Electrical feedthrough system and methods of use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11828126-B2
Application number	US-202017432428-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2020
Priority date	Feb 20, 2019
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

An electrical feedthrough assembly has a lower assembly having a first end and a second end. The lower assembly includes an outer body with a lower housing and an upper housing disposed within a bore of the outer body and a first conductor extending from the lower housing to the upper housing. Additionally, the lower housing extends axial outward from the outer body to form the first end and the upper housing extends axial outward from the outer body to form the second end. Further, the electrical feedthrough assembly has an upper assembly having body extending from a first end to a second end. The second body includes a pin end at the first end and the pin end is inserted into an opening of the second end of the lower assembly. A second conductor is disposed within the body. A chamber within the body holds the first conductor.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An electrical feedthrough assembly for providing power to a subsea device from a power source, the electrical feedthrough assembly comprising:
a lower assembly having a first end and a second end, wherein the lower assembly comprises:
an outer body with a lower housing and an upper housing disposed within a bore of the outer body,
wherein the lower housing extends axial outward from the outer body to form the first end,
wherein the upper housing extends axial outward from the outer body to form the second end, and
a first conductor extending from the lower housing to the upper housing, wherein at least one portion of the first conductor is enclosed in a first insulator; and

an upper assembly having a first body coupled to a second body extending from a first end to a second end, wherein the upper assembly comprises:
a pin end at the first end of the upper assembly, wherein the pin end is inserted into an opening of the second end of the lower assembly,
a second conductor disposed within the second body, wherein at least one portion of the second conductor is enclosed in a second insulator, and wherein the second conductor extends out from the upper assembly, and
a single chamber within the first body having an opening at the first end of the upper assembly to receive and hold the first conductor,

wherein the second conductor is conductively connected to the first conductor,
wherein a length of the first conductor is in contact with a first electrical contact of the upper assembly,
wherein the first electrical contact is connected to a second electrical contact of the upper assembly via a conductive wire, and
wherein the second electrical contact is conductively connected to the second conductor.

2. The electrical feedthrough assembly of claim 1 , wherein a shoulder of the second body lands on a load shoulder of the first body, and the first body and the second body are welded together.

3. The electrical feedthrough assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first insulator and the second insulator are formed from a polyether ether ketone molding.

4. The electrical feedthrough assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a port exposed to a surrounding environment and in fluid communication with the single chamber.

5. The electrical feedthrough assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pin end is a shuttle pin for the length of the first conductor to travel through.

6. The electrical feedthrough assembly of claim 1 , wherein protrusions of the upper housing abut a load shoulder of the outer body, and wherein threads of the upper housing are threaded to threads of the outer body.

7. The electrical feedthrough assembly of claim 6 , wherein the lower housing is coupled to the upper housing.

8. The electrical feedthrough assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one electrical penetrator in the lower assembly.

9. The electrical feedthrough assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one glass-to-metal seal and at least one metal-to-metal seal within the lower assembly.

10. A method for providing power to a subsea device from a power source using an electrical feedthrough assembly, the method comprising:
connecting a first end of a lower assembly of the electrical feedthrough assembly to the subsea device, the lower assembly comprising an outer body with a lower housing and an upper housing disposed within a bore of the outer body, wherein the lower housing extends axial outward from the outer body to form the first end, and wherein the upper housing extends axial outward from the outer body to form the second end;
inserting a pin end at a first end of an upper assembly of the electrical feedthrough assembly into an opening of the second end of the lower assembly, the upper assembly comprising a first body coupled to a second body extending from the first end of the upper assembly to a second end of the upper assembly;
passing a first conductor of the lower assembly through an opening of a single chamber within the first body at the first end of the upper assembly;
inserting and holding the first conductor into the single chamber;
contacting the first conductor to a first electrical contact in the upper assembly, wherein a second conductor of the upper assembly is in contact with a second electrical contact connected to the first electrical contact via a conductive wire;
connecting the second end of the upper assembly to a subsea tree;
passing the second conductor out from the upper assembly and attaching the second conductor to a power source; and
powering the subsea device conductively through the electrical feedthrough assembly via the power source.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising insulating a length of the first and second conductor with a polyether ether ketone molding.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising providing a glass-to-metal seal on at least one portion the first conductor and the second conductor with the polyether ether ketone molding.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing a metal-to-metal seal within the electrical feedthrough assembly.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising greasing the single chamber with grease.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising exposing the single chamber to fluids of a surrounding environment through a port in fluid communication with the single chamber.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising sealing the first conductor in the single chamber with an elastomer seal.

17. The electrical feedthrough assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a first full-metal-jacket connector inserted into an opening at the first end of the lower assembly.

18. The electrical feedthrough assembly of claim 17 , further comprising a second full-metal-jacket connector inserted into an opening at the second end of the upper assembly.

19. The electrical feedthrough assembly of claim 1 , wherein the single chamber further comprises grease.

20. The electrical feedthrough assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first body is made from polyether ether ketone molding and the second body is made from a metal.

Assignees

• Fmc Tech Inc

Inventors

• Van Mook Erik
• Keller Matthew
• Kennedy Christopher

Classifications

• E21B33/0385 Primary

  electrical connectors · CPC title

• H01R13/523

  for use under water · CPC title

• H01R43/005

  for making dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof connection, coupling, or casing · CPC title

• H01R43/26

  for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device (structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629) · CPC title

• H01R13/504

  different pieces being moulded, cemented, welded, e.g. ultrasonic welding, or swaged together · CPC title