A penetrator forming an electrical cable transition into an underground well, the well having a well casing for containing fluids and pressures from reaching the environment external to the well, the well casing having a wellhead, and a plurality of electrical conductors passing through the penetrator at the wellhead to supply electrical power to down-hole equipment, the penetrator comprising:
- an upper mandrel, generally configured as an elongate hollow tube comprising a first end, and a second end, the upper mandrel comprising a stepped internal bore at the first end thereof, the outermost first diameter bore adjacent the first end forming a smooth cylindrical internal bore, the adjacent second diameter of the stepped bore forming an internal thread, and a third diameter bore forming a smooth cylindrical internal bore;
- a lower mandrel, generally configured as an elongate hollow tube comprising a first end, and a second end, the lower mandrel comprising a smooth cylindrical internal bore at the first end thereof, and the opposing outer surface of the first end forming an external thread;
- the external thread of the lower mandrel configured to engage the internal thread of the upper mandrel;
- a seat, generally configured as a cylindrical disk comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, the seat comprising a plurality of cylindrical bores passing through the body of the disk from the upper surface to the lower surface;
- a plurality of seals, each seal generally configured as a cylinder with a tapered outer diameter, the seal comprising an upper end and a lower end, the seal comprising a larger outer diameter at the upper end than the lower end, each seal further comprising a cylindrical bore passing through the seal body from the upper end to the lower end;
- a piston, generally configured as a cylindrical disk comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, the piston comprising a plurality of tapered bores passing through the body of the disk from the upper surface to the lower surface, each of the plurality of tapered bores has a larger inner diameter at the upper end than the lower end;
- wherein the plurality of electrical conductors pass through the interior of the lower mandrel, each of the plurality of electrical conductors pass through one of the tapered bores of the piston, each of the plurality of electrical conductors pass through one of the cylindrical bores of a seal, and each of the plurality of electrical conductors pass through one of the cylindrical bores of the seat, and the plurality of the electrical conductors pass through the interior of the upper mandrell;
- wherein the external thread of the lower mandrel is engaged with the internal thread of the upper mandrel, the seat is received within the a third diameter bore at the first end of the upper mandrel, the piston is received within internal bore at the first end of the lower mandrel, and each seal of the plurality of seals is driven into a tapered bore of the piston;
- and
- wherein upon further engagement of the external thread of the lower mandrel with the internal thread of the upper mandrel by tightening the treaded connection, the tapered outer diameter of each seal is compressed into the tapered inner diameter of each piston bore, each seal is compressed up into contact with the lower surface of the seat, and each seal is compressed around an outer surface of the electrical conductor passing through each seal, the penetrator thereby forming a first fluid and pressure seal between the electrical conductors, seals, and piston.