Actuator Override Mechanism For Subsea Circuit Breaker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016358735-A1
Application number	US-201615169009-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2016
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A subsea circuit breaker for a subsea power distribution system. The subsea circuit breaker includes a circuit breaker enclosure, first and second contacts and an electro-mechanical actuator. The subsea circuit breaker is also furnished with a mechanical transmission mechanism for opening or closing the contacts in response to a mechanical command operation from the outside of the circuit breaker enclosure.

First claim

1 . A subsea circuit breaker for a subsea power distribution system, the circuit breaker comprising
a water tight circuit breaker enclosure, first and second contacts arranged within the circuit breaker enclosure, an electro-mechanical actuator arranged within the circuit breaker enclosure and adapted to open the contacts in response to a fault signal and to open or close the contacts in response to a command signal, a protection element arranged within the circuit breaker enclosure and adapted to generate said fault signal, a command signal input interface arranged within the circuit breaker enclosure for receiving said command signal, characterised by a mechanical transmission means arranged within the circuit breaker enclosure and adapted to cause the contacts to open or close in response to a mechanical command operation from the outside of the circuit breaker enclosure.

2 . The subsea circuit breaker of claim 1 comprising a magnetic force transfer means adapted to transfer a mechanical force of said mechanical command operation to said mechanical transmission means.

3 . The subsea circuit breaker of claim 2 , wherein the magnetic force transfer means comprises outer magnetic means, arranged outside the circuit breaker enclosure, and inner magnetic means, arranged inside the circuit breaker enclosure.

4 . The subsea circuit breaker of claim 3 , wherein the outer magnetic means and/or the inner magnetic means comprises a permanent magnet.

5 . The subsea circuit breaker of claim 3 , wherein the circuit breaker enclosure comprises a magnetic transfer area located in-between the outer and inner magnetic means, which magnetic transfer area exhibits low relative magnetic permeability, thereby essentially not affecting the magnetic interaction of the outer and inner magnetic means.

6 . The subsea circuit breaker of claim 5 , wherein the relative magnetic permeability (μ/μ 0 ) of the magnetic transfer area is lower than 2.

7 . The subsea circuit breaker of claim 3 , wherein the outer magnetic means comprises a permanent magnet or a material which is attracted to permanent magnets, and the inner magnetic means comprises a permanent magnet or a material which is attracted to permanent magnets, at least one of the inner and outer magnetic means comprising a permanent magnet, the permanent magnet or material which is attracted to permanent magnets of the inner and outer magnetic means being arranged at a distance from a common axis and being rotatable around said axis, such that a torque around the axis can be transferred from the outside of the circuit breaker enclosure to the inside of the circuit breaker enclosure.

8 . The subsea circuit breaker of claim 2 comprising a mechanical operation input interface for receiving said mechanical command operation, said mechanical operation input interface being connected to the mechanical transmission means via the magnetic force transfer means.

9 . The subsea circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical transmission means is mechanically connected to the electro-mechanical actuator.

10 . The subsea circuit breaker of claim 1 comprising a mechanical actuator which is separate from the electro-mechanical actuator, the mechanical transmission means being mechanically connected to said mechanical actuator, which mechanical actuator is adapted to open or close the contacts in response to a mechanical command operation from the outside of the circuit breaker enclosure.

11 . The subsea circuit breaker of claim 9 , wherein the electro-mechanical actuator or the mechanical actuator comprises two end positions, the first end position being one in which the contacts are open and the second end position being one in which the contacts are closed.

12 . The subsea circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the circuit breaker enclosure is pressure resistant and is thereby adapted to ensure that the pressure inside the circuit breaker enclosure essentially equals atmospheric pressure, also when the subsea circuit breaker is installed at a great depth underwater.

13 . The subsea circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the circuit breaker enclosure is filled with a dielectric liquid and the subsea circuit breaker comprises a pressure compensating device, which pressure compensating device is adapted to ensure that the pressure inside the circuit breaker enclosure essentially equals the pressure outside the circuit breaker enclosure.

14 . A subsea unit for a subsea power distribution system comprising a subsea circuit breaker including:
a water tight circuit breaker enclosure, first and second contacts arranged within the circuit breaker enclosure, an electro-mechanical actuator arranged within the circuit breaker enclosure and adapted to open the contacts in response to a fault signal and to open or close the contacts in response to a command signal, a protection element arranged within the circuit breaker enclosure and adapted to generate said fault signal, a command signal input interface arranged within the circuit breaker enclosure for receiving said command signal, characterised by a mechanical transmission means arranged within the circuit breaker enclosure and adapted to cause the contacts to open or close in response to a mechanical command operation from the outside of the circuit breaker enclosure; and a water tight subsea unit enclosure enclosing said subsea circuit breaker, the circuit breaker enclosure forming a part of the subsea unit enclosure.

15 . The subsea power distribution system comprising a subsea circuit breaker and/or a subsea unit according to claim 14 .

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Trandal Arne
• Midtun Paul
• Urnes Svein-Ove

Classifications

• H01H3/56 Primary

  using electromagnetic clutch · CPC title

• H01H71/24 Primary

  Electromagnetic mechanisms · CPC title

• H01H9/04

  Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings · CPC title

• H01H3/28

  using electromagnet (for storing energy in a spring motor H01H3/30; for operating relays H01H45/00) · CPC title

• H01H33/53

  Cases (for switchgear H02B1/26); Reservoirs, tanks, piping or valves, for arc-extinguishing fluid; Accessories therefor, e.g. safety arrangements, pressure relief devices · CPC title