Harsh environment pressure compensator for inline cable termination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201402-A1
Application number	US-201514594983-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 12, 2015
Priority date	Jan 12, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to an inline pressure compensator that compensates for volumetric changes within Field-Assembled Cable Termination (FACT) structures when exposed to high pressures and extreme subsea depths by transferring a pressure compensating fluid into the internal cavity of the FACT. The present invention may comprise a flexible internal component and an outer shell-like component. The inner component may comprise two concentric rings of edge-welded bellows that are joined together and wrapped around inner components of the termination or of the inner portion of the outer component. The inner void in the bellows may be filled with pressure-compensating fluid. The pressure compensating fluid diffuses directly into the fluid-filled cavity of the termination assembly. The exterior component may comprise a housing adapted to protect the interior bellows component and provide for seawater to fill the space around the periphery of the bellows arrangement.

First claim

1 . An inline pressure compensator and cable termination assembly comprising:
a field deployable cable termination device being generally cylindrical in shape and having: a set of at least one terminal extending the length of the cable termination device substantially along an axis; a fluid-filled internal cavity through which the set of at least one terminal extends; and a first end through which the set of at least one terminal extends; and a pressure compensator comprising a rigid external housing and an internal flexible component comprising a bellows portion, the rigid external housing adapted to substantially receive therein the bellows portion of the flexible internal component, the rigid external housing and the flexible internal component being adapted to be mounted on the cable termination device at the first end and being co-axial with the cable termination device axis to form an inline assembly; wherein the rigid external housing comprises a cylindrical body having an open-ended annular top portion, an inner wall, an outer wall, and a bottom, the inner wall and the outer wall being spaced apart and configured along with the top portion and the bottom to form an outer cavity and an inner cavity in the cylindrical body, the outer cavity being adapted to receive and substantially surround the bellows portion of the flexible internal component, the bottom and the inner cavity being adapted to receive the set of at least one terminal and to permit a connection of the set of at least one terminal, the outer wall of the body having a set of at least one opening adapted to permit ambient fluid to diffuse through the set of at least one opening and thereby expose the outer cavity and the bellows portion of the flexible internal component to ambient hydrostatic pressure; wherein the flexible internal component comprises a body portion having an internal cavity formed therein defined by a top and a cylindrical wall, the top being adjacent to the bottom of the rigid external housing and the internal cavity of the flexible internal component being disposed intermediate of the inner cavity of the rigid external housing and the cable termination device, the top and internal cavity of the flexible internal component being adapted to receive the set of at least one terminal therethrough, the bellows portion having a hollow interior formed therein containing a pressure compensating fluid and an output through which the pressure compensating fluid may flow, the flexible internal component further comprising a fluid channel in fluid communication with the output of the bellows portion and the internal cavity of the flexible internal component, and the internal cavity of the flexible internal component being in fluid communication with the fluid-filled internal cavity of the cable termination device; and wherein the bellows portion is adapted to compress upon experiencing increasing external hydrostatic pressure and to diffuse the pressure compensating fluid through the fluid channel and into the internal cavity of the flexible internal component when compressed to provide a pressure balanced environment within the pressure compensator and cable termination assembly.

2 . The inline pressure compensator and cable termination assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pressure compensator is adapted to compensate the pressure in an internal cavity of the cable termination assembly to prevent movement of the set of at least one terminal within the cable termination device.

3 . The inline pressure compensator and cable termination assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bellows portion is further adapted to expand under decreasing external hydrostatic pressure and to diffuse the pressure compensating fluid through the fluid channel into the interior of the bellows portion.

4 . The inline pressure compensator and cable termination assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bellows portion is made of metallic material and comprises an inner bellows ring and an outer bellows ring that are edge-welded together.

5 . The inline pressure compensator and cable termination assembly of claim 1 further comprising, a set of at least one o-ring seal device disposed intermediate the pressure compensator and the cable termination device.

6 . The inline pressure compensator and cable termination assembly of claim 1 wherein the exterior housing comprises an annular base at the bottom and the flexible interior component comprises an annular support portion disposed intermediate of the annular base and the end of the cable termination device.

7 . The inline pressure compensator and cable termination assembly of claim 1 wherein the bottom of the exterior housing includes a first set of holes and the flexible interior component includes a second set of holes, the first and second sets of holes configured to be aligned when assembled and having dimension adapted to receive the set of at least one terminal.

8 . The inline pressure compensator and cable termination assembly of claim 1 wherein the cable termination device is a receptacle and the inline pressure compensator and cable termination device is adapted to matingly receive a plug, and wherein the set of at least one terminal connects with a corresponding set of at least one terminal in the plug to form a connection.

9 . The inline pressure compensator and cable termination assembly of claim 1 wherein the cable termination device is a plug and the inline pressure compensator and cable termination device is adapted to mate with a receptacle, and wherein the set of at least one terminal connects with a corresponding set of at least one terminal in the receptacle to form a connection.

10 . A pressure compensator assembly adapted to mount on a cable termination device to form an inline assembly, the pressure compensator assembly comprising:
an internal flexible component comprising a bellows portion; a rigid external housing adapted to substantially receive therein the bellows portion of the flexible internal component, the rigid external housing and the flexible internal component being adapted to be mounted on a cable termination device at a first end and being co-axial with a cable termination device axis to form an inline assembly; wherein the rigid external housing comprises a cylindrical body having an open-ended annular top portion, an inner wall, an outer wall, and a bottom, the inner wall and the outer wall being spaced apart and configured along with the top portion and the bottom to form an outer cavity and an inner cavity in the cylindrical body, the outer cavity being adapted to receive and substantially surround the bellows portion of the flexible internal component, the bottom and the inner cavity being adapted to receive a set of at least one terminal of the cable termination device, the outer wall of the body having a set of at least one opening adapted to permit ambient fluid to diffuse through the set of at least one opening and thereby expose the outer cavity and the bellows portion of the flexible internal component to ambient hydrostatic pressure; wherein the flexible internal component comprises a body portion having an internal cavity formed therein defined by a top and a cylindrical wall, the top being adjacent to the bottom of the rigid external housing and the internal cavity of the flexible internal component being disposed intermediate of the inner cavity of the rigid external housing and the cable termination device, the top and internal cavity of the flexible internal component being adapted to receive the set of at least one terminal therethrough, the bellows portion having a hollow interior formed therein containing a pressure compensating fluid and an output through which the pressure compensating

Assignees

• Mccleary Alan
• Kretschmar Justin
• Mishler Kaley
• Teledyne Instruments Inc

Inventors

• Mccleary Alan
• Kretschmar Justin
• Mishler Kaley

Classifications

• E21B17/028 Primary

  Electrical or electro-magnetic connections · CPC title

• H01R13/523

  for use under water · CPC title

• H02G15/22

  Cable terminations · CPC title

• G02B6/4428

  Penetrator systems in pressure-resistant devices · CPC title

• H02G15/14 Primary

  specially adapted for submarine cables · CPC title