Vol. 227 No. 12

Rig floor equipment

AC motors for drilling equipment

GE Transportation’s 1,500 hp AC drilling motors provide torque and speed for the toughest drilling applications. This motor has the same footprint as GE’s original 752 DC motor and is offered in horizontal and vertical configurations.

The series has three models: (1) GEB27A features a vertical design for top drives; (2) GEB28A horizontal motor has a special bearing design for axial loads, such as gear-driven drawworks, and (3) GEB29A horizontal motor includes an oversized roller bearing and shaft for radial loads – ideal for belt-driven mud pumps. The continuous rating for all models is 1,500 hp at 900 rpm.

GE Transportation’s AC drilling motors come in three designs: vertical for top drives, horizontal for axial loads and horizontal for radial loads.

For drawworks duty cycles, the motor can operate at 1,830 hp and provide 12,000 ft-lbs of torque. These ratings are based on 3,900 scfm of forced ventilation and a 45^oC ambient temperature.

The motors have an ABS-approved design and are engineered from the same concepts used for GE’s freight locomotive traction motors. The motors’ heavy-duty frames absorb the high torque and pounding of drilling conditions. Form-wound windings with Class H insulation and double-VPI application provide superior protection from voltage spikes.

A high-strength, rotor assembly, including copper-chromium-alloy rotor bars and brazed end-turns, increases the rotor assembly’s reliability and life. The low-inertia rotor enhances drawworks performance with responsive acceleration, reduced breaking time and less wasted energy.