Electric submersible pump

Abstract

An electric submersible pump having a housing with side walls and at least one stackable diffuser residing within the housing. The stackable diffuser can have a diffuser side wall forming an annular gap between the outer surface of the diffuser side wall and the inner surface of the housing side wall. A filler can be provided within the annular gap to prevent recirculation and/or rotation of the diffuser within the housing. Additionally or alternatively, an O-ring can be disposed within the annular gap to prevent recirculation and/or rotation of the diffuser within the housing.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An electric submersible pump comprising:
 a housing having housing side walls;   at least one stackable diffuser residing in the housing, each stackable diffuser having a diffuser side wall; and   a filler substantially residing in an annular gap between an interior of the housing side walls and an exterior of the diffuser side wall of the at least one stackable diffuser,   wherein the filler comprises at least one of a curable filler or a temperature expandable sleeve.   
     
     
         2 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 1 , wherein the filler comprises the curable filler and wherein the curable filler comprises at least one of silicon or epoxy. 
     
     
         3 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 1 , wherein the filler expands or cures to fill the full radial width of the annular gap. 
     
     
         4 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 1 , wherein the filler expands or cures to fill the annular gap along the full longitudinal length of the stackable diffuser side wall. 
     
     
         5 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 1 , wherein the stackable diffuser does not have an external O-ring groove in the diffuser side wall. 
     
     
         6 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior wall of at least one stackable diffuser wall is substantially flat. 
     
     
         7 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 1 , wherein the diffuser side wall comprises an O-ring, and wherein the O-ring and filler are of different materials. 
     
     
         8 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of stackable diffusers which are compressed from 112500 th  of an inch to 11500 th  of an inch. 
     
     
         9 . An electric submersible pump string comprising:
 a tubing string; and   the electric submersible pump of  claim 1  coupled with the tubing string.   
     
     
         10 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . An electric submersible pump comprising:
 a housing having housing side walls; and   at least one stackable diffuser residing in the housing, each stackable diffuser having a diffuser side wall;   wherein the diffuser side wall has a circumferential channel comprising a material of greater strength than the remainder of the diffuser side wall.   
     
     
         16 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 15 , wherein the circumferential channel comprises a hardened steel ring having a minimum pressure value of 150,000 pounds per square inch (PSI) and shaped to receive an O-ring. 
     
     
         17 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 16 , wherein the exterior wall of at least one stackable diffuser wall forms the circumferential channel to receive the hardened steel ring. 
     
     
         18 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 16 , wherein the hardened steel ring is a split ring. 
     
     
         19 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 18 , wherein the hardened steel split ring comprises at least two pieces. 
     
     
         20 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 19 , wherein each piece of the hardened steel split ring has substantially equal dimensions. 
     
     
         21 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 19 , wherein ends of each piece of the hardened steel split ring abut against an end of an adjacent piece of the hardened steel split ring. 
     
     
         22 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 18 , where ends of each piece of the hardened steel split ring are angled and each end of the hardened steel split ring is shaped to mate with an angled end of an adjacent piece of the hardened steel split ring. 
     
     
         23 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 18 , wherein the hardened steel split ring further has an O-ring channel on an exterior surface of the hardened steel split ring with the O-ring channel configured to receive an O-ring. 
     
     
         24 . The electric submersible pump of  claim 23 , further comprising an O-ring residing in the O-ring channel of the hardened steel split ring. 
     
     
         25 . A electric submersible pump string comprising:
 a tubing string; and   the electric submersible pump of  claim 15  coupled with the tubing string.   
     
     
         26 - 30 . (canceled)