APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING SUBSEA ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS USING ADAPTIVE MODELS

• US 20160181967A1
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Published: 06/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Nojima, Geraldo
• Granted Patent: US 10,903,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 31/00 Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors not provided for in groups H02P1/00 - H02P5/00, H02P7/00 or H02P21/00 - H02P29/00

Abstract

A system includes a controller circuit configured to provide control inputs to at least one component of a subsea electrical system, a simulator circuit coupled to the controller circuit and configured to maintain a model of the subsea electrical system and apply the control inputs to the model concurrent with provision of the control inputs to the at least one component and a monitor circuit coupled to the simulator circuit and configured to identify a status of the subsea electrical system responsive to the model. The simulator circuit may be configured to modify the model responsive to feedback signals received from the subsea electrical system and the monitor circuit may be configured to identify the status of the subsea electrical system responsive to a modification of the model.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a controller circuit configured to provide control inputs to at least one component of a subsea electrical system;

a simulator circuit coupled to the controller circuit and configured to maintain a model of the subsea electrical system and apply the control inputs to the model concurrent with provision of the control inputs to the at least one component; and

a monitor circuit coupled to the simulator circuit and configured to identify a status of the subsea electrical system responsive to the model.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the simulator circuit is configured to modify the model responsive to feedback signals received from the subsea electrical system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the monitor circuit is configured to identify the status of the subsea electrical system responsive to a modification of the model.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one component comprises a power converter, a switch, and/or a motor drive.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitor circuit is configured to identify a status of a component of the subsea electrical system other than the at least one component.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the component of the subsea electrical system other than the at least one component comprises a power line and/or a motor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitor circuit is configured to identify a failure of the subsea electrical system responsive to the model.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the model models mechanical and/or electrical characteristics.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit, the simulator circuit and the monitor circuit are implemented in at least one data processor.

20. A computer program product comprising program code embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable on at least one data processor to perform the method of claim 1.

10. A method comprising:

generating a model of a subsea electrical system;

concurrently controlling the model and at least one component of the subsea electrical system; and

identifying a status of the subsea electrical system responsive to the model.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising modifying the model responsive to feedback signals from the subsea electrical system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying a status of the subsea electrical system comprises identifying the status of the subsea electrical system responsive to a modification of the model.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one component comprises a power converter, a switch, and/or a motor drive.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein identifying a status of the subsea electrical system responsive to the model comprises identifying a status of a component of the subsea electrical system other than the at least one component.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the component of the subsea electrical system other than the at least one component comprises a power line and/or a motor.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein identifying a status of the subsea electrical system responsive to the model comprises identifying a failure of the subsea electrical system responsive to the model.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the model models mechanical and/or electrical characteristics.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein identifying a status of the subsea electrical system responsive to the model comprises identifying a state of an inaccessible component.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a diagnosis and/or a prognosis for the subsea electrical system based on the identified status.