System to measure vibrations using fiber optic sensors

A method of monitoring an electrical submersible pumping system (ESP) comprising:

• (a) providing a fiber optic cable having an optical discontinuity at a location in the fiber optic cable;
• (b) coupling the fiber optic cable with the ESP so that when a portion of the ESP deforms that is immediately adjacent the optical discontinuity, the optical discontinuity moves in response to the ESP deformation;
• (c) emitting electromagnetic radiation into the fiber optic cable, a portion of which reflects from the optical discontinuity;
• (d) receiving and analyzing the reflected electromagnetic radiation:
• (e) estimating deformation of the portion of the ESP based on the analyzing of step (d);
• wherein
• the optical discontinuity comprises a first optical discontinuity and the fiber optic cable comprises a second optical discontinuity;
• and
• step (b) comprises coupling the fiber optic cable to the ESP along paths disposed substantially on opposite sides of an axis of the ESP so that the first and second optical discontinuities are disposed on substantially opposite sides of the axis.

An electrical submersible pumping system (ESP) comprising:

• a housing;
• a fiber optic cable coupled along a first portion of the housing on one side of an axis of the housing and a second portion of the housing an opposite side of the axis;
• optical discontinuities in the fiber optic cable spaced art from each other with one of the optical discontinuities in the first portion of the fiber optic cable and another of the optical discontinuities in the fiber optic cable in the second portion of the fiber optic cable;
• and
• an optical sensor assembly coupled with an end of the fiber optic cable, the optical sensor assembly emitting electromagnetic radiation into the fiber optic cable and receiving reflections of the electromagnetic radiation from the optical discontinuities for estimating deformation of the ESP during operation.

An electrical submersible pumping system (ESP) comprising:

• a housing;
• a fiber optic cable coupled along a portion of the housing;
• an optical discontinuity in the fiber optic cable disposed at a designated location in the fiber optic cable;
• an optical sensor assembly coupled with an end of the fiber optic cable for estimating deformation of the ESP based on movement of the optical discontinuity;
• and
• wherein the optical discontinuity comprises a first optical discontinuity and the fiber optic cable comprises a second optical discontinuity and wherein the fiber optic cable couples to the ESP along paths disposed substantially on opposite sides of an axis of the ESP so that the first and second optical discontinuities are disposed on substantially opposite sides of the axis.

An electrical submersible pumping system (ESP) comprising:

• a motor section having an axis;
• a fiber optic cable coupled to the motor section that comprises legs that extend along the motor section on opposite lateral sides of the axis and connect on a bottom side of the motor section;
• optical discontinuities in the fiber optic cable disposed at designated locations in each of the legs;
• and
• an optical sensor assembly coupled with ends of the legs for estimating deformation of the ESP based on movement of the optical discontinuities.