US3677665A — Submersible pump assembly

Claim 1

Independent Claim 363 words

A submersible, self-contained pump assembly comprising, a progressive cavity pump of the Moineau type with a helical rotor and a helical stator enclosed in an elongate housing with a pump discharge opening at one end, the housing having a pump chamber below and in fluid communication with the pump stator and rotor and having well fluid inlet openings into the pump chamber, a pump shaft coupled to the rotor; a speed reducer in a sealed housing having input and output shafts at each of its ends; a pressure equalizer in a sealed housing having a shaft rotatably disposed therethrough; an electric motor having an output shaft disposed in a sealed housing and disposed at the lower end of the pump assembly; the shaft of the equalizer, the input and output shafts of the speed reducer, the output shaft of the electric motor and the pump shaft being coupled together whereby the electric motor drives the rotor of the pump through the speed reducer at reducer r.p.m.; the housing of the electric motor, the speed reducer and the pressure equalizer being connected together to form a unitary sealed housing for the electric motor, the speed reducer and the pressure equalizer and being connected to the housing of the pump; lubricating fluid reservoir means in the pressure equalizer and in the electric motor and fluid passageways in fluid communication with the reservoir means and operating parts of the pressure equalizer, speed reducer and electric motor for providing lubricating fluid to the operating parts; a flexible membrane disposed in the pressure equalizer in one of said lubricating fluid reservoir means sealing said reservoir means thereby permitting expansion and contraction of the volume of lubricating fluid incident to temperature rise and fall caused by actuation and nonactuation of the motor; means in the pressure equalizer for flow of well fluid into the one of said lubricating fluid reservoir means externally of the membrane providing application of outside pressure against the membrane thereby equalizing the pressure of the lubricating fluid with the outside pressure, and coupling means at the pump discharge means for connection to tubular fluid conducting means for supporting the pump assembly and conveying pumped fluid.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 363 words

A submersible, self-contained pump assembly comprising, a progressive cavity pump of the Moineau type with a helical rotor and a helical stator enclosed in an elongate housing with a pump discharge opening at one end, the housing having a pump chamber below and in fluid communication with the pump stator and rotor and having well fluid inlet openings into the pump chamber, a pump shaft coupled to the rotor; a speed reducer in a sealed housing having input and output shafts at each of its ends; a pressure equalizer in a sealed housing having a shaft rotatably disposed therethrough; an electric motor having an output shaft disposed in a sealed housing and disposed at the lower end of the pump assembly; the shaft of the equalizer, the input and output shafts of the speed reducer, the output shaft of the electric motor and the pump shaft being coupled together whereby the electric motor drives the rotor of the pump through the speed reducer at reducer r.p.m.; the housing of the electric motor, the speed reducer and the pressure equalizer being connected together to form a unitary sealed housing for the electric motor, the speed reducer and the pressure equalizer and being connected to the housing of the pump; lubricating fluid reservoir means in the pressure equalizer and in the electric motor and fluid passageways in fluid communication with the reservoir means and operating parts of the pressure equalizer, speed reducer and electric motor for providing lubricating fluid to the operating parts; a flexible membrane disposed in the pressure equalizer in one of said lubricating fluid reservoir means sealing said reservoir means thereby permitting expansion and contraction of the volume of lubricating fluid incident to temperature rise and fall caused by actuation and nonactuation of the motor; means in the pressure equalizer for flow of well fluid into the one of said lubricating fluid reservoir means externally of the membrane providing application of outside pressure against the membrane thereby equalizing the pressure of the lubricating fluid with the outside pressure, and coupling means at the pump discharge means for connection to tubular fluid conducting means for supporting the pump assembly and conveying pumped fluid.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 128 words

The submersible, self contained pump assembly of claim 1 where, the housing of the speed reducer is connected to the housing of the electric motor and the input shaft of the speed reducer is connected to the output shaft of the electric motor; a lower portion of the housing of the pressure equalizer is connected to an upper portion of the housing of the speed reducer and input end of the shaft of the speed reducer is connected to and driven by thE output shaft of the speed reducer; and where an upper portion of the housing of the pressure equalizer is connected to the pump housing and an output end of the shaft of the pressure equalizer is connected to and drives the shaft of the pump.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 44 words

The pump assembly set forth in claim 1 in which the electric motor operates at a speed of the order of 3,600 r.p.m., and the output shaft of the speed reducer rotates at a speed of the order of not more than 600 r.p.m.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 323 words

A downhole submersible pumping apparatus for pumping oil in a borehole comprising a generally tubular and sealed housing having an inlet opening and an upper discharge opening, coupling means at the upper discharge opening for connection to tubular fluid conveying means and for supporting the housing in a generally vertical position within the borehole with at least the inlet opening submerged in the well fluid and for conveying oil pumped by the pump, an electrical motor disposed within and at the lower end of the housing, a speed reducer disposed within the housing and coupled to the electric motor, an equalizer unit disposed within the housing above the speed reducer including a motion transmitting means with an output and with an input coupled to the speed reducer, a Moineau type pump disposed in the housing above the equalizer unit and including both a movable holical rotor and a helical stator secured to the housing, the rotor and stator affording a communicating passage between the housing inlet and the tubular fluid conveying means coupled to the housing outlet, a wall structure separating the equalizer unit from the portion of the housing containing the inlet opening and including a bearing structure, a drive shaft passing through said bearing structure and coupled at one end to the pump rotor and at the other end to the output of the motion transmitting means, the equalizer unit providing a sealed reservoir for lubricating fluid completely filling a cavity portion of the sealed housing bound by the wall structure including the electric motor, the speed reducer and the equalizer unit, and means including a leakage path through the wall structure for affording a limited bidirectional flow of fluids including well fluid from the housing inlet opening and lubricating fluid from the sealed reservoir between the reservoir and the portion of the housing communicating with the inlet to allow for expansion and contraction in the volume of the lubricating fluid.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 323 words

A downhole submersible pumping apparatus for pumping oil in a borehole comprising a generally tubular and sealed housing having an inlet opening and an upper discharge opening, coupling means at the upper discharge opening for connection to tubular fluid conveying means and for supporting the housing in a generally vertical position within the borehole with at least the inlet opening submerged in the well fluid and for conveying oil pumped by the pump, an electrical motor disposed within and at the lower end of the housing, a speed reducer disposed within the housing and coupled to the electric motor, an equalizer unit disposed within the housing above the speed reducer including a motion transmitting means with an output and with an input coupled to the speed reducer, a Moineau type pump disposed in the housing above the equalizer unit and including both a movable holical rotor and a helical stator secured to the housing, the rotor and stator affording a communicating passage between the housing inlet and the tubular fluid conveying means coupled to the housing outlet, a wall structure separating the equalizer unit from the portion of the housing containing the inlet opening and including a bearing structure, a drive shaft passing through said bearing structure and coupled at one end to the pump rotor and at the other end to the output of the motion transmitting means, the equalizer unit providing a sealed reservoir for lubricating fluid completely filling a cavity portion of the sealed housing bound by the wall structure including the electric motor, the speed reducer and the equalizer unit, and means including a leakage path through the wall structure for affording a limited bidirectional flow of fluids including well fluid from the housing inlet opening and lubricating fluid from the sealed reservoir between the reservoir and the portion of the housing communicating with the inlet to allow for expansion and contraction in the volume of the lubricating fluid.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 45 words

The pumping apparatus set forth in claim 4 in which the electric motor operates at a speed of around 3,600 r.p.m., and the speed reducer includes means for driving the rotor of the pump at a speed of the order of 600 r.p.m. or less.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 381 words

A self-contained and electrically powered submersible pumping assembly for use with well fluids in a casing comprising an electric motor having an output shaft and disposed in a sealed housing with an opening at one end; a speed reducer in a sealed housing having openings at both ends and input and output shafts at said ends, the motor housing at its open end and the speed reducer at one of its open ends being joined and the motor output shaft being coupled to the reducer input shaft; a pressure equalizer in a sealed housing with openings at both ends and with a motion transmitting means passing therethrough having an input and an output disposed at opposite end openings in the equalizer housing, the equalizer housing at one of its open ends being joined to the reducer housing at its other open end, the reducer output shaft being coupled to the input of the equalizer; and a progressive cavity pump of the Moineau type with a helical rotor and a helical stator enclosed in an elongated housing with a pump discharge opening at its upper end, a pump inlet opening to well fluids intermediate its ends, and a coupling opening at its lower end, said pump having an operating shaft coupled to the rotor anD extending through a fluid permeable bearing structure carried on the pump housing to the coupling opening, the other end of the equalizer housing being joined to said lower end of the pump housing with the equalizer and coupling opening in communication and the pump shaft coupled to the equalizer output; the housing for the electric motor, the speed reducer, the equalizer, and the portion of the pump housing bound by the pump shaft and the coupling end forming a sealed expansible and contractible cavity filled with a fluid lubricant, and in fluid communication with the permeable bearing structure, charges in the volume of the lubricant causing a flow of well fluid through the permeable bearing structure; the pump outlet opening in the pump housing being adapted to be coupled to tubing extending in the casing from the surface for supporting the assembly of the electric motor, speed reducer, equalizer and pump in a vertical position within the casing and for conveying pumped well fluid to the surface.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 381 words

A self-contained and electrically powered submersible pumping assembly for use with well fluids in a casing comprising an electric motor having an output shaft and disposed in a sealed housing with an opening at one end; a speed reducer in a sealed housing having openings at both ends and input and output shafts at said ends, the motor housing at its open end and the speed reducer at one of its open ends being joined and the motor output shaft being coupled to the reducer input shaft; a pressure equalizer in a sealed housing with openings at both ends and with a motion transmitting means passing therethrough having an input and an output disposed at opposite end openings in the equalizer housing, the equalizer housing at one of its open ends being joined to the reducer housing at its other open end, the reducer output shaft being coupled to the input of the equalizer; and a progressive cavity pump of the Moineau type with a helical rotor and a helical stator enclosed in an elongated housing with a pump discharge opening at its upper end, a pump inlet opening to well fluids intermediate its ends, and a coupling opening at its lower end, said pump having an operating shaft coupled to the rotor anD extending through a fluid permeable bearing structure carried on the pump housing to the coupling opening, the other end of the equalizer housing being joined to said lower end of the pump housing with the equalizer and coupling opening in communication and the pump shaft coupled to the equalizer output; the housing for the electric motor, the speed reducer, the equalizer, and the portion of the pump housing bound by the pump shaft and the coupling end forming a sealed expansible and contractible cavity filled with a fluid lubricant, and in fluid communication with the permeable bearing structure, charges in the volume of the lubricant causing a flow of well fluid through the permeable bearing structure; the pump outlet opening in the pump housing being adapted to be coupled to tubing extending in the casing from the surface for supporting the assembly of the electric motor, speed reducer, equalizer and pump in a vertical position within the casing and for conveying pumped well fluid to the surface.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-07-18	1976-01-17	1976-07-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-07-18	1980-01-17	1980-07-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-07-18	1984-01-17	1984-07-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Submersible pump assembly

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