High Frequency Effects of Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) on Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) Systems

Abstract

Variable frequency drives (VFD) and subsea (umbilical) cables are frequently used in electrical submersible pump (ESP) systems for offshore platforms. There are two basic system configurations for ESP systems; VFD can be installed on the platform and the motor is connected to it through an umbilical cable, and VFD and the motor are installed closely and they are connected to the system through an umbilical cable. In this thesis, the pros and cons of each configuration are mentioned, but the focus is on the system with a VFD controlled motor through a long umbilical cable. A 36-pulse VFD is studied. Since multilevel VFDs have high frequency harmonics, high frequency modeling of the umbilical cable is used, and skin effect is also taken into consideration in the cable. The effect of the interactions between the umbilical cable and high frequency harmonics on the motor terminal voltage is explored.