Methods and systems for subsea direct current power distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9627862-B2
Application number	US-201314140672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2013
Priority date	Dec 26, 2013
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A submersible power system includes at least one DC power source and at least one submersible power distribution system electrically coupled to the at least one DC power source. The at least one submersible power distribution system includes at least one receptacle configured to be exposed to an underwater environment. The at least one submersible power distribution system also includes a plurality of power conversion modules removably positioned within the at least one receptacle. Each power conversion module of the plurality of power conversion modules includes an enclosure configured to be exposed to the underwater environment. The at least one submersible power distribution system further includes at least one switchyard module selectably coupled to and uncoupled from the plurality of power conversion modules. The at least one switchyard module includes a plurality of switches configured to electrically bypass and isolate each power conversion module from the DC power source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A submersible power system comprising:
at least one DC power source; and
at least one submersible power distribution system electrically coupled to said at least one DC power source, said at least one submersible power distribution system comprising:
at least one receptacle configured to be exposed to an underwater environment;
a plurality of power conversion modules removably positioned within said at least one receptacle, each power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules comprising an enclosure configured to be exposed to the underwater environment; and
at least one switchyard module configured to be selectably coupled to and uncoupled from said plurality of power conversion modules, said at least one switchyard module comprising a plurality of switches configured to electrically bypass and isolate said each power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules from said DC power source.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said at least one switchyard module further comprises a DC circuit comprising:
at least one DC circuit coupled to said at least one DC power source;
a plurality of DC bypass circuits, each DC bypass circuit of said plurality of DC bypass circuits configured to be coupled to said at least one DC supply circuit to bypass at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules; and
a plurality of DC connection circuits coupled to said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules.

3. The system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said plurality of switches comprises a plurality of diverter switches, each diverter switch of said plurality of diverter switches comprising a plurality of contactors coupled to said at least one DC supply circuit and configured to be coupled to:
at least one DC bypass circuit of said plurality of DC bypass circuits to remove said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules from service; and
said plurality of DC connection circuits to place said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules into service.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said at least one switchyard module further comprises a DC circuit comprising:
at least one DC supply circuit coupled to said at least one DC power source; and
a plurality of DC connection circuits coupled to at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules.

5. The system in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said plurality of switches comprises:
a plurality of DC bypass switches, each DC bypass switch of said plurality of DC bypass switches configured to be coupled to said at least one DC supply circuit to bypass said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules; and
a plurality of DC isolation switches, each DC isolation switch of said plurality of DC isolation switches comprising a plurality of contactors coupled to said at least one DC supply circuit and configured to be coupled to said plurality of DC connection circuits to place said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules into service.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least one cable coupled to said at least one switchyard module and said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules, said at least one cable having a length that facilitates raising said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules from said at least one receptacle to a surface-floating recovery platform without disconnecting said at least one cable from said at least one switchyard module and said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules.

7. The system in accordance with claim 6 further comprising at least one dry-mateable connector coupled to said at least one switchyard module and said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least one electric power distribution device coupled to said plurality of power conversion modules through a plurality of wet-mateable connectors.

9. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said plurality of power conversion modules are electrically coupled together in parallel and each power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules is electrically isolable from the other said power conversion modules.

10. A submersible resource recovery system comprising:
at least one DC power source; and
at least one submersible power distribution system electrically coupled to said at least one DC power source, said at least one submersible power distribution system comprising:
at least one receptacle configured to be exposed to an underwater environment;
a plurality of power conversion modules removably positioned within said at least one receptacle, each power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules comprising an enclosure configured to be exposed to the underwater environment; and
at least one switchyard module configured to be selectably coupled to and uncoupled from said plurality of power conversion modules, said at least one switchyard module comprising a plurality of switches configured to electrically bypass and isolate said each power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules form said DC power source; and

at least one electrical load electrically coupled to said at least one submersible power distribution system.

11. The system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein said at least one switchyard module further comprises a DC circuit comprising:
at least one DC supply circuit coupled to said at least one DC power source;
a plurality of DC bypass circuits, each DC bypass circuit of said plurality of DC bypass circuits configured to be coupled to said at least one DC supply circuit to bypass at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules; and
a plurality of DC connection circuits coupled to said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules.

12. The system in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said plurality of switches comprises a plurality of diverter switches, each diverter switch of said plurality of diverter switches comprising a plurality of contactors coupled to said at least one DC supply circuit and configured to be coupled to:
at least one DC bypass circuit of said plurality of DC bypass circuits to remove said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules from service; and
said plurality of DC connection circuits to place said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules into service.

13. The system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein said at least one switchyard module further comprises a DC circuit system comprising:
at least one DC supply circuit coupled to said at least one DC power source; and
a plurality of DC connection circuits coupled to at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conversion modules.

14. The system in accordance with claim 13 , wherein said plurality of switches comprises:
a plurality of DC bypass switches, each DC bypass switch of said plurality of DC bypass switches configured to be coupled to said at least one DC supply circuit to bypass said at least one power conversion module of said plurality of power conv

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Hytten Nicolai
• Wijekoon Piniwan Thiwanka Bandara
• Pouliquen Jean-Louis
• Baerd Henri
• Sihler Christof Martin

Classifications

• H02J1/002

  using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion · CPC title

• Y10T29/49002

  Electrical device making · CPC title

• H02J1/102

  being switching converters (H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B41/08 Primary

  Underwater guide bases, e.g. drilling templates; Levelling thereof · CPC title

• H02B1/24 Primary

  Circuit arrangements for boards or switchyards · CPC title