US 12,486,850 B2
Systems and methods for prevention of rotation in permanent magnet motors
Xiaonan Lu, Tulsa, OK (US); Joseph Robert McManus, Tulsa, OK (US); Howard G. Thompson, Claremore, OK (US); and Sean A. Cain, Tulsa, OK (US)
Filed by Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Apr. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/298,314.
Application 18/298,314 is a continuation of application No. 17/031,602, filed on Sep. 24, 2020, granted, now 11,649,827.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/906,318, filed on Sep. 26, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0323884 A1, Oct. 12, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F04D 13/10 (2006.01); E21B 43/12 (2006.01); F16D 41/067 (2006.01)
CPC F04D 13/10 (2013.01) [E21B 43/128 (2013.01); F16D 41/067 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electric submersible pump (ESP) system comprising:
a motor section;
a pump section coupled to a motor shaft of the motor section;
a seal section that is positioned between the pump section and the motor section, wherein the seal section has a seal shaft coupled between the motor shaft and the pump shaft, wherein the seal shaft is secured to the pump shaft so that the pump shaft cannot rotate with respect to the seal shaft; and
a directional coupling that is configured:
to allow the motor shaft of the motor section to rotate in a forward direction and drive the pump section when the motor section is powered on,
to enable the seal shaft to freewheel in the forward direction without causing the motor shaft to rotate, wherein the directional coupling drives the seal shaft in the forward direction when the motor shaft rotates the directional coupling in the forward direction, and
to prevent the motor shaft from being driven by the pump section to rotate in the forward direction when the motor section is powered off;
a directional lock coupled to the motor shaft and configured:
to allow the motor shaft to rotate in the forward direction to drive the pump section when the motor section is powered on, and
to prevent the motor shaft from being driven by the pump section to rotate in a reverse direction;
a modular combined directional unit installed between the motor section and the seal section, wherein the modular combined directional unit has interfaces that are the same as interfaces at the bottom of the seal section and the top of the motor section, wherein the modular combined directional unit is secured between the motor shaft and the seal shaft with the interfaces of the modular combined directional unit coupled to respective ones of the interfaces at the bottom of the seal section and the top of the motor section;
an outer shell secured to the motor shaft; and
an insert secured to the seal shaft of the seal section and positioned coaxially within the outer shell.