Well Deployed Heat Fin For ESP Motor

Abstract

An electrical submersible pumping system (ESP) for use in pumping fluids from a wellbore. The ESP includes fins on an outer portion of the ESP that transfer heat from a motor in the ESP to fluid flowing past the fins. A self removing material is provided over the fins when the ESP is deployed into the wellbore to protect the fins against being damaged when the ESP contacts a wall of the wellbore. The material can corrode, erode, melt, dissolve, disintegrate, or otherwise automatically decouple from the fins when the ESP is disposed in the wellbore.

1 . A method of cooling an electrical submersible pumping system (ESP) comprising:
 a. providing fins on an outer surface of the ESP;   b. shielding the fins from damage by covering the fins with a protective layer of a self removing material; and   c. deploying the ESP with the protective layer into a wellbore, so that when the ESP contacts a wall of the wellbore, the protective layer safeguards the fins from damage.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material disintegrates when disposed in a wellbore and the fins conduct heat from within the ESP to fluid in the wellbore. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of wax, aluminum, zinc, beryllium, magnesium, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protective layer comprises a protective packing encapsulated with an outer layer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the protective packing comprises a substance selected from the list consisting of particulate material, dissolvable powders, wax, sand, plaster, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the outer layer comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of aluminum, wax, zinc, beryllium, magnesium, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fins are disposed on a motor section of the ESP that contains a motor for driving a pump in the ESP. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising actuating the motor to drive the pump and pumping fluid from the wellbore into production tubing attached to the pump. 
     
     
         9 . An electrical submersible pumping system (ESP) comprising:
 a motor section having a motor;   a seal section in pressure communication with the motor;   a pump section having a pump coupled with the motor;   fins on an outer surface of the motor section; and   a cover over the fins for shielding the fins from damage as the ESP is lowered into a wellbore and for automatically detaching from the ESP when the ESP is disposed in a designated location in the wellbore.   
     
     
         10 . The ESP of  claim 9 , wherein the cover comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zinc, wax, beryllium, magnesium, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The ESP of  claim 9 , wherein the cover comprises a protective packing encapsulated in an outer layer. 
     
     
         12 . The ESP of  claim 11 , wherein the protective packing comprises a substance selected from the list consisting of particulate material, wax, sand, plaster, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The ESP of  claim 11 , wherein the outer layer comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zinc, beryllium, magnesium, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.