Protector

Construction
and Functions
 Protector Functions

• Often overlooked in the REDA system and

frequently misunderstood.

• Direct effect on overall run life.

• Several Functions...
 Protector Functions

Primary Functions:

1) To keep well fluid out of the motor.

2) To carry the downthrust.
3) To couple the torque developed in the motor to the
pump.
4) Pressure Equalization
 Protector Functions

1) Keeping the well fluids out of the motor:

What fluids?

- Aggressive environment.
- Wide swings in pressure.
- Internal heating
- Pressure Equalization
 Protector Functions
2) Carry the downthrust
generated by the pump.
Upthrust
bearing
- Thrust Bearing
Thrust
- Check Bearing Rating Runner

Downthrust
bearing
 Protector Functions

3) Couple the torque generated by the

motor to the pump.

- Shaft Selection
 Basic Types

Labyrinth Positive Seal

 Labyrinth Protectors

The labyrinth design uses the difference in specific

gravity of the well fluid and the motor oil to keep them
apart even though they are in direct contact.
 Top of unit is in contact with well fluid via the pump intake

The well fluid

level in the

chamber
A "U-tube" design can
rise and
fall as
needed to
balance the
expansion or
contraction
of motor oil.
Bottom of unit is in direct contact with motor head
(see graphics in Product Catalogue)
 LABYRINTH TYPE
PROTECTOR
Intake
HOW DOES
IT WORK?

EXCESSIVE
START
STOP
Protector
STARTING
START
STOPPING
STOP
OCCURS

Motor MOTOR BURN OUT

 Labyrinth Protectors

There are times when it is not

convenient to use this type of
protector:

- Well fluid ,

and...
 Labyrinth Protectors

Horizontal or Highly Deviated Wells.

 Labyrinth Protectors
Special care must be taken when pulling the unit to
check for water prior to laying down the protector.
 Positive Seal Protectors

For applications where the well fluid and motor oil

gravities are similar - or where a well is highly
deviated, a different Protector design uses a "positive
seal" or "bag" to physically separate the two fluids.

- High Temp / High Performance Elastomer

- Accommodate volume changes
 Positive Seal Protectors

The bag is free to

change volume as
Elastomer Bag necessary and yet
keeps the two
fluids physically
separated at all
times.
 The Modular Protector

Many configurations available

3 Basic components:

1) Seal
2) Thrust Bearing
3) Shaft
 The Modular Protector

Previous widely used models:

- 66L
- PFSB
- PFDB
 The Modular Protector

Custom Design :

- Head
- Base
- Shaft
- Seal Section
- Seal Body
 The Modular Protector System
Head ns
Bag
a t io
Chamber b in
Seal Body
o m
Labyrinth b l eC
s i
Chamber Base
os
e P
f th
e o
rts m
Shafts Pa So
on
mm
C o

BPBSLSL
Thrust Only
B L BSL LSB BSBSL LSLSB
 The Modular Protector
The Protector is named with the type(s) of seal chambers
used - and how these chambers are connected (i.e. in
"series" or "parallel").

L: Labyrinth
B: Bag
P: Parallel
S: Series
HL: High Load (Bearing)
Since 2003 M: Metal Bellows
 The Modular Protector

For example, a BSBSL-HL is ...

Three chamber design with a Bag on top connected in

Series to another
Bag which is then
connected in Series to a
Labyrinth chamber.

Also it has a High Load thrust bearing.

 The Modular Protector

Series Connection:

Installed for Redundancy/Safety

• For well fluid to enter the lower chamber, it must

completely displace all the oil in the upper chamber
first.

• Expansion Capacity - Labyrinth is in effect doubled –

while Bag has no additional capacity
 The Modular Protector

Parallel Connection:

• Double available expansion volume.

• Useful in high HP applications where motors are

larger, and more expansion of mineral oil occurs.
 The Modular Protector

Allowable Permutations:

LSL,
LSB,
BSL,
BSB,
BPB
A M etal bellows is similar to a Bag
• Not Possible: LPL, BPL or MPL
 Protector operation cycles

Steps in the Operation Cycle of a Protector:

1. Servicing the protector prior to installation.

2. System landing at setting depth, oil expands.
3. Motor Operates, oil expands more.
4. Motor stops, oil contracts
5. Motor operating cycles.
6. Pulling the unit to surface, oil contracts.
 Protector operation cycles

1. Servicing the protector prior to installation.

-All modular Protectors come "pre-filled"

-During field assembly, the FSS will "top up" the protector
to replace any oil lost during the assembly process.

- Vent plugs are replaced at intervals.

Protector operation cycles

1. Servicing the protector

prior to installation.

This is an exaggerated view

of an LSB protector. The red
arrows indicate the oil flow
path during filling.

The vent plugs are replaced

at intervals to ensure all air is
removed from the unit.
 Protector operation cycles
Servicing the protector prior to installation.
Since the protector is serviced at surface, the motor oil
temperature will be the current Outside Ambient Temperature
(OAT).
110%

100% 1
Oil volume

80%

OAT BHT MOT

Temperature
 Protector operation cycles
2. System landing at setting depth, oil expands.
The protector is lowered into the well and will reach Bottom
Hole Temperature (BHT). Assume oil expansion equals 9%.

110%

100% 1
Oil volume

80%

OAT BHT MOT

Temperature
 Protector operation cycles
2. System landing at setting depth, oil expands.
Given that the system can only hold 100% volume, the system
will dump the 9% overboard. This oil will never be recovered.

110%

100% 1 2
Oil volume

80%

OAT BHT MOT

Temperature
 Protector operation cycles
3. Motor Operates, oil expands more.
Additional expansion of oil, typically another 2-4%.

110%

100% 1 2
Oil volume

Motor operates

80%

OAT BHT MOT

Temperature
 Protector operation cycles
3. Motor Operates, oil expands more.
But again, the system can only hold 100% volume. The 2-4% oil
expanded will again be lost to the well bore.

110%

100% 1 2 3
Oil volume

80%

OAT BHT MOT

Temperature
 Protector operation cycles
4. Motor stops, oil contracts
Now the system is only 96 - 98% full of motor oil so the protector
will then have a small amount of well fluid in the first chamber
making up the balance of the volume.
110%

1 2 3 Motor stops
100%
Oil volume

80%

OAT BHT MOT

Temperature
 Protector operation cycles
5. Motor operating cycles.
As the unit cycles, the system can lose additional motor oil due to
several reasons: Motor Temperature, Specific Gravity, Gas in
Motor Oil, Emulsions, etc.
110%

1 2 3 Motor
100%
cycles
Oil volume

80%

OAT BHT MOT

Temperature
 Protector operation cycles
6. Pulling the unit to surface, oil contracts due to temperature and
pressure changes..
When the unit is pulled the motor oil will cool once again to
surface temperature (OAT). Most bag damage is caused during
system removal from the well and not during down hole
operation. Oil shrinkage can be greater than bag volume.
110%

100% 1 2 3
Oil volume

Pulling the unit

4 5

80%

OAT BHT MOT

Temperature
Protector operation cycles

LSB type Protector

 Protector Operation Cycle - LSB

110%
well fluid

motor oil 1
100%
LSB Modular Protector

Oil volume
1

Servicing the
80%
protector prior
OAT BHT MOT
to installation. Temperature
 Protector Operation Cycle - LSB

110%
well fluid

motor oil 1 2
100%
LSB Modular Protector

Oil volume
2

System landed at
setting depth,
80%
oil expands. OAT BHT MOT
Temperature
 Protector Operation Cycle - LSB

110%
well fluid

motor oil 1 2 3
100%
LSB Modular Protector

Oil volume
3

Motor Operates, oil

expands some more.
80%
OAT BHT MOT
Temperature
 Protector Operation
well
Cycle - LSB
fluid

110%
well fluid

motor oil 1 2 3
100%
LSB Modular Protector

Oil volume
4
4

Motor stops,
oil contracts
80%
OAT BHT MOT
Temperature

Bag
contracts
 Protector Operation Cycle - LSB
well
fluid

110%
well fluid

motor oil 1 2 3
100%
LSB Modular Protector

Oil volume
4 5
5

Motor operating
cycles-start,
80%
oil expands. OAT BHT MOT
Temperature

Bag
expands
 Protector Operation
well
Cycle - LSB
fluid

110%
well fluid

motor oil 1 2 3
100%
LSB Modular Protector

Oil volume
4 5
5

Motor operating
cycles-stop,
80%
oil contracts. OAT BHT MOT
Temperature

Bag
contracts
 Protector Operation
well
Cycle - LSB
fluid

110%
well fluid

motor oil 1 2 3
100%
LSB Modular Protector

Oil volume
4 5
6
Pulling unit to surface
oil contracts further.
80%
OAT BHT MOT
Temperature

Bag
contracts
 Protector Operation Cycle - LSB
more well well well
2 oil 3 oil 4 fluid 5 fluid 5 fluid
LSB Modular Protector

Bag Bag Bag

contracts expands contracts

Motor operates Motor stops Motor cycles-on Motor cycles off

Unit installed and oil and oil and oil & oil contracts
expands contracts expands
Protector operation cycles

BSB type Protector

 Protector operation cycles BSB
more well well well
2 oil 3 oil 4 fluid 5 fluid 5 fluid

Bag
Bag Bag
BSB Modular Protector

expands
contracts contracts

Bag Bag Bag

contracts expands contracts

Unit Motor operates Motor stops Motor cycles-on Motor cycles off
installed and oil and oil and oil & oil contracts
expands contracts expands
Protector operation cycles

BPB type Protector

 Protector operation cycles BPB
more well well well
2 oil 3 oil 4 fluid 5 fluid 5 fluid
BPB Modular Protector
Bag Bag Bag
contracts expands contracts

Bag Bag Bag

contracts expands contracts

Unit Motor operates Motor stops Motor cycles-on Motor cycles off
installed and oil and oil and oil & oil contracts
expands contracts expands
 Positive Seal Protector
Protector
LSBPB
(Labyrinth Series Bag Parallel Bag)

3–5 PSI
How does it work ?

Bags
START
STOP
Contracts
due to Torn or leak
getting less
oil inside (Could be seal failure)

Temperature increase
decrease
MOTOR GETS
BURNED
 The Modular Protector
The Modular Protectors are
available in 400 Series (4.00"),
540 Series (5.13") and 562
Series (5.62").

Both the 540 and 562 series

have the same top and
bottom flange and can either
be run on a 540 or 562 motor
without adapters.

The 400 Series is designed to

be run on the 456 Series
motor without an adapter.

400 540 562

 The Modular Protector

From this point on up, the 562 Protector is

exactly the same as the 540 and, in fact, uses
the same parts.

The 562 has an enlarged thrust

540 Section, larger bearing and
540 thrust runner for high thrust
applications.
562
 The Modular Protector
With any series of Modular Protector, flexibility is the primary
advantage. With the system, it is possible to "custom fit" the
Protector to the application.

The following guidelines show some of the possible Protector

configurations and the areas where each has its strengths and
weaknesses, mainly:

- Chamber Selection
- Elastomer
- Downhole Environment
 Protector Elastomer Selection
REDA Elastomer Application Guidelines

Neoprene
Nitrile Carboxy-Nitrile HSN Viton Aflas
Temp. Limit (Deg F)*
250 275 300 350 400
Relative Chemical Resistance Properties

1 1 1 2 1
Water/Oil
1 3 1 4 1
Hydrogen Sulfide
3 3 3 4 1
Amines
4 4 1-2 3 3
Polar Chemicals
2 2 2 4 2
Carbon Dioxide

Temperature Limit above indicates maximum operating temperature for the specific compound. An
elastomeric component will operate at a temperature higher than the well ambient temperature
depending on its location in the equipment. Contact InTouch for specific application assistance.
1 = Excellent long term resistance (very low swell/maintains very high physical properties)
2 = Good long term resistance (moderate swell/maintains high physical properties)
3 = Fair - depends upon exposure time and temperature (good short term resistance)
4 = Poor - no resistance even in short term
REDA Protector Bottom hole Temperature Limits

200 °F 225 °F 250 °F 275 °F 300 °F

400/456 Modular
540/562 Standard
400/456 Modular
540/562 AFLAS
 Protector Load Ratings vs. Temperature for
REDA 2 Oil
400 Series Protector
10,000
Hi Ex Bearing

7,500
Load (LBf)

5,000 Bronze
Bearing

2,500

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Bottom Hole Temp (°F)

60 Hz and Above 50 Hz
 Protector Load Ratings vs. Temperature for
REDA 2 Oil
540 Series Protector
15,000

Hi Ex Bearing
12,500
Load (LBf)

10,000 Bronze
Bearing

7,500

5,000

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Bottom Hole Temp (°F)

60 Hz and Above 50 Hz
 Protector Load Rating vs. Temperature
for REDA 2 Oil
562 Series Protector
20,000
Hi Ex Bearing

15,000
Load (LBf)

10,000

5,000

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Bottom Hole Temp (°F)

60 Hz and Above 50 Hz
 Protector Power Consumption for REDA 2
Oil
Est. Power Consumed at 200 °F BHT

3 562 Series
Horsepower

2
540 Series
1 400 Series

0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000
Thrust Load in Pounds