Voltage Stresses in

Electric Submergible
Pumps Operated by
Variable Speed Drives
Bill Pelton (Reda)
Kurt LeDoux (Toshiba)
Don Kelly (ACA)
The paper has shown…

1. Both PWM and 6 Step VSDs can cause

voltage stress in ESP systems.
2. A model has been developed to
accurately predict voltage stress and
design the most economical solution.
3. PWM technology provides great flexibility
in correcting a voltage stress problem.
4. PWM technology combined with
economical capacitive filter technology
can produce a sine wave.
 Definitions
• Resonant frequency is the natural
frequency of the ESP circuit. Most ESPs
resonate at between 3 & 10 khz
depending primarily on cable length, type
and voltage.
• Carrier frequency is the switching
frequency of a PWM drive. Modern PWM
drives have an adjustable carrier
frequency.
 6 Step and PWM VSD Voltage & Spectrum
300

250

200

Peak
150

100

50

0
0 2 4 6 8 10
Frequency kHz

180
160
140
120
100

Peak
80
60
40
20
0
0 2 4 6 8 10
Frequency kHz

In both systems, voltage stress can take place

In most installations the peak voltage is within system limits
 Analysis Model
ACA ESP SITE MODEL - DRIVE POWER SOURCE
SITE: SPE Test Site 1
DRIVE: 815 kVA
TRANSFORMER: 800 kVA
MOTOR: 600 Hp

Cable(Rl11ELBE_G5R, 1100,75,75)

Cable(KERITE1_5F, 1200,75,75)
Drive(3,480,70,2200,60) Trandy2(800,60,480,3541,5.75,1.5) Cable(Rl41ELB_G5F,40,75,25)
X2 Rp pa sa Rs X4
da Rd X3 ca Rc ma Rm
X1 X5 X6 X7 X8
db LRC pb sb LRC cb mb
FILTER FILTER
M
dc pc cc mc
sc
D/Y LRCYfilter1(0,0,0)
LRCYfilter1(0,0,0) Motor(M540_91, 2853,111,0.045)

Device Parameters:
DRIVE([Mode, 1=Sine, 2=AC Response, 3=PWM, 4=Six-Step],Input Volts, Base Frequency, Carrier Frequency, Run Frequency)
Trandy2(kVA,Hz,Primary Voltage,Secondary Tap,%Impedence,%Resistance)
Cable(meters,degC,Damping)
Motor(Voltage,Amps,Slip)
LRCYfilter(mHenrys,Ohms,uFarads)

Computer model tool for simulating VSD & ESP interaction

 Frequency Response
Fr = 1/sqrt (LC)

•Increasing cable length decreases resonant frequency

•Increasing transformer tap voltage decreases resonant frequency
•Adding L or C decreases resonant frequency
PWM + ESP Operation
Fc = 2000 Hz
Fo = 60/70 Hz
Fr = 4000 Hz

+ =

Noisy waveform
2nd Carrier multiple amplified
 PWM + ESP Operation
Fc = 8000 Hz
Fo = 60/70 Hz
Fr = 4000 Hz

+ Fc > (1.5 x Fr) =

Setting the carrier frequency

above the resonant band
provides a sine waveform
without the need for a filter
 PWM + ESP Operation
Fc = 2200 Hz
Fo = 60/70 Hz
Fr = 1000 Hz

+ C, Fc > (1.5X Fr) =

Economical capacitor filter

lowers the resonant band
below the maximum carrier
frequency to provide a sine
waveform
Six-Step + ESP Operation

Fo = 60/70 Hz
Fr = 4000 Hz

+ =

Ringing waveform
Six-Step + ESP Operation

Fo = 60/70 Hz
Fr = Flat

+ RC =

RC filter flattens resonant

band to eliminate ringing
Peak KV vs. Carrier Frequency
13
12

KILOVOLTS
11
10
9
8
7
6
PEAK 5
SURGE 4
VOLTS 3 RESONANT
2 AREA
1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
DRIVE CARRIER FREQUENCY KILOHERTZ
 Voltage Comparison
8
7
6
5
4 Field
3 Model

2
1
0
well 1 well 2 well 3 well 4

Model Matches Field Measurements

 Resonant Frequency Comparison
7
6
5
4
Field
kHz 3 Model
2
1
0
well 1 well 2 well 3 well 4

Model Matches Field Measurements

Fig. 3-1: Hooten Strouthers #5 Phase to Phase Fig. 3-2: : Hooten Strouthers #5 Phase to Phase
Voltage Waveform – Field Measurement Voltage Waveform – Modeled

Measurement and model appear almost identical.

Ways to reduce voltage stresses.
• Use a lower voltage motor
• Reduce motor voltage using lower
transformer tap if motor is not fully loaded
• Reduce base frequency (applies to PWM
VSDs only)
• Use optimum carrier frequency setting
(applies to PWM VSDs with adjustable
carrier frequency only)
• Filter the output of the VSD
 Field Case Study of
Employing the First
Three Methods
Together

• Use lower voltage motor

• Use lower transformer tap if
motor is not fully loaded
• Reduce base frequency
 Average Peak Voltages
3 HV Wells & 9 LV Wells

12

10

8
kV
6

0
HV wells LV wells

50% Reduction in Peak Voltage

This example is an LC filter on the high voltage (secondary)
side of the step up transformer.

3.7 kV pk no filter 1 kV pk with filter

Filtered voltage much closer to sine wave.
Peak voltage reduced by 75%.
 This example is a capacitor only filter installed between
the step up transformer and the wellhead.
Fig. 5-7 Canada: Output Phase to Phase Voltage, Before and After Filter Installation with
Capacitor Only Filter.

1> T 1>

1) Ref A: 2 V 2 ms 1) Math: 2 V 2 ms

Filter installation turned wellhead voltage into sine

wave.
VSD Type Difficulty of filtering to
produce sine wave
Six Step Most expensive to filter
PWM with low
synchronous carrier
frequency that changes
as output frequency
changes
PWM with high Least expensive to filter
asynchronous carrier
frequency that is
constant and
independent of output
frequency
 History of VSD technology
IGBT enabled Vector
Hi Speed Microprocessors
BJT enhanced PWM
GTO enabled PWM
SCR enabled VVI
1950s 1970s 1980s 1990s

The focus has been on producing a better wave form

 Six-Step
volts, amps

PWM
volts, amps

PWM Sine Wave

volts, amps
Conclusions:

• All components (motor, cable, feed through &

transformer) were originally designed for sine
wave voltages and currents.
• PWM VSDs combined with new technology can
produce a sine wave voltage and current.
• A Six-Step VSD cannot produce a sine wave
voltage or current with any practical technology.
• A system computer model has been developed
and the accuracy has been verified by field
measurements.
• The computer model is presently being used to
design today’s applications.
• In fields with existing PWM technology, voltage
reduction programs have produced dramatic
results without requiring the use of filters. A 50%
reduction was documented in one test.
• Properly applied, filters can further reduce the
peak voltage. A 73% reduction in peak voltage
was observed in the field after the installation of
a sine wave filter.
 PWM Sine Wave

Voltage Current

The new oilfield standard.