US 12,331,619 B2
Shape memory alloy seal bladder clamp rings
David Tanner, Broken Arrow, OK (US); and Aron Meyer, Pryor, OK (US)
Assigned to Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on May 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/736,597.
Application 17/736,597 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/391,659, filed on Apr. 23, 2019, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/662,256, filed on Apr. 25, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0259957 A1, Aug. 18, 2022
Int. Cl. E21B 43/12 (2006.01); F04D 13/10 (2006.01); F04D 29/08 (2006.01); F04D 29/10 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 43/128 (2013.01) [F04D 13/10 (2013.01); F04D 29/086 (2013.01); F04D 29/106 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of handling an electrical submersible pump assembly (“ESP”) comprising:
installing an open end of a bladder over an annular adapter that is provided in a seal section of the ESP;
defining an outer diameter of the open end of the bladder to be DMAX when the open end of the bladder is compressed against the annular adapter by a sealing force that forms a barrier to fluid communication between the open end of the bladder and the adapter;
defining the outer diameter of the open end of the bladder to be DMIN when the open end of the bladder is compressed against the adapter by an amount that damages the open end of the bladder;
forming a clamp ring that comprises a shape memory alloy and has an inner diameter at least as great as an outer diameter of the open end of the bladder when in an uncompressed configuration and installed over the adapter;
installing the clamp ring over an end of the bladder;
securing the end of the bladder to the adapter by heating the clamp ring to a selected high temperature that causes a phase change to place the clamp ring in a contracted position that exerts a desired level of a radially inward directed compressive force to compress the open end of the bladder to have an outer diameter that is between DMIN and DMAX, which applies the sealing force forming the barrier to fluid communication between the open end of the bladder and the adapter;
operating the ESP in a well;
retrieving the ESP from the well;
expanding the clamp ring by chilling the clamp ring to a selected low temperature that is below that experienced by the clamp ring while the ESP is operating in the well and while the ESP is out of the well; and
removing the clamp ring from the open end of the bladder.