Motor lead with heat deflecting layer for submersible well pump

An electrical submersible pump assembly, comprising:

• a plurality of modules including a pump, a motor, and a pressure equalizer for reducing a pressure differential between lubricant in the motor and hydrostatic pressure of well fluid;
• a motor lead extending alongside at least one of the modules for supplying electrical power to the motor, comprising:
• electrical power wires positioned side-by-side in a sub assembly such that a single plane passes through a centerline of each of the electrical power wires, each of the electrical power wires comprising an electrical conductor encased in an insulation layer, which in turn is encased in a lead sheath, the sub assembly being helically wrapped in a metallic band armor, the sub assembly having an inward facing side and an outward facing side relative to a longitudinal axis of the pump assembly;
• a thermal barrier layer between the inward facing side of the sub assembly and said at least one of the modules, the thermal barrier layer having a length at least as long as said one of the modules and not greater than a length of the sub assembly;
• the thermal barrier layer being formed of thermal insulation material and having a width that completely covers the inward facing side of the sub assembly, the thermal barrier layer has a central portion with side edges on opposite edges of the central portion, the side edges being curved outward, in a direction away from the pump assembly, from the central portion and extending along opposite side edges of the sub assembly;
• and the side edges have outer ends that protrude outward from said one of the modules a lesser distance than an outward facing side of the armor;
• and wherein
• the motor lead is free of any thermal barrier layers on the outward facing side of the sub assembly to allow heat within the sub assembly to dissipate outward.

An electrical submersible pump assembly, comprising:

• a plurality of modules including a pump, a motor, and a pressure equalizer for reducing a pressure differential between lubricant in the motor and hydrostatic pressure of well fluid;
• a power cable;
• a motor lead secured to a lower end of the power cable and extending alongside at least one of the modules for supplying electrical power to the motor, the motor lead having electrical power wires positioned side-by-side, each of the electrical power wires comprising an electrical conductor encased in an insulation layer, which in turn is encased in a lead sheath, the electrical power wires being helically wrapped in a metallic band armor, the armor having a flat inward facing side and a flat outward facing side relative to a longitudinal axis of the pump assembly;
• a thermal barrier layer between the inward facing side of the armor and said at least one of the modules to restrict heat from said at least one of the modules transferring to the lead sheaths, the thermal barrier layer extending continuously along a full length of said one of the modules;
• the thermal barrier layer being formed of thermal insulation material and having a width at least equal to a width of the inward facing side of the armor, the thermal barrier layer has a central portion with side edges on opposite edges of the central portion, the side edges being curved outward, in a direction away from the pump assembly, from the central portion and having outer ends that protrude outward from said one of the modules a lesser distance than an outward facing side of the armor;
• and wherein
• the motor lead is free of any thermal barrier layers on the outward facing side of the armor to allow heat within the motor lead to dissipate outward.