ESP Power Connector Slips for Epoxy-Free Armor Gripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing power connectors for electrical submersible well pumps face manufacturing disadvantages due to the use of epoxy, which takes hours to cure, making it difficult to disassemble and refurbish connectors, especially when failures occur during operation.
Innovation Solution
A power connector design featuring a slips member with inward protruding teeth that grips the armor strip of the motor lead, allowing for secure engagement without the need for epoxy, facilitating easier disassembly and refurbishment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If epoxy filler is used to secure motor lead in power connector, then connector provides strong bonding and electrical insulation, but manufacturing time increases significantly and disassembly becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the epoxy filler component entirely from the connector assembly, replacing it with a mechanical gripping system using slips with teeth that engage directly with the armor strip. This extraction eliminates the curing time requirement while maintaining secure bonding through mechanical interlocking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical bonding mechanism (epoxy) with a mechanical gripping mechanism (slips with inward protruding teeth). The slips engage the armor strip through direct mechanical contact, providing secure bonding without requiring chemical curing time.
2Reliability
If epoxy filler is used in power connector, then electrical insulation is achieved, but disassembly for failure analysis and refurbishment becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the epoxy filler, the patent enables easy disassembly of the connector. The mechanical slips can be simply removed from the housing, allowing the motor lead to be extracted without the need to break or chemically degrade cured epoxy, thus facilitating failure analysis and refurbishment.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is divided into separable components: the housing, the slips, and the motor lead. This segmentation allows each component to be independently examined, replaced, or refurbished without affecting the others, making failure analysis and maintenance much more accessible.
3Device complexity
If epoxy filler is used to secure motor lead, then connector structure is simplified, but manufacturing process complexity increases due to curing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical curing process with a simple mechanical assembly process. The slips are inserted into the housing and engage the armor strip through direct mechanical contact, eliminating the need for controlled curing environments, temperature management, and extended waiting periods associated with epoxy manufacturing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables faster and more efficient manufacturing, failure analysis, and refurbishment of power connectors by providing a secure grip without the use of epoxy, improving operational reliability and reducing downtime.
Implementation Method 1
The fingers are deflected into gripping engagement with the armor
Data Source
AI summary
A motor lead for an electrical submersible well pump motor has three insulated conductors wrapped with a metal armor. A power connector has a housing with an upper opening into which the motor lead and a lower portion of the armor extend. The housing has an interior with a converging upper portion converging toward the upper opening. A slips member is located in the interior of the housing and has an upper opening into which the lower portion of the armor extends. The slips member has fingers that are wedged into the converging upper portion of the housing, which causes the fingers to deflect into the armor.