Self-cooling electric submersible pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric submersible pumps in hydrocarbon extraction face limitations due to high temperatures, which reduce motor life and power density, and accelerate demagnetization of magnetic laminations, restricting their depth of deployment.
Innovation Solution
A self-cooling electric submersible pump system utilizing a multi-component coolant fluid with a high boiling point first fluid and a low boiling point second fluid, where the second fluid is compressed and expanded within a closed loop to transfer heat to the production fluid, cooling the motor section and enhancing power density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If electric submersible pumps are deployed at greater depths to tap deep subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs, then the productivity increases, but the high temperature at depth reduces motor life and power density
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful heat from the motor by introducing a cooling system that circulates coolant through channels in the motor housing and stator, separating the heat management function from the motor's primary pumping function
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant acts as an intermediary substance that absorbs heat from the motor and transfers it to the production fluid, enabling thermal management without direct contact between the motor and cooling medium
2Temperature
If conventional cooling systems are added to ESP motors, then motor temperature is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is merged with the motor structure by integrating coolant channels directly into the motor housing and stator, combining thermal management with the motor's mechanical structure to reduce overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The production fluid serves multiple functions: it is both the hydrocarbon being pumped and the cooling medium, eliminating the need for a separate cooling system and reducing device complexity
3Power
If motor power density is increased to meet deep well demands, then productivity improves, but heat generation increases reducing motor life
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful heat generated by high-power motor operation into a beneficial cooling opportunity by using the production fluid to absorb and carry away the heat, allowing sustained high-power operation without reducing motor life
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 system achieves a 1.5-2.0 times greater power density than conventional pumps, significantly reducing motor temperature and extending operational life by effectively managing heat and lubricating components.
Implementation Method 1
a compressor section configured to compress the coolant fluid and to produce thereby a hot compressed coolant fluid
Implementation Method 2
a cooling section configured to cool the hot compressed coolant fluid by thermal contact with a production fluid being processed by the pump
Implementation Method 3
an orifice through which to expand the cool compressed coolant fluid into one or more coolant flow channels defined by the motor section
Data Source
AI summary
A self-cooling electric submersible pump having an integrated cooling system is provided. The cooling system is configured to cool and lubricate the electric motor section of the pump by expanding a compressed multi-component coolant fluid through flow channels within the motor. The coolant fluid contains a first fluid having a boiling point of at least 230° C. and a second fluid having a boiling point of less than 150° C. During pump operation the first fluid acts as a largely incompressible liquid and the second fluid behaves as a compressible gas. A compressor compresses the second fluid in the presence of the first fluid to produce a hot compressed coolant fluid from which heat is transferred to a production fluid being processed by the pump. The compressed coolant fluid is expanded through an orifice and into the motor flow channels, returning thereafter to the compressor.