Instrumentation to detect contamination of insulating oil in motors applied to electrical submersible pump

The purpose of this paper is to presents a design of a magnetic sensor capable of detecting contamination of insulating oil used in the artificial lift method of oil-type electrical submersible pump (ESP). The sensor generates an alarm signal at the moment when the contamination oil is present. This signal is transmitted to the surface by communication system which uses the tree-phase motor power. This diagnostic information enables the implementation of predictive maintenance (condition monitoring) functions. For plant operators, this therefore makes it possible to detect faults in advance and implement measures to improve operational reliability and keep the downtimes of plants to a minimum. The prototype was designed to work in harsh conditions to reach a depth of 2000 m and temperatures up to 200 C. It used simulator software to define the mechanical and electromagnetic variables. Results of field experiments were performed to validate the prototype. The final results performed in an ESP system with a 62-HP motor showed a good reliability and fast response of the prototype.