Power supply arrangement

• US 10,436,854 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2017
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Viper Innovations Limited
• Original Assignee: Viper Innovations Limited
• Inventors: Denning, Dan, Simpson, Steve, Overton, Paul Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tung X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hawkins, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US15/417,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20170227612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/42 AC power supplies
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks

Abstract

A power supply arrangement is described that comprises a power supply module 10 including a supply connector 14 and an output connector 16, and an electrical circuit 18 interconnecting the supply connector 14 and the output connector 16, the electrical circuit 18 including a test point 30 to which a test module 36 may be connected, the test point 30 being electrically connected to the output connector 16.

Claims

1. A surface power supply arrangement for providing power to subsea located electrical equipment comprising a power supply module including a supply connector for receiving electrical power supplied from an external power supply and an output connector connectable, in use, to subsea located electrical equipment to provide power thereto, and an electrical circuit interconnecting the supply connector and the output connector, the electrical circuit including a test point to which a plurality of test circuits are connected or connectable, in which each test circuit is configured to carry out a different test on the subsea located electrical equipment or an umbilical line, the test point being electrically connected to the output connector so that a test module connected to the test point, in use, is able to conduct tests on parts of the power supply module downstream of the test point and upon the subsea located electrical equipment or umbilical line connected to the output connector, and wherein the power supply arrangement further comprises an external connection connectable to test equipment external to the power supply arrangement.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of test circuits and the power supply module are located within a common housing.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of test circuits and the power supply module are located within separate housings.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the test point takes the form of at least one switch whereby at least one of the plurality of test circuits can be electrically connected to a part of the electrical circuit of the power supply module electrically connected to the output connector.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, further comprising a control unit operable to control the at least one switch.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the control unit further controls the operation of a switch controlling the supply of electrical power between the input connector and the output connector.

7. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the control unit further controls the operation of an output switch.

8. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is controllable using a control panel provided upon the power supply module.

9. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is remotely controllable.

10. An arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising an isolation switch operable by the test module to interrupt the supply of electrical seal power between the supply connector and the output connector.

11. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which the plurality of test circuits comprise one or more of a line insulation monitoring unit, a power monitoring unit a time domain reflectometry measurement unit, a spread spectrum measuring unit, an electrical continuity monitoring unit.

12. An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of test circuits is interchangeable with another test circuit.

13. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of test circuits include at least one high voltage test circuit configured to carry out a high voltage test on the subsea located electrical equipment.

14. An arrangement according to claim 13, wherein at least some of the plurality of test circuits are isolated from the high voltage test circuit when the high voltage test circuit is connected to the test point.

15. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of test circuits are on-line test circuits configured to carry out tests when the power is connected to the output connector, and wherein at least one of the plurality of test circuits is an off-line test circuit configured to carry out tests when power from the power supply module is isolated from the subsea located electrical equipment.

16. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external connection is in electrical communication with the test point.

17. A subsea system comprising subsea located electrical equipment testing arrangement in which the subsea located electrical equipment is powered by a remote power supply arrangement, wherein the power supply arrangement comprises:

a power supply module including a supply connector for receiving electrical power supplied from an external power supply and an output connector connectable, in use, to subsea located electrical equipment to provide power thereto, and an electrical circuit interconnecting the supply connector and the output connector, the electrical circuit including a test point to which a plurality of test circuits are connected or connectable, in which each test circuit is configured to carry out a different test on the subsea located electrical equipment or an umbilical line, the test point being electrically connected to the output connector so that a test module connected to the test point, in use, is able to conduct tests on parts of the power supply module downstream of the test point and upon the subsea located electrical equipment or umbilical line connected to the output connector, and wherein the power supply arrangement further comprises an external connection connectable to test equipment external to the power supply arrangement.

18. A subsea system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the external connection is in electrical communication with the test point.