Cable management of electric powered hydraulic fracturing pump unit
A hydraulic fracturing system includes a pump, an electrically powered motor for driving the pump, a trailer on which the pump and motor are mounted, and a transformer that steps down electricity for use by the motor. Electrical output from the transformer connects to a series of receptacles mounted onto a housing around the transformer. A similar set of receptacles is provided on the trailer and which are electrically connected to the motor. Power cables equipped with plugs on their opposing ends insert into the receptacles to close an electrical circuit between the transformer and pump.
1 . A hydraulic fracturing system, comprising:
a trailer;
a hydraulic fracturing pump supported by the trailer and being configured to pump hydraulic fracturing fluid;
an electric motor that drives the hydraulic fracturing pump, the electric motor supported by the trailer;
an enclosure supported by the trailer;
a variable frequency drive (VFD) housed in the enclosure, the VFD being operably connected to the electric motor to control a speed of the electric motor; and
a three-phase transformer configured to distribute power to the electric motor, the three-phase transformer comprising:
a first pair of receptacles that transmit electricity in a first phase to the electric motor;
a second pair of receptacles that transmit electricity in a second, distinct, phase to the electric motor; and
a third pair of receptacles that transmit electricity in a third, distinct, phase to the electric motor.
2 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first pair of receptacles are vertically aligned with each other;
the second pair of receptacles are vertically aligned with each other; and
the third pair of receptacles are vertically aligned with each other.
3 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 2 , wherein each receptacle of the first, second and third pairs of receptacles is a quick disconnect receptacle.
4 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the electric motor comprises:
a fourth pair of receptacles that receives electricity in the first phase from the three-phase transformer;
a fifth pair of receptacles that receives electricity in the second, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer; and
a sixth pair of receptacles that receives electricity in the third, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer.
5 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 4 , comprising:
a first cable bundle that couples the first pair of receptacles to the fourth pair of receptacles;
a second cable bundle that couples the second pair of receptacles to the fifth pair of receptacles; and
a third cable bundle that couples the third pair of receptacles to the sixth pair of receptacles.
6 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 4 , wherein an arrangement of the first, second and third pairs of receptacles on the three-phase transformer mirrors an arrangement of the fourth, fifth and sixth pairs of receptacles on the electric motor.
7 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , comprising:
a second hydraulic fracturing pump supported by the trailer and being configured to pump hydraulic fracturing fluid;
a second electric motor that drives the second hydraulic fracturing pump, the second electric motor supported by the trailer; and
a second variable frequency drive (VFD) housed in the enclosure, the second VFD being operably connected to the second electric motor to control a speed of the second electric motor.
8 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 7 , wherein the three-phase transformer comprises:
a seventh pair of receptacles that transmit electricity at a first phase to the second electric motor;
a eighth pair of receptacles that transmit electricity at a second, distinct, phase to the second electric motor; and
a ninth pair of receptacles that transmit electricity at a third, distinct, phase to the second electric motor.
9 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 8 , wherein the second electric motor comprises:
a tenth pair of receptacles that receives electricity at a first phase from the three-phase transformer;
a eleventh pair of receptacles that receives electricity at a second, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer; and
a twelfth pair of receptacles that receives electricity at a third, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer.
10 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 9 , comprising:
a fourth cable bundle that couples the seventh pair of receptacles to the tenth pair of receptacles;
a fifth cable bundle that couples the eighth pair of receptacles to the eleventh pair of receptacles; and
a sixth cable bundle that couples the ninth pair of receptacles to the twelfth pair of receptacles.
11 . A hydraulic fracturing method, comprising:
pumping hydraulic fracturing fluid by operation of a hydraulic fracturing pump, wherein the hydraulic fracturing pump is supported by a trailer;
driving the hydraulic fracturing pump by operation of an electric motor supported by the trailer;
controlling a speed of the electric motor by operation of a variable frequency drive (VFD) housed in an enclosure supported by the trailer; and
providing electric power to the electric motor from a three-phase transformer, wherein the three-phase transformer steps down a voltage of the electric power received from a power source, the three-phase transformer comprising:
a first pair of receptacles that transmit electricity in a first phase to the electric motor;
a second pair of receptacles that transmit electricity in a second, distinct, phase to the electric motor; and
a third pair of receptacles that transmit electricity in a third, distinct, phase to the electric motor.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:
vertically aligning the first pair of receptacles with each other;
vertically aligning the second pair of receptacles with each other; and
vertically aligning the third pair of receptacles with each other.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each receptacle of the first, second and third pairs of receptacles is a quick disconnect receptacle.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the electric motor comprises:
a fourth pair of receptacles that receives electricity in the first phase from the three-phase transformer;
a fifth pair of receptacles that receives electricity in the second, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer; and
a sixth pair of receptacles that receives electricity in the third, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer.
15 . The method of claim 14 , comprising:
coupling the first pair of receptacles to the fourth pair of receptacles with a first cable bundle;
coupling the second pair of receptacles to the fifth pair of receptacles with a second cable bundle; and
coupling the third pair of receptacles to the sixth pair of receptacles with a third cable bundle.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein an arrangement of the first, second and third pairs of receptacles on the three-phase transformer mirrors an arrangement of the fourth, fifth and sixth pairs of receptacles on the electric motor.
17 . The method of claim 11 , comprising:
pumping hydraulic fracturing fluid by operation of a second hydraulic fracturing pump, wherein the second hydraulic fracturing pump is supported by the trailer;
driving the second hydraulic fracturing pump by operation of a second electric motor supported by the trailer; and
controlling a speed of the second electric motor by operation of a second variable frequency drive (VFD) housed in an enclosure supported by the trailer.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the three-phase transformer comprises:
a seventh pair of receptacles that transmit electricity at a first phase to the second electric motor;
a eighth pair of receptacles that transmit electricity at a second, distinct, phase to the second electric motor; and
a ninth pair of receptacles that transmit electricity at a third, distinct, phase to the second electric motor.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the second electric motor comprises:
a tenth pair of receptacles that receives electricity at a first phase from the three-phase transformer;
a eleventh pair of receptacles that receives electricity at a second, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer; and
a twelfth pair of receptacles that receives electricity at a third, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer.
20 . The method of claim 19 , comprising:
coupling the seventh pair of receptacles to the tenth pair of receptacles with a fourth cable bundle;
coupling the eighth pair of receptacles to the eleventh pair of receptacles with a fifth cable bundle; and
coupling the ninth pair of receptacles to the twelfth pair of receptacles with a sixth cable bundle.