MONITORING FIBER FOR A MACHINE AND METHOD OF INSTALLATION
An electric machine assembly and a method of installing an electric machine assembly, the electric machine including a downhole electric machine; and a fiber operatively arranged at least partially through a housing of the electric machine for sensing at least one parameter of the electric machine assembly.
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This application claims the benefit of an earlier filing date from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/527,654 filed Aug. 26, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUNDHot spots in motors, generators, and other electric machines, particularly in the windings thereof, indicate that the machines are potentially failing or operating improperly. Current systems include resistive thermal devices (RTDs) and other thermocouples, but these are installed only at discrete locations near the machine and cannot measure a temperature distribution across the entire machine or within the machine. Furthermore, the accuracy of RTDs and other thermocouples suffers as they are heavily influenced by electromagnetic noise generated by the machines. Other parameters indicating potential failure or improper operation include strain, acoustics, etc., which are similarly difficult to monitor. A machine failure is particularly disadvantageous when the access to the machine is limited, for example, if the machine is a motor for an electric submersible pump installed on a downhole tubular string. Accordingly, the downhole drilling and completions industry, well receive advances in machine monitoring systems and assemblies.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONAn electric machine including a downhole electric machine; and a fiber operatively arranged at least partially through a housing of the electric machine for sensing at least one parameter of the electric machine assembly.
A method of installing a fiber in a downhole electric machine for monitoring the electric machine including arranging at least one fiber at least partially through a housing of a electric machine, running the electric machine downhole, and sensing at least one parameter of the electric machine with the fiber.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
Referring now to
One embodiment of the assembly 12 is illustrated in more detail in
An engagement 30 may be included between the block 22 and the port 20, e.g., as complementarily formed profiles, for setting a position of the block 22 in the port 20. At least one seal element 32, such as an o-ring or the like, is disposed about the block 22 for sealing the port 20. A pin 34 or other key or feature is disposed between the block 22 and the housing 14 for rotationally locking the assembly 12 in the port 20. An intermediary block 36, described in more detail below, is similarly rotationally locked to the block 22 via a pin 38. A ferrule 40 or some other seal element is included at a mouth 42 of each passage 24 between the blocks 22 and 36 for sealing the passage 24 with respect to the internal chamber 16 of the machine 10.
In some embodiments, the intermediary block 36 is used during installation of the assembly 12. For example, an installation assembly 44 is shown in
Once the ferrules 40 and 58 have been set, the capillary tubes 26 are aligned with the tubes 50 in the passages 54 and the fibers, e.g., the fiber 28 (not shown in
Referring now back to
Machines such as motors are occasionally stacked or included in tandem in order to increase the overall power output. For example, see United States Patent No. 2007/0224057, which patent is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. A transition is disclosed in
A transition tube 76 is included bridging between the two machine housings 14a and 14b. The transition tube 76 includes, for example, seal elements 76 for sealing the ends of the capillary tubes 26, which are disposed in passages 78 in the transition tube. By use of the transition tubes 74, any number of machines can be stacked together, with the stacked machines isolated from each other and from borehole pressures and fluids. For example, in one embodiment, the machines take the form of motors that are installed in a borehole. In this embodiment, the lower motor having the housing 14b is first installed and filled with oil or other operating fluid. Then, the transition tube 74 can be installed when the top motor having the housing 14a is stacked onto or stabbed into the lower motor. In some embodiments, the passages 78 of the transition tube 74 include enlarged mouths 80 for facilitating the stacking or stabbing of the transition tube 74 onto the capillary tubes 26 already installed in the bottom motor. After stabbing or stacking the motors together with the transition tube 74 therebetween, the top motor can be filled with oil or other operating fluid, and then the assembly 12 installed as described with respect to
Alternatively, of course, it is to be appreciated that the transition tube 74 and assemblies 12a and 12b could be replaced with other transitions or transition elements, such as optical connectors or other optical connections. For example, in one embodiment, the assemblies 12a and 12b are each replaced by male optical connectors, while the transition tube is replaced by a female-female optical connector that engages with the male connectors, or vice versa, or other combinations disclosed herein mutatis mutandis. In another embodiment, a first fiber is fed into the bottom motor and a second fiber is fed into the top motor and the two fibers are connected optically in some other way, such as a fusion splice, a mechanical splice, etc. In this way, a transition could comprise any optical connection or connector between two or more existing fibers and is not limited to a passage for a single fiber to be fed therethrough.
In one embodiment, the machine 10 is a three-phase induction motor. These and other motors are well known and used in a variety of applications. Accordingly, the motor has three pairs of windings corresponding to each of the phases. Each of the six windings forms a rather large oval within a portion of the motor housing. The capillary tubes 26 could be arranged through, in, or next to the windings or a stator of the motors in which they are installed. Furthermore, there could be one tube 26 for each winding of the motor 10 for monitoring parameters, e.g., temperature, of each winding. It is to be appreciated that other types of motors or other machines could be used, and that any other number of capillary tubes could be used, regardless of the number of windings or other components to be monitored in the machines. Of course, the fibers could be located or installed in any desired location within a motor or other electric machine. In such embodiments in which the machine 10 is an induction motor, the capillary tubes 26 can be made from durable, non-magnetic materials, so that they do not interfere with the operation of the motor and can withstand the operating fluids contained in the motor. In one embodiment, the capillary tubes are made from polyether ether ketone.
In one embodiment, the capillary tubes 26 are arranged in pairs. For example, in
Cleanliness of the machine 10, particularly that of the inner chamber 16 and the operating fluid, is paramount to the longevity and proper functioning of the machine. Accordingly,
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.
Claims
1. An electric machine assembly, comprising:
- a downhole electric machine; and
- a fiber operatively arranged at least partially through a housing of the electric machine for sensing at least one parameter of the electric machine assembly.
2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the fiber is disposed in a capillary tube extending into the electric machine housing.
3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the capillary tube isolates the fiber from a fluid in the electric machine.
4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein a seal element is disposed about the capillary tube for sealing in the fluid.
5. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the capillary tube extends from outside the housing to inside the housing through a passage in a feed through block sealed in a port of the housing.
6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the feed through block is non-rotationally locked to the housing.
7. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the capillary tube is one of a plurality of capillary tubes, the fiber is one of a plurality of fibers, and each capillary tube includes at least one of the fibers therethrough.
8. The assembly of claim 7, further comprising a combining block located in the port of the housing, the combining block in communication with each of the capillary tubes for directing each of the fibers into a single fiber conduit extending out from the electric machine.
9. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the feed through block is operatively arranged to receive a cap block thereon, the cap block enabling a pre-assembly configuration by sealing the port and the capillary tubes.
10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the fiber is one of a plurality of fibers and the plurality of fibers are arranged to detected the at least one parameter at a plurality of locations in the electric machine.
11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the electric machine assembly is for a three phase motor having three pairs of windings.
12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the fiber is one of a plurality of fibers and the plurality of fibers are arranged within each of the windings.
13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the parameter comprises temperature, strain, acoustics, or combinations including at least one of the foregoing.
14. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second electric machine and a transition bridging between the electric machine and the second electric machine, the fiber extending from the electric machine to the second electric machine.
15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the fiber comprises a first fiber connected to a second fiber.
16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the first and second fibers are connected by corresponding optical connectors, a mechanical splice, a fusion splice, or combinations including at least one of the foregoing.
17. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the fiber comprises optical fiber.
18. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the capillary tube is one of a plurality of capillary tubes, the capillary tubes being arranged at least one pair, each pair having a turn around connecting both capillary tubes in that pair for enabling a single fiber to extend through both capillary tubes in each pair.
19. A method of installing a fiber in a downhole electric machine for monitoring the electric machine comprising:
- arranging at least one fiber at least partially through a housing of a electric machine;
- running the electric machine downhole; and
- sensing at least one parameter of the electric machine with the fiber.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein arranging the fiber further comprises:
- arranging a feed through block in a port of the housing of the electric machine;
- inserting a capillary tube through a passage in the feed through block, a seal element disposed about the capillary tube at a mouth of the passage;
- engaging a setting component in the port;
- setting the sealing element by exerting a pressure on the seal element with the setting component for sealing the port; and
- installing the fiber in the capillary tube.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein arranging the at least one fiber further comprises:
- arranging a first capillary tube through a first port in the electric machine;
- arranging a second capillary tube through a second port in a second electric machine;
- engaging the first and second electric machines;
- feeding the at least one fiber through the first capillary tube and the second capillary tube;
- monitoring at least one parameter of the first and second electric machines with the fiber.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one fiber includes a first fiber disposed in the first capillary tube and a second fiber disposed in the second capillary tube, where an optical connection is formed between the first and second fibers.
23. A motor assembly, comprising:
- a downhole motor; and
- a fiber operatively arranged at least partially through a housing of the motor for sensing at least one parameter of the motor assembly.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 1, 2012
Publication Date: Aug 1, 2013
Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED (Houston, TX)
Inventor: Carl W. Stoesz (Blacksburg, VA)
Application Number: 13/563,880
International Classification: E21B 47/00 (20060101); E21B 4/04 (20060101);