US 12,066,026 B2
Electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly with load absorbing coupling
Donn Jason Brown, Tulsa, OK (US); Ketankumar Kantilal Sheth, Tulsa, OK (US); and Randy Louis Mathes, II, Tusla, OK (US)
Assigned to Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/551,386.
Prior Publication US 2023/0184253 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. F04D 13/02 (2006.01); E21B 17/02 (2006.01); E21B 43/12 (2006.01); F04D 13/08 (2006.01); F04D 13/14 (2006.01); F04D 29/054 (2006.01); F16D 3/10 (2006.01); F04D 1/06 (2006.01); F16D 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC F04D 13/021 (2013.01) [E21B 17/02 (2013.01); E21B 43/128 (2013.01); F04D 13/086 (2013.01); F04D 13/14 (2013.01); F04D 29/054 (2013.01); F16D 3/10 (2013.01); F04D 1/06 (2013.01); F16D 2001/103 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly, comprising:
an electric motor comprising a splined drive shaft comprising parallel-sided and straight-sided profile drive shaft teeth comprising a constant depth along an effective engagement length of each tooth with respect to the splined drive shaft;
an ESP mechanically coupled to the electric motor and comprising a splined ESP shaft comprising parallel-sided and straight-sided profile ESP shaft teeth comprising a constant depth along the effective engagement length of each tooth with respect to the splined ESP shaft;
a downhole component mechanically coupled to the electric motor and comprising a splined component shaft comprising parallel-sided and straight-sided profile component shaft teeth comprising a constant depth along the effective engagement length of each tooth with respect to the splined component shaft; and
splined couplings each comprising a body that is hollow through the body and comprising a central axis and grooves through the entire coupling, each groove comprising straight-sided profile groove sidewalls angled laterally relative to the central axis to form a space on either side of each drive shaft, ESP shaft, or component shaft tooth in each groove for at least a portion of the overlapped length of the tooth within the groove,
wherein each coupling is engageable with the teeth of two of the drive shaft, the pump shaft, or the component shaft at a time to mechanically couple the electric motor, the ESP, and the downhole component.