Downhole pump controller

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling a downhole pump. The pump has a stator, a rotor and a pump drive. The temperature monitoring apparatus includes at least one temperature sensor positioned downhole in thermal communication with the downhole pump for measuring the downhole temperature of the downhole pump, and a pump controller connected to the temperature sensor by a wireless communication link for receiving measurements from the temperature sensor. The pump controller has controls for controlling the speed of the pump.

1 . An apparatus for controlling a downhole pump having a stator, a rotor and a pump drive, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one temperature sensor positioned downhole with, the downhole pump in thermal communication with the stator,   a pump controller connected to the temperature sensor by a wireless communication link for receiving measurements from the temperature sensor, the pump controller comprising controls for controlling the speed of the pump.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the pump controller further comprising a set of instruction for controlling the speed of the pump in response to measurements from the temperature sensor transmitted via the communication link. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is embedded in the stator. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a series of temperature sensors along a length of the stator. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is positioned at a discharge end of the stator. 
   
   
       6 . A method for controlling the speed of a pump having a stator, a rotor and a pump drive, the method comprising the steps of:
 positioning at least one temperature sensor downhole with the downhole pump in thermal communication with the stator of the pump;   transmitting temperature measurements from the temperature sensor to a pump controller via a wireless communication link;   controlling the speed of the pump based on the temperature measurements from the stator of the pump.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of programming the pump controller with a set of instruction for controlling the speed of the pump in response to measurements from the temperature sensor transmitted via the wireless communication link. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein positioning at least one temperature sensor comprises embedding the sensor in the stator. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein positioning at least one temperature sensor comprises positioning a series of temperature sensors along a length of the stator. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the temperature sensor is positioned at a discharge end of the stator. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the downhole pump is a progressive cavity pump.