Subsea power distribution device and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10374398-B2
Application number	US-201515313909-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2015
Priority date	May 26, 2014
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

A subsea power distribution device and system. The subsea power distribution device includes a first watertight housing accommodating at least one transformer having a primary winding and at least one secondary winding, input terminals electrically connected to the primary winding and arranged to be connected to a remote power supply, an output terminal electrically connected to the at least one secondary winding, and switches located within the first watertight housing and arranged to open and close the connections between each secondary winding and a corresponding output terminal. Each output terminal is further connected to an overcurrent breaking device which is further arranged to be connected to a subsea power consuming device. The overcurrent breaking device is arranged in a second watertight housing separate from the first watertight housing and is filled with insulating liquid.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A subsea overcurrent breaking system comprising:
a plurality of subsea overcurrent breaking devices arranged to be connected between subsea power consuming devices and output terminals of a subsea power distribution device; and
a plurality of first watertight housings, each subsea overcurrent breaking device being arranged in an oil-filled environment in a corresponding one of the first watertight housings;
wherein the subsea power distribution device includes at least one transformer which is arranged in a second watertight housing that is separate from the first watertight housings, the transformer comprising a primary winding and a number of secondary windings, each secondary winding being connected to a corresponding output terminal of the subsea power consuming device;
wherein the subsea power distribution device further includes a number of switches, each of which is arranged to open and close the connection between a secondary winding and a corresponding output terminal, the switches being arranged within the second watertight housing; and
wherein each subsea overcurrent breaking device is arranged to be connected between an output terminal and a corresponding subsea power consuming device.

2. The subsea overcurrent breaking system according to claim 1 , wherein the subsea overcurrent breaking device is arranged to break a connection between the output terminal of the subsea power distribution device and the subsea power consuming device when a current through the subsea overcurrent breaking device exceeds a predetermined threshold.

3. The subsea overcurrent breaking system according to claim 2 , wherein the subsea overcurrent breaking device includes a circuit breaker, a fuse or a controllable semiconductor switch.

4. The subsea overcurrent breaking system according to claim 1 , wherein a connection between the output terminal of the subsea power distribution device and the subsea overcurrent breaking device includes a wet-mated connection.

5. The subsea overcurrent breaking system according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure inside the first watertight housing is equal to ambient sea water pressure.

6. The subsea overcurrent breaking system according to claim 5 , wherein the first watertight housing is pressure-compensated to obtain equal pressure inside the first watertight housing and ambient sea water pressure.

7. The subsea overcurrent breaking system according to claim 1 , wherein the subsea overcurrent breaking system is arranged to be retrieved from a subsea location to a topside location for the purpose of servicing or replacing the subsea overcurrent breaking device.

8. A subsea power distribution device comprising:
a first watertight housing within which at least one transformer is positioned, the transformer having a primary winding and a number of secondary windings;
an input terminal which is electrically connected to the primary winding and is arranged to be connected to a remote power supply;
a number of output terminals, each of which is electrically connected to a secondary winding; and
a number of switches which are arranged to open and close the connections between each secondary winding and a corresponding output terminal, the switches being arranged within the first watertight housing;
wherein each output terminal is further connected to an overcurrent breaking device which is arranged to be connected to a subsea power consuming device, the overcurrent breaking device being arranged in a second watertight housing separate from the first watertight housing.

9. The subsea power distribution device according to claim 8 , wherein the transformer has one secondary winding and the output terminals are electrically connected to the secondary winding via a number of busbars.

10. The subsea power distribution device according to claim 8 , wherein the transformer has a plurality of secondary windings and the output terminals are electrically connected to respective secondary windings.

11. The subsea power distribution device according to claim 8 , wherein the first and second watertight housings are filled with an electrically nonconducting liquid.

12. The subsea power distribution device according to claim 8 , wherein the connection between the output terminal and the overcurrent breaking device includes a wet-mated connection.

13. The subsea power distribution device according to claim 8 , wherein the overcurrent breaking device is arranged to break the connection between the output terminal and the subsea power consuming device when the current through the overcurrent breaking device exceeds a predetermined threshold.

14. The subsea power distribution device according to claim 13 , wherein the overcurrent breaking device is selected from a set consisting of a circuit breaker, a fuse, and a semiconductor switch.

15. The subsea power distribution device according to claim 8 , wherein each switch includes a switch actuator.

16. The subsea power distribution device according to claim 15 , wherein the first watertight housing is configured with a first compartment and a second compartment separate from the first compartment, and wherein the transformer is arranged within the first compartment and the switches are arranged in the second compartment.

17. The subsea power distribution device according to claim 16 , wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are filled with an electrically non-conducting liquid.

18. The subsea power distribution device according to claim 8 , wherein at least two output terminals are connected to a multiple overcurrent breaking device which is arranged to be connected to a multiple subsea power consuming device, and wherein the multiple overcurrent breaking device is arranged in a watertight housing separate from the first watertight housing.

19. A subsea power distribution system, comprising:
a remote power supply;
a subsea power distribution device which includes:
a first watertight housing within which at least one transformer is positioned, the transformer having a primary winding and a number of secondary windings;
an input terminal which is electrically connected to the primary winding and is arranged to be connected to the remote power supply;
a number of output terminals, each of which is electrically connected to a secondary winding; and
a number of switches which are arranged to open and close the connections between each secondary winding and a corresponding output terminal, the switches being arranged within the first watertight housing;
wherein each output terminal is further connected to an overcurrent breaking device which is arranged to be connected to a subsea power consuming device, the overcurrent breaking device being arranged in a second watertight housing separate from the first watertight housing;

a primary electrical connection which interconnects the remote power supply and the input terminal of the subsea power distribution device; and
secondary electrical connections which interconnect the output terminals of the subsea power distribution device and the subsea power consuming devices.

Assignees

• Fmc Kongsberg Subsea As

Inventors

• Strømsvik Torbjørn

Classifications

• H02H3/08

  responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) · CPC title

• H02H7/22

  for distribution gear, e.g. bus-bar systems; for switching devices {(detecting mechanical or electrical defects in gas-insulated switchgears H02B13/065)} · CPC title

• H02B7/06

  Distribution substations, e.g. for urban network (H02B7/01 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01F27/321

  using a fluid for insulating purposes only · CPC title

• H02G9/00

  Installations of electric cables or lines in or on the ground or water · CPC title