Pressure compensator for subsea device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9845910-B2
Application number	US-201514983633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2015
Priority date	Jan 23, 2015
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

A pressure compensator for providing pressure compensation for a chamber of a subsea device is provided. The pressure compensator has an enclosure with at least an outer wall. A first compensation chamber is provided inside the enclosure. A flow connection from the first compensation chamber towards the chamber of the subsea device is further provided. As second compensation chamber is provided inside the enclosure. First and second separating walls are arranged inside the enclosure. A first bellows portion of the first separating wall and a second bellows portion of the second separating wall are deformable to provide pressure compensation between the chamber of the subsea device and a second inner volume around which the second separating wall extends.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure compensator for providing pressure compensation for a chamber of a subsea device, comprising:
an enclosure including at least an outer wall
a first compensation chamber provided inside the enclosure;
a flow connection from the first compensation chamber towards the chamber of the subsea device;
a first separating wall arranged inside the enclosure, the first separating wall including at least part of the first compensation chamber is formed between the outer wall and the first separating wall, the first separating wall extending around a first inner volume and providing separation between the first inner volume and the first compensation chamber;
a second compensation chamber provided inside the enclosure; and
a second separating wall arranged inside the enclosure, the second separating wall arranged inside the enclosure, the second separating wall including a second bellows portion and extending at least partially into the first inner volume, wherein at least part of the second compensation chamber is formed between the first separating wall and the second separating wall, the second separating wall extending around a second inner volume and providing separation between the second compensation chamber and the second inner volume, and wherein the first bellow portion and the second bellow portion are deformable to provide pressure compensation between the chamber of the subsea device and the second inner volume
wherein the outer wall is a rigid outer wall that substantially maintains its shape during operation of the pressure compensator.

2. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein the second inner volume is in flow communication with an ambient medium, wherein in operation, ambient medium is present inside the second inner volume, the second separating wall providing separation between the second compensation chamber and the ambient medium.

3. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein the first compensation chamber includes an annularly shaped portion formed between the outer wall and the first separating wall.

4. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the outer wall, the first separating wall and the second separating wall includes a circumferentially extending shape.

5. The pressure compensator of claim 4 , wherein when viewed in a cross section along a central axial direction of the pressure compensator, the first compensation chamber includes a U-shape.

6. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
a first movable end wall, the first movable end wall being mounted and sealed to an end of the first separating wall being mounted and sealed to an end of the first separating wall and being movable with a deformation of the first bellow portion, and
a second movable end wall, the second movable end wall being mounted and sealed to an end of the second separating wall and being movable with a deformation of the second bellows portion.

7. The pressure compensator of claim 1 ,
wherein the first and second bellows portions are both connected to the outer wall.

8. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein at least the outer wall provides separation of the first compensation chamber towards an ambient medium so that the first bellow portion of the first separating wall is protected from ambient medium by said first compensation chamber and said outer wall.

9. A pressure compensator for providing pressure compensation for a chamber of a subsea device, comprising:
an enclosure including at least an outer wall;
a first compensation chamber provided inside the enclosure
a flow connection from the first compensation chamber towards the chamber of the subsea device;
a first separating wall arranged inside the enclosure, the first separating wall including at least part of the first compensation chamber is formed between the outer wall and the first separating wall, the first separating wall extending around a first inner volume and providing separation between the first inner volume and the first compensation chamber;
a second compensation chamber provided inside the enclosure;
a second separating wall arranged inside the enclosure, the second separating wall arranged inside the enclosure, the second separating wall including a second bellows portion and extending at least partially into the first inner volume, wherein at least part of the second compensation chamber is formed between the first separating wall and the second separating wall, the second separating wall extending around a second inner volume and providing separation between the second compensation chamber and the second inner volume, and wherein the first bellow portion and the second bellow portion are deformable to provide pressure compensation between the chamber of the subsea device and the second inner volume; and
an annular wall section mounted to the outer wall and extending radially inwardly, wherein an end of at least the first separating wall is mounted and sealed to the annular wall section.

10. The pressure compensator of claim 9 , wherein one end of said second separating wall is mounted and sealed to said annular wall section, or wherein the pressure compensator comprises a further annular wall section mounted to the outer wall and extending radially inwardly, the end of the second separating wall being mounted and sealed to the further annular wall section.

11. A pressure compensator for providing pressure compensation for a chamber of a subsea device, comprising:
an enclosure including at least an outer wall;
a first compensation chamber provided inside the enclosure;
a flow connection from the first compensation chamber towards the chamber of the subsea device;
a first separating wall arranged inside the enclosure, the first separating wall including at least part of the first compensation chamber is formed between the outer wall and the first separating wall, the first separating wall extending around a first inner volume and providing separation between the first inner volume and the first compensation chamber;
a second compensation chamber provided inside the enclosure
a second separating wall arranged inside the enclosure, the second separating wall arranged inside the enclosure, the second separating wall including a second bellows portion and extending at least partially into the first inner volume, wherein at least part of the second compensation chamber is formed between the first separating wall and the second separating wall, the second separating wall extending around a second inner volume and providing separation between the second compensation chamber and the second inner volume, and wherein the first bellow portion and- the second bellow portion are deformable to provide pressure compensation between the chamber of the subsea device and the second inner volume; and
wherein the outer wall extends circumferentially around an inner volume and is at one end mounted and sealed to an outer end wall, the first separating wall including a tubular shape and being at one end mounted and mechanically fixed to the outer wall by an annular wall section, the other end of the first separating wall extending inside the inner volume towards the outer end wall and being mounted and sealed to a movable end wall, the first compensation chamber being bounded by at least the outer wall, the outer end wall, the first separating wall and the movable end wall and by the annular wall section.

12. the pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein the outer wall extends circumferentially around an inner volume and is at one end mounted and sealed to an outer end wall, the second separating wall including a

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Knoener Gregor

Classifications

• F16L55/04 Primary

  Devices damping pulsations or vibrations in fluids {(F16L55/02 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H05K5/068

  having a pressure compensation device, e.g. membrane (venting means H05K5/0213) · CPC title

• H01F27/14 Primary

  Expansion chambers; Oil conservators; Gas cushions; Arrangements for purifying, drying, or filling · CPC title

• E21B33/00 Primary

  Sealing or packing boreholes or wells · CPC title

• E21B33/0355

  Control systems, e.g. hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, acoustic, for submerged well heads · CPC title