Modular Electrical Feedthrough for Subsea ESP Pressure Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical penetrator systems for subsea applications face challenges in maintaining pressure integrity and electrical continuity under high pressure and temperature conditions, with issues of material expansion mismatch leading to potential failure and the need for complex and costly on-site assembly and testing.
Innovation Solution
A modular electrical feedthrough system with two independent pressure barriers, utilizing ceramic penetrators with metalized surfaces and metallic conductors sealed by metal-to-metal elements, along with a dry-mate connector for quick disconnection, allowing for factory installation and testing of pressure-containing elements, reducing on-site work and enhancing reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional one-piece conductor penetrators with brazed seals are used, then electrical continuity is maintained, but the system becomes vulnerable to failure due to differential thermal expansion between dissimilar materials under high temperature and pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The penetrator assembly is divided into separate modular components: a ceramic insulator body, a conductor pin, and a sealing element. These segments are joined through controlled processes (brazing or mechanical retention) to create a composite structure that manages thermal expansion differently than a monolithic design, allowing each material to expand more independently while maintaining overall structural integrity under high temperature and pressure conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a composite structure combining dissimilar materials (ceramic insulator, metal conductor, and sealing material) with different thermal expansion coefficients. This composite design allows each material to contribute its optimal properties: the ceramic provides electrical insulation and high-temperature stability, the metal conductor provides electrical continuity, and the sealing material provides pressure containment, while the modular assembly manages differential expansion stresses.
2Reliability
If complex on-site assembly and testing of penetrator systems is performed, then pressure integrity can be verified, but installation time and operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is pre-installed and pre-positioned within the ceramic insulator body during manufacturing, creating a pre-assembled penetrator unit. This preliminary action ensures that the pressure-containing interface is established under controlled factory conditions rather than during field installation, allowing for verification of pressure integrity before the components are deployed to the well site, thereby reducing on-site assembly time and operational costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The penetrator system is segmented into field-installable modules (ceramic insulator with pre-installed seal, conductor pin, and housing components) that can be assembled in a standardized manner on-site. This modular segmentation, combined with pre-assembly of critical sealing interfaces, enables rapid field installation while maintaining pressure integrity verification.
3Adaptability or versatility
If dissimilar materials with different expansion coefficients are used in the penetrator assembly, then each material can provide its optimal properties, but differential expansion induces stress that may lead to penetration failure
Solution Approach 1:
The penetrator is segmented into distinct functional components (ceramic insulator, conductor pin, sealing element) that are joined through controlled interfaces. This segmentation allows each material to maintain its optimal properties while the modular connection methods (brazing or mechanical retention with retention features) are designed to accommodate differential thermal expansion, preventing stress concentration that would lead to failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element and retention features act as intermediary components between the dissimilar materials (ceramic and metal). These intermediaries are designed to accommodate differential thermal expansion through controlled compliance or expansion joints, allowing the dissimilar materials to expand at different rates without inducing excessive stress that would compromise the overall strength and integrity of the penetrator assembly.
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
The modular system ensures reliable pressure containment and electrical continuity under extreme conditions, allowing for efficient and cost-effective installation and maintenance, with reduced risk of material expansion-induced failures and simplified integration.
Implementation Method 1
a ceramic penetrator, comprised of a ceramic insulator with metalized surfaces
Implementation Method 2
the different coefficients of expansion of the different materials used in the penetrator assembly... When temperature varies from the temperature at which parts were assembled, the parts expand by different amounts due to differences in coefficient of thermal expansion
Implementation Method 3
metallic conductors sealed by metal-to-metal elements... sealed against the penetrator housing by means of O-rings, or other types of seals
Implementation Method 4
power is provided by means of a cable termination and connector, which may be an electrical penetrator... The penetrator must transfer power to the motor
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a modular electrical feedthrough system for use in offshore and top-side electrical submersible pump ("ESP") installations. A modular electrical connection system includes a stab receptacle assembly for mating with a stab plug assembly and a compliance mount. The stab plug assembly includes stab plugs and guide funnels adapted to guide the stab receptacles into a mating position with the stab plugs. The compliance mount compensates for physical misalignment between stab receptacles and stab plugs. A tubing hanger assembly forms a pressure barrier at a production bore by use of a tubing hanger penetrator assembly including a set of seals to isolate the electrical penetrator from the production bore. A secondary penetrator assembly provides a redundant pressure barrier for increased safety and system reliability.