Elastomeric seal bag protector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11499403-B2
Application number	US-201816626794-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2018
Priority date	Jul 25, 2017
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

A downhole tool includes an electric submersible pump to pump a well fluid to a surface of a borehole. The downhole tool includes a motor to power the electric submersible pump and a seal section to protect the motor from the well fluid. The seal section includes an elastomeric bag and a clamp at each end of the elastomeric bag to secure the elastomeric bag. The seal section includes an elastomeric bag protector secured around each clamp, wherein the elastomeric bag protector extends axially beyond a respective clamp to surround a tapered portion of the elastomeric bag above and below the clamp, and wherein the elastomeric bag protector has a sloped inner diameter that matches a profile of the tapered portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole tool comprising:
an electric submersible pump to pump a well fluid to a surface of a borehole;
a motor to power the electric submersible pump; and
a seal section to protect the motor from the well fluid, the seal section comprising,
an elastomeric bag;
a clamp at each end of the elastomeric bag to secure the elastomeric bag; and
an elastomeric bag protector secured around each clamp, wherein the elastomeric bag protector extends axially beyond a respective clamp to surround a tapered portion of the elastomeric bag above and below the clamp, and wherein the elastomeric bag protector has a sloped inner diameter that matches a profile of the tapered portion, and wherein an outer diameter of the elastomeric bag protector includes one or more grooves on the outside surface of the elastomeric bag protector.

2. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the one or more grooves are axially extended relative to the elastomeric bag protector.

3. The downhole tool of claim 2 , further comprising a housing to enclose the seal section.

4. The downhole tool of claim 3 , wherein the one or more grooves define a plurality of passages for the well fluid to traverse a surface of the elastomeric bag protector between the elastomeric bag protector and the housing.

5. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric bag protector includes a cutout and a crimp on the clamp mates with the cutout.

6. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric bag protector includes a ring groove extending circumferentially around the elastomeric bag protector.

7. The downhole tool of claim 6 , further comprising an elastomeric ring seated inside the ring groove to secure the elastomeric bag protector around the respective clamp.

8. A system comprising:
a downhole tool to be lowered into a borehole, the downhole tool comprising,
an electric submersible pump to pump a well fluid to a surface of the borehole;
a motor to power the electric submersible pump; and
a seal section to protect the motor from the well fluid, the seal section comprising,
an elastomeric bag;
a clamp at each end of the elastomeric bag to secure the elastomeric bag; and
an elastomeric bag protector secured around each clamp, wherein the elastomeric bag protector extends axially beyond a respective clamp to surround a tapered portion of the elastomeric bag above and below the clamp, and wherein the elastomeric bag protector has a sloped inner diameter that matches a profile of the tapered portion, wherein an outer diameter of each elastomeric bag protector includes a number of grooves.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the downhole tool comprises a housing to enclose the seal section.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the number of grooves define a plurality of passages for the well fluid to traverse a surface of the elastomeric bag protector between the elastomeric bag protector and the housing.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the elastomeric bag protector includes a cutout and a crimp on the clamp mates with the cutout.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the elastomeric bag protector includes a ring groove extending circumferentially around the elastomeric bag protector.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the downhole tool comprises an elastomeric ring seated inside the ring groove to secure the elastomeric bag protector around the respective clamp.

14. A method for assembling an electric submersible pump assembly, comprising,
coupling a motor to an electric submersible pump;
positioning a seal section between the motor and the electric submersible pump to protect the motor from well fluid, the seal section including an elastomeric bag;
attaching a clamp at each end of the elastomeric bag to secure the elastomeric bag; and
covering each clamp with an elastomeric bag protector such that the elastomeric bag protector extends axially beyond a respective clamp to surround a tapered portion of the elastomeric bag above and below the clamp, wherein the elastomeric bag protector has a sloped inner diameter that matches a profile of the tapered portion and wherein an outer diameter of the elastomeric bag protector includes one or more grooves on the outside surface of the elastomeric bag protector.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the electric submersible pump assembly is part of a downhole tool, wherein the method comprises:
lowering the downhole tool into a borehole; and
pumping a well fluid using the electric submersible pump to a surface of the borehole.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the downhole tool comprises a housing to enclose the seal section.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the number of grooves define a plurality of passages for the well fluid to traverse a surface of the elastomeric bag protector between the elastomeric bag protector and the housing.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the elastomeric bag protector includes a cutout and a crimp to mate with the cutout.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the elastomeric bag protector includes a ring groove extending circumferentially around the elastomeric bag protector, wherein an elastomeric ring seated inside the ring groove to secure the elastomeric bag protector around the respective clamp.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Parmeter Larry James
• Frey Jeffrey G

Classifications

• F05D2260/30

  Retaining components in desired mutual position · CPC title

• F04D29/426

  especially adapted for liquid pumps · CPC title

• H02K5/132 Primary

  Submersible electric motors (H02K5/128 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F04D7/06

  the fluids being hot or corrosive, e.g. liquid metals · CPC title

• F04D29/086

  especially adapted for liquid pumps · CPC title