Abstract: A submersible well pump assembly having a motor with a shaft, a stator, a rotor coupled to the shaft, and bearing sleeves between the shaft and a bearing assembly. The rotor includes a number of rotor sections located along an axis of the shaft, where each rotor section includes a stack of rotor disks and end rings on each end of the stack. Each bearing sleeve attaches to an end ring and extends axially away from the end ring into abutment with an end of another bearing sleeve attached to an adjacent end ring.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pump has a stack of diffusers within the housing, each of the diffusers having a conical upper shoulder and a conical lower shoulder. The lower shoulder of each of the diffusers is in abutment with the upper shoulder of an adjacent one of the diffusers. The upper and lower shoulders of each of the diffusers slope downward and outward relative to the axis. Impeller hubs have conical upper and lower ends. At least some of the upper ends of the hubs abut and transfer up thrust to the lower end of an adjacent one of the hubs. At least some of the lower ends of the hubs abut and transfer down thrust to the upper end of an adjacent one of the hubs.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pump assembly has a motor lead extending alongside the pump housing to the motor for supplying electrical power to the motor. At least one standoff wedges between the pump housing and the motor lead. The standoff has a channel in which the motor lead is received. The standoff has legs extending inward from the channel into contact with the pump housing. The legs space the channel of the standoff from the pump housing by a gap to enable well fluid flow between the motor lead and the pump housing.

Abstract: A submersible well pump assembly having a motor with a shaft, a stator, a rotor coupled to the shaft, and bearing sleeves between the shaft and a bearing assembly. The rotor includes a number of rotor sections located along an axis of the shaft, where each rotor section includes a stack of rotor disks and end rings on each end of the stack. Each bearing sleeve attaches to an end ring and extends axially away from the end ring into abutment with an end of another bearing sleeve attached to an adjacent end ring.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pump has a stack of diffusers within the housing, each of the diffusers having a conical upper shoulder and a conical lower shoulder. The lower shoulder of each of the diffusers is in abutment with the upper shoulder of an adjacent one of the diffusers. The upper and lower shoulders of each of the diffusers slope downward and outward relative to the axis. Impeller hubs have conical upper and lower ends. At least some of the upper ends of the hubs abut and transfer up thrust to the lower end of an adjacent one of the hubs. At least some of the lower ends of the hubs abut and transfer down thrust to the upper end of an adjacent one of the hubs.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pump assembly has a motor lead extending alongside the pump housing to the motor for supplying electrical power to the motor. At least one standoff wedges between the pump housing and the motor lead. The standoff has a channel in which the motor lead is received. The standoff has legs extending inward from the channel into contact with the pump housing. The legs space the channel of the standoff from the pump housing by a gap to enable well fluid flow between the motor lead and the pump housing.

Abstract: A submersible well pump assembly has a pump driven by an electrical motor. The motor has a number of rotor sections axially separated from each other by radial bearings. Each of the rotor sections has disks stacked together, each of the disks having a central opening and slots circumferentially spaced around the central opening. Metal rods extend through the slots. A center tube extends through the central openings of the disks. The center tube has an outer diameter in an interference fit with the disks. A slot and key arrangement between the inner diameter of the center tube and the motor shaft rotates the motor shaft in unison. The ends of the center tube extend past end rings of the rotor sections and abut with center tubes of adjacent rotor sections.

Abstract: Systems and methods for distributed downhole sensing of operating parameters in an ESP utilizing MEMS sensors. In one embodiment, an ESP is installed in a well. The ESP has a pump, a gas separator, a seal section and a motor. Multiple MEMS sensors are positioned within one or more of the ESP components. Each of the MEMS sensors has a sensor component and on-board circuitry that are formed on a substrate. Each MEMS sensor's sensor component senses a corresponding operating parameter and provides sensed information to the on-board circuitry, which processes the received sensor signal as needed and provides the processed information at an output of the MEMS sensor. The outputs of the different MEMS sensors can be networked together, and the sensor information for the different operating parameters can be communicated to equipment at the surface of the well via a common electrical line.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing vibration in an electric motor using rotor bearing assemblies that are positioned within a bore of the stator to support the motor's shaft and rotor sections so that they can rotate within the stator bore. Each rotor bearing assembly includes an outer bearing and an inner bearing sleeve that rotates within the bearing. The bearing is secured so that its rotation within the stator is inhibited, but it can move axially. Each end of the bearing sleeve has a conically tapered contact surface which contacts and secures the corresponding rotor section and centers the rotor section with respect to the axis of rotation of the bearing. The contact surfaces of the rotor sections may be chamfered at an angle complementary to the tapered contact surface of the bearing sleeve to distribute the contact pressure between them over a greater contact surface area.

Abstract: Systems and methods for distributed downhole sensing of operating parameters in an ESP utilizing MEMS sensors. In one embodiment, an ESP is installed in a well. The ESP has a pump, a gas separator, a seal section and a motor. Multiple MEMS sensors are positioned within one or more of the ESP components. Each of the MEMS sensors has a sensor component and on-board circuitry that are formed on a substrate. Each MEMS sensor's sensor component senses a corresponding operating parameter and provides sensed information to the on-board circuitry, which processes the received sensor signal as needed and provides the processed information at an output of the MEMS sensor. The outputs of the different MEMS sensors can be networked together, and the sensor information for the different operating parameters can be communicated to equipment at the surface of the well via a common electrical line.

Abstract: A submersible well pump assembly has a pump driven by an electrical motor. The motor has a number of rotor sections axially separated from each other by radial bearings. Each of the rotor sections has disks stacked together, each of the disks having a central opening and slots circumferentially spaced around the central opening. Metal rods extend through the slots. A center tube extends through the central openings of the disks. The center tube has an outer diameter in an interference fit with the disks. A slot and key arrangement between the inner diameter of the center tube and the motor shaft rotates the motor shaft in unison. The ends of the center tube extend past end rings of the rotor sections and abut with center tubes of adjacent rotor sections.

Abstract: A method of managing data obtained in a borehole is provided. The method includes monitoring a characteristic with at least one sensor and obtaining raw data therefrom; indexing the raw data with the at least one sensor; recording the indexed data with the at least one sensor; forming a data packet with the at least one sensor, the data packet including at least a portion of the indexed data and index information; and transmitting the data packet in a predetermined segment of a communication protocol.

Abstract: A valve holder is connectable to a prosthetic valve including a stent having a plurality of commissure posts. The valve includes a base, a plurality of legs extending from the base, and one of several mechanisms for deflecting the plurality of commissure posts radially inward so as to temporarily decrease the overall size of the prosthetic valve.

Abstract: An electric submersible well pump assembly includes a rotary pump and an electrical motor. The motor has a motor housing filled with a dielectric lubricant. A stator formed of a stack of stator disks with a stator bore is stationarily mounted within the motor housing. A motor shaft extends through the bore. A rotor is mounted to the shaft for rotating the shaft and has a stack of rotor disks. Axially spaced-apart radial stabilizing portions along the rotor have outer peripheries that are greater in outer diameter than remaining portions of the rotor. The outer peripheries of the stabilizing portions rotate with the rotor and are closely spaced to the inner diameter of the stator to radially stabilize the shaft.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing vibration in an electric motor using rotor bearing assemblies that are positioned within a bore of the stator to support the motor's shaft and rotor sections so that they can rotate within the stator bore. Each rotor bearing assembly includes an outer bearing and an inner bearing sleeve that rotates within the bearing. The bearing is secured so that its rotation within the stator is inhibited, but it can move axially. Each end of the bearing sleeve has a conically tapered contact surface which contacts and secures the corresponding rotor section and centers the rotor section with respect to the axis of rotation of the bearing. The contact surfaces of the rotor sections may be chamfered at an angle complementary to the tapered contact surface of the bearing sleeve to distribute the contact pressure between them over a greater contact surface area.

Abstract: A method of managing data obtained in a borehole is provided. The method includes monitoring a characteristic with at least one sensor and obtaining raw data therefrom; indexing the raw data with the at least one sensor; recording the indexed data with the at least one sensor; forming a data packet with the at least one sensor, the data packet including at least a portion of the indexed data and index information; and transmitting the data packet in a predetermined segment of a communication protocol.

Abstract: A valve holder is connectable to a prosthetic valve including a stent having a plurality of commissure posts. The valve includes a base, a plurality of legs extending from the base, and one of several mechanisms for deflecting the plurality of commissure posts radially inward so as to temporarily decrease the overall size of the prosthetic valve.

Abstract: A valve holder is connectable to a prosthetic valve including a stent having a plurality of commissure posts. The valve includes a base, a plurality of legs extending from the base, and one of several mechanisms for deflecting the plurality of commissure posts radially inward so as to temporarily decrease the overall size of the prosthetic valve.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pump motor has motor oil flowing through external circulation tubes for cooling the motor. A substantial portion of the exterior of each tube is submerged in and exposed to wellbore fluid. Heat is transferred from the motor to the motor oil, and then circulated through the external circulation tubes to conduct heat to the wellbore fluid. Internal or external motor oil pumps may be used to propel the motor oil through the circulation tubes. Guards or baffles may be used to protect the circulation tubes and to influence the flow of production fluid over the circulation tubes.

Abstract: A valve holder is connectable to a prosthetic valve including a stent having a plurality of commissure posts. The valve includes a base, a plurality of legs extending from the base, and one of several mechanisms for deflecting the plurality of commissure posts radially inward so as to temporarily decrease the overall size of the prosthetic valve.