PRESSURE COMPENSATOR FOR SUBSEA DEVICE

• US 20160215913A1
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy AS (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: KNOENER, Gregor
• Granted Patent: US 9,845,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/0355 Control systems, e.g. hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, acoustic, for submerged well heads
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/04 Devices damping pulsations or vibrations in fluids F16L55/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/14 Expansion chambers; Oil conservators; Gas cushions; Arrangements for purifying, drying, or filling
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/068 having a pressure compensation device, e.g. membrane venting means H05K5/0213

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.

Claims

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 a first bellows portion, wherein 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 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 bellows portion and the second bellows portion are deformable to provide pressure compensation between the chamber of the subsea device and the second inner volume.

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 and being movable with a deformation of the first bellows 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 outer wall is a rigid outer wall that substantially maintains its shape during operation of the pressure compensator.

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 bellows portion of the first separating wall is protected from ambient medium by said first compensation chamber and said outer wall.

9. The pressure compensator of claim 1, further comprising:

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. 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 first separating wall including a tubular shape and being at one end mounted and mechanically fixed to the outer wall, 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.

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 tubular shape and being at one end mounted and mechanically fixed to the outer wall, the other end of the second separating wall extending inside the inner volume towards the outer end wall and being mounted and sealed to a movable end wall, the second compensation chamber being bounded by at least the first separating wall, the second separating wall, and the movable end wall.

13. The pressure compensator of claim 1, wherein the outer wall extends circumferentially around an inner volume, the first compensation chamber occupying only a fraction of said inner volume.

14. The pressure compensator of claim 1, wherein the pressure compensator comprises at least two second compensation chambers and comprises at least a third separating wall to provide separation between the at least two second compensation chambers.

15. A subsea device, comprising:

the pressure compensator of claim 1 for providing pressure compensation for a chamber of the subsea device.

17. The pressure compensator of claim 4, wherein at least one of the outer wall, the first separating wall and the second separating wall includes a cylindrical or tubular shape.

18. The pressure compensator of claim 8, wherein the ambient medium is seawater.

19. The pressure compensator of claim 11, wherein the first separating wall is, at one end, mounted and mechanically fixed to the outer wall via an annular wall section, 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, via said annular wall section.

20. The pressure compensator of claim 12, wherein the second separating wall is, at one end, mounted and mechanically fixed to the outer wall via an annular wall section and wherein the second compensation chamber is bounded by at least the first separating wall, the second separating wall, and the movable end wall, via said annular wall section.

21. The subsea device of claim 15, wherein the subsea device is a subsea transformer, a subsea converter or a subsea switchgear.

22. A subsea device, comprising:

the pressure compensator of claim 2 for providing pressure compensation for a chamber of the subsea device.

23. The subsea device of claim 22, wherein the subsea device is a subsea transformer, a subsea converter or a subsea switchgear.

16. A method of manufacturing a pressure compensator for providing pressure compensation for a chamber of a subsea device, comprising:

providing an enclosure including at least an outer wall;

providing a first compensation chamber inside the enclosure by arranging a first separating wall inside the enclosure, at least part of the first compensation chamber being formed between the outer wall and the first separating wall, the first separating wall including a first bellows portion and extending around a first inner volume, the first separating wall providing separation between the first inner volume and the first compensation chamber;

providing a second compensation chamber inside the enclosure by arranging a second separating wall 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

providing a flow connection from the first compensation chamber towards the chamber of the subsea device, wherein the first bellows portion and the second bellows portion are deformable to provide pressure compensation between the chamber of the subsea device and the second inner volume.