Fire-resistant electrical feedthrough

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9774131-B2
Application number	US-201514979269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2015
Priority date	Dec 22, 2015
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

The present invention provides a fire-resistant electrical feedthrough system for use in offshore and top-side electrical submersible pump (“ESP”) installations. The fire-resistant electrical feedthrough system includes a minimum of two, redundant pressure barriers, in order to provide for safe operation and increased system reliability. The primary barrier is typically embedded within the wellhead equipment structure, while the secondary barrier is typically externally mounted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fire-resistant electrical penetrator comprising:
a body having a first and a second end, the body comprising an insulator;
a conductor disposed within the body;
a metallic sealing element disposed about and fixedly secured to a middle of the body and adapted to be used in a metal joining process; and
a set of metallic end sleeves disposed at the first and second ends of the cylindrical body, joining the conductor to the body;
wherein the conductor extends beyond the first and second ends of the body.

2. The penetrator of claim 1 wherein the body, sealing element, the metallic end sleeves, and conductor are joined by a combination of brazing and welding processes.

3. The penetrator of claim 1 wherein the conductor is a gold-plated, two-piece copper conductor.

4. The penetrator of claim 1 wherein the penetrator is assembled in a high vacuum or dry nitrogen environment whereby air is purged from a volume formed within the ceramic electrical penetrator.

5. The penetrator of claim 1 wherein the body is substantially cylindrical.

6. The penetrator of claim 1 wherein the insulator comprises a ceramic insulator.

7. The penetrator of claim 1 wherein additional fire and thermal resistance for the penetrator is provided by convective cooling, passive insulation, or heat-shielding.

8. A fire-resistant feedthrough assembly comprising:
a set of insulated electrical penetrators disposed within a penetrator module, the penetrator module disposed within a penetrator housing module, the penetrator housing module having a first flange interface;
a spool adapter having a side interface and a second flange interface, the spool adapter joined to the first flange interface of the penetrator housing module by the second flange interface, wherein a pressure containment boundary is formed behind the penetrator module; and
wherein the side interface of the spool adapter is adapted to mount to a bulkhead.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the insulated electrical penetrators are welded to the penetrator module and wherein the penetrator module is welded to the penetrator housing module.

10. The assembly of claim 8 wherein each insulated electrical penetrator in the set of insulated electrical penetrators comprises:
a body having a first and a second end, the body comprising an insulator;
a conductor disposed within the body;
a sealing element disposed about the body; and a set of metallic end sleeves disposed at the first and second ends of the body, joining the conductor to the body;
wherein the conductor extends beyond the first and second ends of the body.

11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the body of the insulated electrical penetrator is substantially cylindrical and wherein the insulator comprises a ceramic insulator.

12. The assembly of claim 8 further comprising an electrical receptacle adapted to mate with the penetrator housing module and form an operative electrical connection with the set of insulated electrical penetrators.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the electrical receptacle further comprises a set of components comprising:
a locking sleeve;
a termination shell;
a cable gland;
a power cable pigtail; and
a socket contact subassembly.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein a set of clearances between the set of components of the electrical receptacle prevent the propagation of an explosion or flame front from within the electrical receptacle.

15. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the bulkhead comprises a secondary pressure barrier, the secondary pressure barrier comprising a tree cap.

16. The assembly of claim 8 wherein additional fire and thermal resistance for the set of insulated electrical penetrators is provided by convective cooling, passive insulation, or heat-shielding.

17. A fire-resistant feedthrough assembly comprising:
a set of insulated electrical penetrators disposed within a penetrator module, the penetrator module disposed within a penetrator housing module, the penetrator housing module having a first flange interface;
a spool adapter having a side interface adapted to mount to a bulkhead and a second flange interface, the spool adapter joined to the first flange interface of the penetrator housing module by the second flange interface, wherein a pressure containment boundary is formed behind the penetrator module; and

the penetrator module further comprising an internal penetrator seal assembly comprising:
a set of metallic shells disposed about the set of electrical penetrators; and
a set of seals disposed within the set of metallic shells and about each electrical penetrator of the set of electrical penetrators.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the insulated electrical penetrators are welded to the penetrator module and wherein the penetrator module is welded to the penetrator housing.

19. The assembly of claim 17 wherein each insulated electrical penetrator in the set of insulated electrical penetrators comprises:
a body having a first and a second end, the body comprising an insulator;
a conductor disposed within the body;
a sealing element disposed about the body; and a set of metallic end sleeves disposed at the first and second ends of the body, joining the conductor to the body;
wherein the conductor extends beyond the first and second ends of the body.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein the body of the insulated electrical penetrator is substantially cylindrical and wherein the insulator comprises a ceramic insulator.

21. The assembly of claim 17 further comprising an electrical receptacle adapted to mate with the penetrator housing module and form an operative electrical connection with the set of insulated electrical penetrators.

22. The assembly of claim 21 wherein the electrical receptacle further comprises a set of components comprising:
a locking sleeve;
a termination shell;
a cable gland;
a power cable pigtail; and
a socket contact subassembly.

23. The assembly of claim 21 wherein a set of clearances between the set of components of the electrical receptacle prevent the propagation of an explosion or flame front from within the electrical receptacle.

24. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the internal penetrator seal assembly is disposed within an equipment assembly and thermally isolated from the penetrator module.

25. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the internal penetrator seal assembly is adapted to provide a pressure barrier for a differential pressure.

26. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the penetrator of the internal penetrator seal assembly comprises a thermoplastic penetrator.

27. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the set of seals of the internal penetrator seal assembly comprise elastomeric seals with overmolded anti-extrusion springs.

28. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the internal penetrator seal assembly is secured by a threaded nut.

29. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the side interface is disposed on the bulkhead, the bulkhead comprising a tree cap and forming a pressure barrier on a casing.

30. The assembly of claim 17 wherein additional fire and thermal resistance for the set of insulated electrical penetrators is provided by convective cooling, passive insulation, or heat-shielding.

Assignees

• Teledyne Instruments Inc

Inventors

• Painter David A
• Watson Brandon M
• Socha Alexander D

Classifications

• H01R13/41

  by frictional grip in grommet, panel or base · CPC title

• H01R13/527 Primary

  Flameproof cases (H01R13/70 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/523

  for use under water · CPC title

• H02G3/22 Primary

  Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings · CPC title

• E21B33/0385

  electrical connectors · CPC title