Electrically driven submersible pump system

Claim 2

For use in the pipe stack of a submersible pump system having a pump head with an electrically driven drive means for an impeller at the lower end of the said pipe stack, a pipe stack section comprising: a guide pipe defining a duct for guiding a fluid pumped by the system, a plurality of electrical conductors for conveying electrical power to said pump head drive means, and a further pipe located around said conductors with clearance for dielectric liquid for insulation of said conductors, each of said guide pipe, said further pipe and said conductors being adapted, at each end of said pipe section, for releaseable connection respectively with a guide pipe, a further pipe, and conductors of co-operating pipe stack sections, whereby said pipe stack can be assembled in a desired length from a selected plurality of said pipe stack sections, said conductors and said further pipe cooperating to define a supply path and a return path along said section for circulation of dielectric liquid in said pipe stack, each of said plurality of conductors comprising a tubular conductor of which the interior provides one of said supply and return paths, the other of said supply and return paths being defined between said tubular conductors and said further pipe.

Claim 3

The pipe stack section means of claim 1 wherein each tubular conductor has a spigot shaped end piece at one end of said pipe stack section and a socket shaped end piece at the other end of said pipe stack section, said end pieces being adapted for releaseable connection respectively with socket and spigot shaped end pieces of tubular conductors of adjoining co-operating pipe stack sections.

Claim 4

For use in the pipe stack of a submersible pump system having a pump head with an electrically driven drive means for an impeller at the lower end of the said pipe stack, a pipe stack section comprising: a guide pipe defining a duct for guiding a fluid pumped by the system; a plurality of electrical conductors for conveying electrical power to said pump head drive means, and a further pipe located around said conductors with clearance for dielectric liquid for insulation of said conductors, each of said guide pipe, said further pipe and said conductors being adapted, at each end of said pipe section, for releaseable connection respectively with a guide pipe, a further pipe, and conductors of co-operating pipe stack sections, whereby said pipe stack can be assembled in a desired length from a selected plurality of said pipe stack sections, said conductors comprising a plurality of concentric tubular conductors and solid dielectric material disposed therebetween, the ends of the conductors being relatively staggered at each end of said pipe stack section, whereby each conductor can be slidably received within a respective conductor of a co-operating pipe stack section of which the ends are relatively staggered in the contrary sense from those of said first-mentioned pipe stack section.

Claim 5

For use in the pipe stack of a submersible pump system having a pump head with an electrically driven drive means for an impeller at the lower end of the said pipe stack, a pipe stack section comprising: a guide pipe defining a duct for guiding a fluid pumped by the system; a plurality of electrical conductors for conveying electrical power to said pump head drive means, and a further pipe located around said conductors with clearance for dielectric liquid for insulation of said conductors, each of said guide pipe, said further pipe and said conductors being adapted, at each end of said pipe section, for releaseable connection respectively with a guide pipe, a further pipe, and conductors of co-operating pipe stack sections, whereby said pipe stack can be assembled in a desired length from a selected plurality of said pipe stack sections, said conductors comprising a plurality of concentric tubular conductors and solid dielectric material disposed therebetween, the ends of the conductors being relatively staggered at each end of said pipe stack section, whereby each conductor can be slidably received within a respective conductor of a co-operating pipe stack section of which the ends are relatively staggered in the contrary sense from those of said first-mentioned pipe stack section.

Claim 6

The pipe stack section of claim 3 wherein said solid dielectric material extends to a position between the ends of said conductors between which said dielectric material is disposed, thereby to ensure effective insulation between said conductors in the connection condition.

Claim 7

A submersible pump system comprising: a pipe stack support, a pipe stack suspended from said pipe stack support, a pump head containing an impeller and electric drive means for driving said impeller, said pump head being located at the lower end of said pipe stack,

Claim 8

A submersible pump system comprising: a pipe stack support, a pipe stack suspended from said pipe stack support, a pump head containing an impeller and electric drive means for driving said impeller, said pump head being located at the lower end of said pipe stack,

Claim 9

electrical supply means for supplying power to said electric drive means, said electrical supply means comprising electrical conductors, a pipe member surrounding the electrical conductors and means providing supply and return paths within said pipe member for dielectric liquid providing insulation for said electric conductors, and means for circulating dielectric liquid along said supply and return paths, at least one of said electrical conductors being hollow and having inner and outer surfaces that define at least a portion of said supply and return paths, whereby dielectric liquid passes in one direction on the inside of said at least one electrical conductor and in the opposite direction on the outside of said at least one electrical conductor.

Claim 10

electrical supply means for supplying power to said electric drive means, said electrical supply means comprising electrical conductors, a pipe member surrounding the electrical conductors and means providing supply and return paths within said pipe member for dielectric liquid providing insulation for said electric conductors, and means for circulating dielectric liquid along said supply and return paths, at least one of said electrical conductors being hollow and having inner and outer surfaces that define at least a portion of said supply and return paths, whereby dielectric liquid passes in one direction on the inside of said at least one electrical conductor and in the opposite direction on the outside of said at least one electrical conductor.

Claim 11

The pump system of claim 5 wherein said pipe stack comprises a plurality of separable pipe stack sections.

Claim 12

The pump system of claim 6 wherein said electric drive means comprises an electric motor having motor bearings, wherein said dielectric liquid is a lubricant, and wherein means is provided for guiding dielectric fluid through said electric drive means to lubricate said motor bearings.

Claim 13

The pump system of claim 7 further comprising means responsive to characteristics of dielectric liquid when recirculated from said electric drive means to indicate at least one electric drive means characteristic.

Claim 14

The pump system of claim 5 further comprising cooling means for cooling circulated dielectric liquid.

Claim 15

The pump system of claim 5 wherein said electric drive means is drivingly connected to a pump for at least assisting said circulation of dielectric liquid.

Claim 16

The pump system of claim 10 wherein said pump is adapted to function as a motor responsive to the circulation of dielectric liquid to rotate said electric drive means in the absence of an electric power supply thereto.

Claim 17

The pump system of claim 5 in combination with dielectric liquid.