

6. The pump assembly according to claim 5, wherein the dielectric fluid within the tube comprises the dielectric lubricant.

7. A pump assembly, comprising:

an electrical motor filled with a dielectric lubricant and cooperatively engaged with a pump for driving the pump;

a tubular housing enclosing the motor and the pump, the housing having an intake for receiving well fluid, the pump having a pump intake within the housing for receiving the well fluid and a discharge conduit extending sealingly out of the housing;

a power cable for connection to a power source exterior of the housing and extending to an exterior end of a penetrator sealingly mounted in a portion of a wall of the housing;

a metal tube extending within the housing from the motor to the penetrator, the tube being located exterior of the discharge conduit and adapted to be immersed in well fluid flowing into the housing to the pump intake; and

a solid electrical conductor having a layer of insulation located within the tube and extending from the motor to the penetrator to supply power to the motor, the insulation having an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the tube, defining an annular space with an open end at the motor and a closed end at the penetrator, the annular space being filled with dielectric lubricant and in fluid communication with the dielectric lubricant contained in the motor.