Installation for pumping hydrocarbons, module and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10208748-B2
Application number	US-201515115515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2015
Priority date	Jan 29, 2014
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

The present invention concerns an installation for pumping hydrocarbons, including a pump submerged in a well and a motor for driving the pump, said motor being linked to a variable frequency drive powered during normal operation by an external network, the drive including a rectifier supplying a DC bus, an inverter supplied by the DC bus and linked to the motor, and a controller, said installation wherein it further includes an electricity storage element linked by a reversible DC-DC converter to the DC bus, the installation being arranged to ensure the variable frequency drive is supplied by the storage element in case of an interruption to the supply via the external network.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An installation for pumping hydrocarbons, comprising:
a pump submerged in a well;
a motor for driving the pump, this motor being connected to a variable frequency drive powered in normal operation by an external network, the variable drive comprising:
a controller,
a rectifier supplying a DC bus, and
an inverter powered by the DC bus and connected to the motor and the controller; and

an electricity storage element connected via a reversible DC-DC converter to the DC bus, the installation being arranged for ensuring the power supply of the variable frequency drive by the storage element in case of disruption of the power supply via the external network.

2. The installation as claimed in claim 1 , the storage element comprising at least one battery or one supercapacitor.

3. The installation as claimed in claim 1 , the variable drive having a bus for data exchange with the outside for transmitting an item of information concerning the state of the network power supply and the exchange of operating parameters of the inverter and/or the motor.

4. An installation for pumping hydrocarbons, comprising:
a pump submerged in a well;
a motor for driving the pump, this motor being connected to a variable frequency drive powered in normal operation by an external network, the variable drive comprising:
a controller,
a rectifier supplying a DC bus, and
an inverter powered by the DC bus and connected to the motor and the controller; and

an electricity storage element connected via a reversible DC-DC converter to the DC bus, the installation being arranged for ensuring the power supply of the variable frequency drive by the storage element in case of disruption of the power supply via the external network,
wherein the variable drive has terminals for accessing the DC bus and a bus for data exchange with the outside, and the installation further comprises a control system for the reversible DC-DC converter, the control system exchanging data with the variable drive via the data exchange bus.

5. The installation as claimed in claim 4 , the variable drive comprising multiple speed setpoints already programmed in a memory therein.

6. The installation as claimed in claim 5 , the variable drive being arranged, in case of disruption of the external network, for selecting a speed setpoint from those already programmed.

7. The installation as claimed in claim 6 , the selection being performed on the basis of at least one item of information transmitted by the control system.

8. The installation as claimed in claim 7 , the information from the control system depending on the charge state of the storage element.

9. The installation as claimed in claim 4 , in which, in case of disruption of the network, the control system sets a voltage value at the DC bus terminals preventing the variable drive from tripping the DC bus undervoltage safety.

10. The installation as claimed in claim 4 , in which, in case of normal supply of the network, the controller calculates a current limit for the DC-DC converter according to the inverter output current on the motor side for avoiding an overload of the rectifier, the latter delivering the current for the motor and the charge current of the storage element, and communicating this limit to the control system.

11. An external safety module for an installation for pumping hydrocarbons comprising a pump submerged in a well, driven by an electric motor connected to a variable drive powered by the external network, this variable drive comprising a rectifier supplying a DC bus, an inverter powered by the DC bus and connected to the motor, and a controller, the variable drive comprising terminals for accessing the DC bus and a bus for data exchange with the outside, for transmitting information relating to the state of the external network and receiving a speed setpoint, the module comprising an electrical energy storage element, a reversible DC-DC converter and a control system for the converter, terminals to connect to the DC bus of the variable drive and a bus for communication with the variable drive for ascertaining the state of the network and transmitting to the variable drive at least one item of useful information for selecting a speed setpoint in case of emergency operation during a disruption of the network and/or for informing the variable drive of the charge state of the storage element.

12. A method for managing the power supply of an electric motor for driving a pump for pumping hydrocarbons, submerged in a well, belonging to an installation for pumping hydrocarbons, comprising:
a pump submerged in a well;
a motor for driving the pump, this motor being connected to a variable frequency drive powered in normal operation by an external network, the variable drive comprising:
a controller,
a rectifier supplying a DC bus, and
an inverter powered by the DC bus and connected to the motor and the controller; and

an electricity storage element connected via a reversible DC-DC converter to the DC bus, the installation being arranged for ensuring the power supply of the variable frequency drive by the storage element in case of disruption of the power supply via the external network, the method comprises:
in case of disruption of the external network,
powering the DC bus of the variable drive by the storage element via the reversible DC-DC converter, so as to control the rotation of the motor, and

in case of normal power supply by the network,
recharging the storage element via the converter.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , in which the control system is informed of the load level of the motor so as not to overload, according to the power of the pump, the rectifier feeding the DC bus in case of normal operation of the network.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 , in which the variable drive is informed of the charge state of the storage element, in case of disruption of the network and when the charge state of the storage element is lower than a given threshold, the motor is brought into operation in the opposite direction so as to collect the mechanical energy.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12 , the DC bus of the variable drive is powered by the storage element via the reversible DC-DC converter in order to avoid reverse rotation or for maintaining the pumping at a reduced speed.

Assignees

• Leroy Somer Moteurs

Inventors

• Tientcheu-Yamdeu Mathias
• Andrejak Jean-Marie
• Bourlier Ludovic
• Ehanno Daniel

Classifications

• H02P27/06

  using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F04C14/28

  Safety arrangements; Monitoring · CPC title

• F04C14/08 Primary

  characterised by varying the rotational speed · CPC title

• F04B47/02

  the driving mechanisms being situated at ground level (F04B47/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F04C2/1071

  the inner and outer member having a different number of threads and one of the two being made of elastic materials, e.g. Moineau type · CPC title