Delta-shaped power cable within coiled tubing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9587445-B2
Application number	US-201414444520-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2014
Priority date	Jul 29, 2013
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

A power cable assembly supplies power to and suspends in a well an electrical well pump. The assembly includes metal tubing having a longitudinal tubing center line and a cylindrical side wall. Power cable has an exterior delta shape when viewed in a cross-section. The delta shape defines three exterior side surfaces that face radially outward and join each other at corners. Power cable has three insulated power conductors wrapped helically with a metal strip. The power cable is located in the tubing with the corners deformed against an inner diameter of the tubing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembly for supplying power to and suspending in a well an electrical well pump, the assembly comprising:
metal tubing having a cylindrical side wall;
a power cable installed within the tubing and having three insulated conductors twisted about each other along a power cable center line;
a metal strip wrapped helically around the three power conductors, the metal strip having overlapping edges, defining an exterior delta shape for the power cable when viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to the power cable center line, the delta shape having three exterior side surfaces that face radially outward relative to the power cable center line, the side surfaces joining each other at rounded corners; and wherein
the rounded corners are deformed against an inner diameter of the tubing.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the side surfaces intersect each of the corners at a 60 degree angle.

3. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an adhesive material filling spaces between the metal strip and the inner diameter of the coiled tubing.

4. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each of the power conductors comprises:
a layer of electrical insulation; and
an elastomeric jacket surrounding the layer of electrical insulation.

5. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each of the exterior side surfaces of the power cable is flat.

6. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the delta shape in cross section defines an equilateral triangle.

7. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
each of the conductors has a conductor center line;
a first radial line from the power cable center line passes through the conductor center line of a first one of the conductors and through a first one of the corners;
a second radial line from the power cable center line passes through the conductor center line of a second one of the conductors and through a second one of the corners; and
a third radial line from the power cable center line passes through the conductor center line of a third one of the conductors and through a third one of the corners.

8. An assembly for supplying power to and suspending in a well an electrical well pump, comprising:
a string of coiled tubing having a cylindrical side wall and a longitudinally extending weld seam in the side wall;
a power cable within the tubing, the power cable having three insulated conductors twisted around each other along a power cable center line, each of the insulated conductors being surrounded by a jacket of an elastomeric material;
a metal strip helically wrapped around the three insulated conductors, defining an equilateral triangular shape in cross-section, having three exterior side surfaces that face radially outward relative to the power cable center line, the side surfaces joining each other at rounded corners; and wherein
the jacket, the conductors, and the metal strip are located in the coiled tubing with the corners deformed against an inner diameter of the coiled tubing.

9. The assembly according to claim 8 , wherein:
each of the conductors has a conductor center line;
a first radial line from the power cable center line passes through the conductor center line of a first one of the conductors and through a first one of the corners;
a second radial line from the power cable center line passes through the conductor center line of a second one of the conductors and through a second one of the corners; and
a third radial line from the power cable center line passes through the conductor center line of a third one of the conductors and through a third one of the corners.

10. The assembly according to claim 8 , wherein each of the conductors comprises:
a layer of insulation by one of the jackets; and
each of the jackets has a cylindrical shape in cross section.

11. An assembly for supplying power to and suspending in a well an electrical well pump, comprising:
a string of coiled tubing;
a power cable installed in the coiled tubing, the power cable having three insulated conductors twisted about each other along a power cable center line, the power cable having a polygonal shape in cross-section, defining a plurality of exterior side surfaces that face radially outward relative to the power cable center line, the side surfaces joining each other at rounded corners, and the side surfaces having equal widths between the corners; and
wherein the corners of the power cable are deformed against an inner diameter of the coiled tubing.

12. The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of exterior side surfaces comprise three of the exterior side surfaces.

13. The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the exterior side surfaces are at 60 degree angles relative to each other.

14. The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein:
each of the insulated conductors comprises a layer of electrical insulation surrounded by a jacket of an elastomeric material.

15. The assembly according to claim 11 , further comprising:
an adhesive material filling spaces between the exterior side surfaces and the inner diameter of the coiled tubing.

16. The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the power cable further comprises:
a metal strip wrapped around the three conductors, the metal strip defining the exterior side surfaces.

17. The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein each of the exterior side surfaces of the power cable is flat.

18. The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the polygonal shape in cross section defines an equilateral triangle.

19. The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein:
each of the conductors has a conductor center line;
a first radial line from the power cable center line passes through the conductor center line of a first one of the conductors and through a first one of the corners;
a second radial line from the power cable center line passes through the conductor center line of a second one of the conductors and through a second one of the corners; and
a third radial line from the power cable center line passes through the conductor center line of a third one of the conductors and through a third one of the corners.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Dalrymple Larry V
• Neuroth David H

Classifications

• F04D13/10

  adapted for use in mining bore holes · CPC title

• E21B17/206 Primary

  with conductors, e.g. electrical, optical · CPC title

• F04D13/0693

  Details or arrangements of the wiring · CPC title

• H01B7/046

  attached to objects sunk in bore holes, e.g. well drilling means, well pumps · CPC title

• E21B43/128

  Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives · CPC title