Current-controlled circuit breaker for electrical submersible pump motor leads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12424844-B2
Application number	US-202318477152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2023
Priority date	Sep 28, 2023
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

Some implementations include an apparatus configured to, in a wellbore, eliminate voltage on one or more first conductors that are electrically connected to a surface-based power source. The apparatus may include a shorting ring electrically connectable to the first conductors and configured to electrically short the first conductors upon establishing an electrical connection with the first conductors. The apparatus may include a solenoid assembly to actuate in response to power on the first conductors from the surface-based power source. The apparatus may include a pin slider assembly connected to the first conductors and configured to move, in response to actuation by the solenoid assembly, between an electrical connection with the shorting ring and an electrical connection with one or more second conductors that have an electrical connection with a permanent magnet motor winding in the wellbore.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus configured to, in a wellbore, eliminate voltage on one or more first conductors that are electrically connected to a surface-based power source, the apparatus comprising:
a shorting ring electrically connectable to the first conductors and configured to electrically short the first conductors upon establishing an electrical connection with the first conductors;
a solenoid assembly to actuate in response to power on the first conductors from the surface-based power source;
a pin slider assembly connected to the first conductors and configured to move, in response to actuation by the solenoid assembly, between an electrical connection with the shorting ring and an electrical connection with one or more second conductors that have an electrical connection with a permanent magnet motor winding in the wellbore.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the surface-based power source is an alternating current power source, the apparatus further comprising:
a full wave rectifier electrically connected to the solenoid assembly and configured to convert alternating current from the surfaced-based power source into direct current to cause the solenoid assembly to actuate the pin slider assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:
a current transformer electrically coupled to each of the first conductors and connected to the full wave rectifier and configured to step-up or step-down the alternating current.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection with the shorting ring eliminates the electrical connection with the second conductors.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection with the second conductors includes a connection between an electrical pin of the pin slider assembly and a motor lead extension connected to an permanent magnet motor winding in the wellbore.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pin slider assembly further includes one or more springs configured to move pins from the electrical connection with the second conductors back to the electrical connection with the shorting ring in response to losing power from the surface-based power source.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the solenoid assembly is configured to move the pin slider assembly from the electrical connection with the first conductors to the electrical connection with the second conductors in response to current flowing from the surface-based power source.

8. A system for use in a wellbore, the system comprising:
a permanent magnet motor disposed in the wellbore;
a circuit breaker assembly configured to eliminate voltage on one or more first conductors that are electrically connected to a surface-based power source, the circuit breaker including:
a shorting device electrically connectable to the first conductors and configured to electrically short the first conductors upon establishing an electrical connection with the first conductors;
a solenoid assembly to actuate in response to power on the first conductors from the surface-based power source; and
a pin slider assembly connected to the first conductors and configured to move, in response to actuation by the solenoid assembly, between an electrical connection with the shorting device and an electrical connection with one or more second conductors that are electrically connected to the permanent magnet motor winding.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the circuit breaker assembly includes:
a housing adapter; and
an interface coupled with the housing adapter and including one or more plug-in connector cavities each including a respective power pin terminals configured to connect with a motor lead extension.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising:
a flanged crossover assembly configured to couple the circuit breaker to a stator; and
a rotating shaft of the permanent magnet motor passing through the circuit breaker to connect with the stator.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the circuit breaker assembly further includes:
a shaft configured to connect with the shaft that has a mechanical connection with the permanent magnet motor.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising:
a custom test device electrically connected to a motor winding of the permanent magnet motor through the surface power cable and configured to test integrity of the motor winding during installation of the permanent magnet motor into the wellbore, operation of the permanent magnet motor in the wellbore, and removal of the permanent magnet motor from the wellbore; and
an industry standard test device electrically connected to the surface power cable and configured to test integrity of a surface power cable, motor lead extension, the first conductors, and the motor winding.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the surface-based power source is an alternating current power source, the circuit breaker assembly further comprising:
a full wave rectifier electrically connected to the solenoid assembly and configured to convert alternating current from the surfaced-based power source into direct current to cause the solenoid assembly to actuate the pins.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising:
a current transformer electrically coupled to each of the first conductors and connected to the full wave rectifier and configured to step-up or step-down the alternating current.

15. The system of claim 8 , wherein the electrical connection with the shorting ring eliminates the electrical connection with the second conductors.

16. The system of claim 8 , wherein the electrical connection with the second conductors includes a connection between an electrical pin of the pin slider assembly and a motor lead extension connected to a permanent magnet motor winding in the wellbore.

17. The system of claim 8 , wherein the pin slider assembly includes springs configured to move pins of first conductors from the electrical connection with the second conductors back to the electrical connection with the shorting ring in response to losing power from the surface-based power source.

18. The system of claim 8 , wherein the solenoid assembly is configured to move the pins of the first conductors from the electrical connection with the shorting ring to the electrical connection with the second conductors in response to current flowing from the surface-based power source.

19. A method for eliminating, in a wellbore, voltage on one or more conductors that are electrically connected to a surface-based power source, the method comprising:
moving, in response to power from the surface-based power source, power pins that are connected to the conductors from a first electrical connection with a shorting device to a second electrical connection with motor leads that are connected to a permanent magnet motor winding in the wellbore; and
moving, in response to losing the power from the surface-based power source, the power pins from the second electrical connection with motor leads back to the first electrical connection with the shorting device.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the pins are included in a pin slider assembly connected to the conductors and configured to move, in response to actuation by a solenoid assembly, from the first electrical connection with the shorting device to the second electrical connection with the permanent magnet motor winding extension leads.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the power pins are included in a pin slider assembly connected to the conductors and configured

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Mansir Hassan
• Bencze Andras
• De Long Robert Charles

Classifications

• H02H1/0007

  concerning the detecting means (in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445) · CPC title

• H02H3/003

  responsive to reversal of power transmission direction (reversal of direct current H02H3/18) · CPC title

• H02H7/226 Primary

  for wires or cables, e.g. heating wires · CPC title

• F04D13/10 Primary

  adapted for use in mining bore holes · CPC title