“Frontier Driller” Offshore Oil Rig 10 DC Drive Bays, 4 Generator Control Bays and much more…
Frontier Drilling DC Drive Cabinet.
As we mentioned last month we will be highlighting the Frontier Drilling project in greater detail.
The name of the vessel is the Frontier Driller. It is an older rig that is being completely re-furbished with new equipment. Joliet Technologies is responsible for the DC Drives, Generator Controls, Switchgear, MCC’s (Motor Control Centers), PLC’s (Programmable Logic Controls), Transformers, Driller’s Console and Mud Pump Console.
Let’s start with the DC Drive Bays (shown to the right). Joliet Technologies manufactured 10 DC Drive Bay cabinets for this project controlling a total of 16 DC motors. Each custom drive cabinet has 2 Siemens 6RA70 DC Drives. Utilizing the load sharing capabilities of the 6RA70 each drive cabinet will have multiple assignments.
In the photo to the right (looking into the rear of the cabinet) you can see the 2 Siemens 6RA70 drives at the top, side by side. The bottom rear portion of the cabinet has all the DC contactors and DC motor armature connections for each motor that the drive bay can control. This particular drive bay will run up to 5 different motors. The other drive bays will have anywhere from 3 to 5 assignments.
Each drive assignment is connected to an Isolation Switch for safety. This allows any DC motor to be completely isolated and locked out for maintenance and repairs.
DC Drive Bay No. 1
The front of each drive bay (shown at left) has pilot lights for each assignment for that bay. Amp meter and volt meter for the DC drive the motor is being run from. Selector switch (Off/Drilling/Marine) to select the function for that assignment. Keypad for each of the Siemens 6RA70 DC drives. All drive bays have 2 cooling fans at the top of the control section doors, drip shield and light, grab bar and a 3000Amp draw out circuit breaker. The very bottom front of each drive bay has the 600VAC main bus.
GE 752 DC Drilling Motor
Each drive assignment will run a GE 752 DC Traction Motor (shown at right). There are a total of 16 of these motors on the vessel controlling 4 Mud Pumps (8 motors total), 4 Anchor Winches, 3 Drawworks and Rotary Table. Typically these motors are the workhorses on most drill rigs.
Each DC motor can be run from as many as 3 different drive bays. There are many reasons for this. For example, if maintenance or repairs are required on 1 drive bay, another drive bay can be used. Also the DC drive bay lineup is separated into 2 sections, each having 5 drive bays, so if 1 section is down the rig will still be functional.
As of June 2007 we are very close to the completion of the manufacturing portion of this project and have started the testing phase. We will be shipping 5 DC drive bays and 1 of the 2 Isolation Switch bays after completion of testing and DNV approvals.
Variable speed DC drives are widely used in the oil drilling industry for a variety of applications, including drilling, mud pumps, and drawworks. These drives offer precise control over the speed and torque of electric motors, enabling them to efficiently power drilling equipment.
One of the primary advantages of using variable speed DC drives in the oil drilling industry is their ability to provide a constant torque output at varying speeds. This is particularly important in drilling operations, where the drill bit must maintain a constant torque while drilling through different types of rock formations. By adjusting the speed of the electric motor driving the drill, variable speed DC drives can help maintain a consistent torque output, improving drilling efficiency and reducing wear and tear on equipment.
Another benefit of variable speed DC drives is their ability to save energy. By controlling the speed of the electric motor, these drives can match the power output to the actual load requirements of the drilling equipment. This can significantly reduce energy consumption and operating costs, making variable speed DC drives an attractive option for the oil drilling industry.
Variable speed DC drives play a critical role in the oil drilling industry by providing precise control over the speed and torque of electric motors. Their ability to maintain a constant torque output at varying speeds and save energy makes them an essential tool for improving drilling efficiency and reducing operating costs.
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