Below motor equalizer of electrical submersible pump and method for filling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10323641-B2
Application number	US-201514683557-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2015
Priority date	May 23, 2014
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

An electrical submersible pump assembly has a pressure equalizer coupled to a lower end of a motor. The equalizer has a motor lubricant passage through which lubricant in the motor communicates with motor lubricant in the equalizing element. A valve element in the motor lubricant passage has a closed upper position and an open lower position. The valve element has a drive member on an upper end that mates with a shaft drive member on a lower end of the motor shaft while the valve element is in the upper position and disengages from the shaft drive member while the valve element is in the lower position. A locking feature between the valve element and the motor lubricant passage retains the valve element in the upper position and is releasable in response to rotation of the motor shaft in a selected direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical submersible pump assembly, comprising:
a pump;
a motor having a rotatable shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and operatively coupled to the pump for driving the pump;
a pressure equalizer coupled to an end of the motor, the equalizer having a movable element for communicating well fluid pressure exterior of the pressure equalizer to motor lubricant in the motor;
an adapter that connects the equalizer to the motor, the adapter having a motor lubricant passage through which motor lubricant in the motor communicates with motor lubricant in the equalizing element;
a valve having an open position and a closed position located in the motor lubricant passage, the open position allowing flow of motor lubricant from the motor to the equalizer and flow of motor lubricant from the equalizer to the motor; wherein:
a first end portion of the shaft is in engagement with the valve while the valve is in the closed position;
a second end portion of the shaft is accessible and manually rotatable prior to operatively coupling the motor to the pump;
the valve is axially movable from the closed position to the open position out of engagement with the shaft in response to manual rotation of the shaft; and wherein the valve further comprises
a spring that urges the valve toward the open position.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a set of internal threads in the motor lubricant passage; and wherein the valve comprises:
a valve element having a cylindrical exterior containing a set of external threads that engage the internal threads while the valve element is in the closed position;
a seal between the exterior of the valve element and the motor lubricant passage adjacent the internal and external threads that seals the valve element in the motor lubricant passage while the valve element is in the closed position;
a drive member on an end of the valve element that engages a drive member on the first end portion of the shaft, the drive members having mating torque drive surfaces; and wherein
rotation of the motor shaft in a selected direction rotates the valve element and unscrews the external threads from the internal threads, causing the valve element to move axially from the closed position to the open position with the drive members disengaged from each other.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a set of internal threads in the motor lubricant passage; and wherein the valve comprises:
a valve element having a cylindrical exterior containing a set of external threads that engage the internal threads while the valve element is in the closed position;
a seal on the exterior of the valve element adjacent the external threads that seals to the motor lubricant passage while the valve element is in the closed position;
the spring being in engagement with the valve element and the adapter to urge the valve element axially from the closed position toward the open position;
a drive member on an end of the valve element that mates with a drive member on the first end portion of the shaft, the drive members having mating torque drive surfaces; and wherein
rotation of the motor shaft in a selected direction unscrews the external threads from the internal threads, causing the valve element to move axially from the closed position to the open position with the drive members axially spaced apart from each other.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises:
a valve element having a cylindrical exterior;
a seal between the exterior of the valve element and the motor lubricant passage that blocks the motor lubricant passage while the valve element is in the closed position;
a locking feature between the exterior of the valve element and the motor lubricant passage that selectively retains the valve element in the closed position;
the spring being in engagement with the valve element and the adapter to urge the valve element axially from the closed position toward the open position;
a socket on an end of the valve element that receives the first end portion of the motor shaft, the socket and the first end portion of the shaft having mating torque drive surfaces; and wherein
rotation of the motor shaft in a selected direction rotates the valve element and releases the locking feature, causing the valve element to move axially from the closed position to the open position and the socket to disengage from the first end portion of the motor shaft.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the lubricant passage has a set of internal threads, a seal area joining the internal threads, and a bypass area of larger diameter joining the seal area;
a spring support is mounted in the lubricant passage at a point joining the bypass area, the spring support having a central bore and at least one flow-through passage laterally spaced from the central bore;
the valve comprises an axially movable valve element having a set of external threads that engage the internal threads and a cylindrical exterior that seals to the seal area while the valve element is in the closed position, the cylindrical exterior having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the bypass area, enabling motor lubricant to flow around the valve element and through the flow-through passage while the valve element is in the open position with the external threads released from the internal threads;
a pin protrudes axially from the valve element through the central bore;
the spring surrounds the pin and is located within the central bore, the spring urging the valve element axially toward the open position;
a splined socket is located on an end of the valve element opposite the pin and receives a splined end on the first end portion of the motor shaft while the valve element is in the closed position;
rotation of the motor shaft in a selected direction rotates the valve element and releases the external threads from the internal threads; and
the spring causes the valve element to move axially to the open position.

6. An electrical submersible pump assembly, comprising:
a pump;
a motor having a rotatable shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and operatively coupled to the pump for driving the pump, the shaft having a shaft drive member on a lower end;
a pressure equalizer coupled to a lower end of the motor and having a flexible equalizing element that communicates well fluid pressure exterior of the pressure equalizer to motor lubricant in the motor;
an adapter at an upper end of the equalizer that connects the equalizer to the lower end of the motor, the adapter having a motor lubricant passage through which motor lubricant in the motor communicates with motor lubricant in the equalizing element;
a valve element located in the motor lubricant passage, the valve element having an upper position that blocks upward and downward flow of lubricant through the motor lubricant passage and a lower position that allows upward and downward lubricant flow through the motor lubricant passage;
a valve element drive member on an upper end of the valve element that mates with the shaft drive member while the valve element is in the upper position and disengages from the shaft drive member while the valve element is in the lower position;
a locking feature between the valve element and the motor lubricant passage that retains the valve element in the upper position, the locking feature being releasable in response to rotation of the motor shaft in a selected direction; and
a spring that biases the valve element in a downward direction.

7. The assembly according to claim 6 , wherein:
an upper end of the shaft is accessible and manually rotatable prior to operatively coupling the motor to the pump, enabling the locking feature to be released after

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Inc
• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Tanner David
• Meyer Aron M
• Poretti Arturo Luis
• Semple Ryan P

Classifications

• F04D29/061

  especially adapted for liquid pumps · CPC title

• F04B47/024

  actuated by muscle power · CPC title

• F04D13/08

  for submerged use · CPC title

• F04D13/02

  Units comprising pumps and their driving means · CPC title

• F04D13/10 Primary

  adapted for use in mining bore holes · CPC title