EP2223400A1 - Subsea containment vessel and heat sink assembly - Google Patents

Subsea containment vessel and heat sink assembly

Info

Publication number
EP2223400A1
EP2223400A1 EP08860632A EP08860632A EP2223400A1 EP 2223400 A1 EP2223400 A1 EP 2223400A1 EP 08860632 A EP08860632 A EP 08860632A EP 08860632 A EP08860632 A EP 08860632A EP 2223400 A1 EP2223400 A1 EP 2223400A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
containment vessel
plate
heat sink
pillars
subsea
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP08860632A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
William Brown
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Aker Solutions Ltd
Original Assignee
Aker Subsea Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Aker Subsea Ltd filed Critical Aker Subsea Ltd
Publication of EP2223400A1 publication Critical patent/EP2223400A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
    • H02G9/00—Installations of electric cables or lines in or on the ground or water
    • H02G9/02—Installations of electric cables or lines in or on the ground or water laid directly in or on the ground, river-bed or sea-bottom; Coverings therefor, e.g. tile
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
    • H02G15/00—Cable fittings
    • H02G15/08—Cable junctions
    • H02G15/10—Cable junctions protected by boxes, e.g. by distribution, connection or junction boxes
    • H02G15/12—Cable junctions protected by boxes, e.g. by distribution, connection or junction boxes for incorporating transformers, loading coils or amplifiers
    • H02G15/14—Cable junctions protected by boxes, e.g. by distribution, connection or junction boxes for incorporating transformers, loading coils or amplifiers specially adapted for submarine cables
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
    • H05K7/14—Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack
    • H05K7/1422—Printed circuit boards receptacles, e.g. stacked structures, electronic circuit modules or box like frames
    • H05K7/1427—Housings
    • H05K7/1434—Housings for electronics exposed to high gravitational force; Cylindrical housings
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
    • H05K7/20—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
    • H05K7/2039—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating characterised by the heat transfer by conduction from the heat generating element to a dissipating body
    • H05K7/20436—Inner thermal coupling elements in heat dissipating housings, e.g. protrusions or depressions integrally formed in the housing
    • H05K7/20445—Inner thermal coupling elements in heat dissipating housings, e.g. protrusions or depressions integrally formed in the housing the coupling element being an additional piece, e.g. thermal standoff

Definitions

  • This invention relates to subsea assemblies such as subsea modules which are employed in association with subsea wells. These modules normally comprise a variety of devices for the control of fluids to and from the wellhead and more recently for providing communication and remote control.
  • subsea equipment To include electrical equipment for communication and/or control. It is customary for such electrical equipment, which may comprise motors, electrically operated actuators, and/or other electronic devices and circuits, to be disposed in a containment vessel.
  • the technical problem is to achieve close contact with the wall of the containment vessel without the use of, for example, bolts or other devices which pierce through the wall of the containment vessel.
  • WO2006/019037 provides a cage within which the electrical equipment is disposed, the cage including plates which are disposed in contact with an outer receptacle.
  • the plates are arranged between a base dish and a connection dish which are connected by bolts which draw the dishes together and force the plates outwardly.
  • Such an assembly can provide good thermal contact but imposes various constraints on the design and is difficult to adjust in use.
  • the state of the art also includes the documents GB-A-2317686, which discloses a heat sink attached to a central tube, and WO01/13692-A1, which discloses heat conducting plates which are placed against the inner wall of the shell of the pressure vessel. Summary of the invention
  • the invention in a preferred form comprises two main parts.
  • One part is a frame which is intended to fit closely within a containment vessel.
  • the frame includes pillars, which in a typical embodiment are parallel and are spaced apart in a circle, on the assumption that the containment vessel is generally cylindrical.
  • Another part is at least one heat sink which is in the form of an interface plate that fits between two adjacent pillars.
  • the lateral faces of the plate and the corresponding side faces of the pillars have complementary profiles which are disposed at a slant with respect to the plate and pillars, so that the plate can move into position between the pillars only at an acute angle relative to the general plane of the plate, so that there is a component of movement normal to the outer surface of the plate and a component of movement parallel to that surface.
  • the frame may be designed to accommodate a plurality of such plates either in a symmetrical or an asymmetrical arrangement.
  • the complementary profiles may comprise at least one oblique rail on each lateral face of the plate and a corresponding slot in the adjacent pillar.
  • the invention extends to a containment vessel including an assembly as indicated above and a subsea module including such a containment vessel and heat sink assembly.
  • FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing part of one embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a cage including heat sink interface plates
  • Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the upper part of a containment vessel including an internal frame and heat sink interface plates;
  • Figure 4 is a vertical section through the containment vessel showing heat sink interface plates in retracted positions;
  • Figure 5 is a vertical section through the containment vessel showing heat sink interface plates in extended positions
  • FIGS. 6A and 6B are simplified front and side views the heat sink assembly in which the heat sink is in a retracted position
  • Figures 7A and 7B are simplified front and side views of the heat sink assembly in which the heat sink is in an extended position.
  • Figure 1 illustrates part of a cage 1 which comprises a multiplicity of pillars 2 which are spaced apart and may form a circle, as described with reference to the later Figures. Between two adjacent pillars fits an interface plate 3 which constitutes the body of a heat sink for electrical and/or electronic equipment (not shown).
  • the interface plate is in this embodiment generally rectangular with a curved outer face 4 so that it conforms to the (preferably) curved inner surface of a cylindrical containment vessel ( Figures 3 - 5).
  • Each lateral face (such as the side face 5) of the interface plate 3 is provided with a slanting rail 6 which can slide in a correspondingly slanted slot 7 in the adjacent side face 8 of a pillar 2.
  • the complementary profiles thus formed constrain the movement of the plate 3 relative to the pillars such that it can move only with a component of movement normal to the outer face and a component parallel to the outer face (i.e. in the general plane of the plate).
  • the arrangement allows the outer surface of the heat sink constituted by the interface plate 3 to be kept substantially within the extent of the cage. This is beneficial during assembly because the risk of damage to the outer surface of the heat sink is lessened. Moreover the arrangement provides a mechanical advantage (depending on the angle of the rails 6 and slots 7) for urging the outer face into contact with the containment vessel.
  • the force applied to move the interface plate 3 may be tensile or compressive, whichever is more convenient having regard to the arrangement of other components that are to be fitted inside the containment vessel. Any suitable means may be employed to provide the tensile or compressive force for moving the interface plate into close contact with the vessel. They may include a threaded turnbuckle, a hydraulic piston or a clamp which might be manual and may be self- locking. An example is shown in Figures 6A - 7B.
  • the rails 8 need not be of the same material as the interface plate 3 because their function is load-bearing rather than thermal conduction.
  • Figure 2 illustrates one example of the heat sink assembly.
  • the pillars 2 are disposed spaced apart around a circle to form a generally cylindrical cage with a top ring 9 and a base ring 10 between which the pillars extend.
  • Figure 2 shows three interface plates 3 each in position between a respective pair of adjacent pillars.
  • Figure 3 illustrates the upper part of a containment vessel 12 including a heat sink assembly according to the invention. It has in this example the form of a domed cylinder.
  • the interface plates 3 are in 'retracted' positions spaced away from the inner surface 13 of the cylindrical wall of the vessel 12 by a gap 14.
  • the vessel 12 may be fitted in any convenient known manner to a base plate with which the vessel 12 makes sealing engagement so that the interior of the vessel may be maintained at some suitable pressure (e.g. atmospheric pressure) usually much less than the external pressure of the surrounding medium (i.e. seawater) when the vessel 12 is submerged.
  • suitable pressure e.g. atmospheric pressure
  • seawater the surrounding medium
  • the containment vessel 12 would usually be mounted upright on or within a subsea module in a manner generally known in the art.
  • Figure 4 is a vertical section through the containment vessel 12, again showing the interface plates 3 spaced from the inner surface 13 of the cylindrical wall of the vessel 12.
  • Figure 5 is a vertical section through the containment vessel showing the interface plates in their extended positions, closely adjacent the inner surface 13 of the cylindrical wall of the vessel 12.
  • Figures 6A and 6B are a front view and a side view of part of the assembly, showing a single heat sink between pillars 2.
  • a connecting rod 15 connects the lower edge of the heat sink plate 3 to a tensioning bolt 16 which passes through the base ring 10 and can be adjusted by a nut 17.
  • the heat sink 3 is in the retracted position, there being the gap 14 between the plate 3 and the inner surface of the wall of the pressure vessel 12.
  • Figures 7A and 7B are views similar to Figures 6A and 6B but show the plate 3 in the extended position, the adjustment of the nut 17 on the tensioning bolt 16 having caused the connecting rod 15 to pull the heat sink 3 obliquely into contact with the wall of the pressure vessel 12.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Structure Of Emergency Protection For Nuclear Reactors (AREA)

Abstract

A subsea containment vessel includes a heat sink assembly comprising a cage comprising a plurality of pillars (2) and between at least one pair of adjacent pillars a heat sink in the form of an interface plate (3) having an outer surface for engagement with the containment vessel. The plate has lateral faces each of which has a slanted profile for sliding movement relative to a complementary profile on an adjacent side face of a pillar. The profiles may comprise a rail (6) on a lateral face of the plate and a corresponding slot (7) in an adjacent side face of a pillar (2). Any suitable means may be employed to provide a tensile or compressive force for moving the interface plate into close contact with the vessel. They may include a threaded tumbuckle, a hydraulic piston or a clamp which might be manual and may be self-locking.

Description

SUBSEA CONTAINMENT VESSEL AND HEAT SINK ASSEMBLY
Field of the invention
This invention relates to subsea assemblies such as subsea modules which are employed in association with subsea wells. These modules normally comprise a variety of devices for the control of fluids to and from the wellhead and more recently for providing communication and remote control.
Background to the invention
It is now customary for subsea equipment to include electrical equipment for communication and/or control. It is customary for such electrical equipment, which may comprise motors, electrically operated actuators, and/or other electronic devices and circuits, to be disposed in a containment vessel.
In practice the only reliable means of dissipating the heat inevitably generated by the electrical equipment is by conduction and therefore an efficient heat-sink is necessary.
The technical problem is to achieve close contact with the wall of the containment vessel without the use of, for example, bolts or other devices which pierce through the wall of the containment vessel.
One known proposal for this purpose, published as WO2006/019037, provides a cage within which the electrical equipment is disposed, the cage including plates which are disposed in contact with an outer receptacle. The plates are arranged between a base dish and a connection dish which are connected by bolts which draw the dishes together and force the plates outwardly. Such an assembly can provide good thermal contact but imposes various constraints on the design and is difficult to adjust in use.
The state of the art also includes the documents GB-A-2317686, which discloses a heat sink attached to a central tube, and WO01/13692-A1, which discloses heat conducting plates which are placed against the inner wall of the shell of the pressure vessel. Summary of the invention
The invention in a preferred form comprises two main parts. One part is a frame which is intended to fit closely within a containment vessel. The frame includes pillars, which in a typical embodiment are parallel and are spaced apart in a circle, on the assumption that the containment vessel is generally cylindrical. Another part is at least one heat sink which is in the form of an interface plate that fits between two adjacent pillars. The lateral faces of the plate and the corresponding side faces of the pillars have complementary profiles which are disposed at a slant with respect to the plate and pillars, so that the plate can move into position between the pillars only at an acute angle relative to the general plane of the plate, so that there is a component of movement normal to the outer surface of the plate and a component of movement parallel to that surface.
There may be only one plate but the frame may be designed to accommodate a plurality of such plates either in a symmetrical or an asymmetrical arrangement.
The complementary profiles may comprise at least one oblique rail on each lateral face of the plate and a corresponding slot in the adjacent pillar.
The invention extends to a containment vessel including an assembly as indicated above and a subsea module including such a containment vessel and heat sink assembly.
There follows a description of a particular embodiment by way of example and with reference to the drawings.
Brief description of the drawings
Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing part of one embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 illustrates a cage including heat sink interface plates;
Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the upper part of a containment vessel including an internal frame and heat sink interface plates; Figure 4 is a vertical section through the containment vessel showing heat sink interface plates in retracted positions;
Figure 5 is a vertical section through the containment vessel showing heat sink interface plates in extended positions;
Figures 6A and 6B are simplified front and side views the heat sink assembly in which the heat sink is in a retracted position; and
Figures 7A and 7B are simplified front and side views of the heat sink assembly in which the heat sink is in an extended position.
Detailed description of a preferred example
Figure 1 illustrates part of a cage 1 which comprises a multiplicity of pillars 2 which are spaced apart and may form a circle, as described with reference to the later Figures. Between two adjacent pillars fits an interface plate 3 which constitutes the body of a heat sink for electrical and/or electronic equipment (not shown). The interface plate is in this embodiment generally rectangular with a curved outer face 4 so that it conforms to the (preferably) curved inner surface of a cylindrical containment vessel (Figures 3 - 5).
Each lateral face (such as the side face 5) of the interface plate 3 is provided with a slanting rail 6 which can slide in a correspondingly slanted slot 7 in the adjacent side face 8 of a pillar 2. The complementary profiles thus formed constrain the movement of the plate 3 relative to the pillars such that it can move only with a component of movement normal to the outer face and a component parallel to the outer face (i.e. in the general plane of the plate).
The arrangement allows the outer surface of the heat sink constituted by the interface plate 3 to be kept substantially within the extent of the cage. This is beneficial during assembly because the risk of damage to the outer surface of the heat sink is lessened. Moreover the arrangement provides a mechanical advantage (depending on the angle of the rails 6 and slots 7) for urging the outer face into contact with the containment vessel. The force applied to move the interface plate 3 may be tensile or compressive, whichever is more convenient having regard to the arrangement of other components that are to be fitted inside the containment vessel. Any suitable means may be employed to provide the tensile or compressive force for moving the interface plate into close contact with the vessel. They may include a threaded turnbuckle, a hydraulic piston or a clamp which might be manual and may be self- locking. An example is shown in Figures 6A - 7B.
The rails 8 need not be of the same material as the interface plate 3 because their function is load-bearing rather than thermal conduction.
Figure 2 illustrates one example of the heat sink assembly. The pillars 2 are disposed spaced apart around a circle to form a generally cylindrical cage with a top ring 9 and a base ring 10 between which the pillars extend. Figure 2 shows three interface plates 3 each in position between a respective pair of adjacent pillars.
Figure 3 illustrates the upper part of a containment vessel 12 including a heat sink assembly according to the invention. It has in this example the form of a domed cylinder. The interface plates 3 are in 'retracted' positions spaced away from the inner surface 13 of the cylindrical wall of the vessel 12 by a gap 14.
The vessel 12 may be fitted in any convenient known manner to a base plate with which the vessel 12 makes sealing engagement so that the interior of the vessel may be maintained at some suitable pressure (e.g. atmospheric pressure) usually much less than the external pressure of the surrounding medium (i.e. seawater) when the vessel 12 is submerged.
The containment vessel 12 would usually be mounted upright on or within a subsea module in a manner generally known in the art.
Figure 4 is a vertical section through the containment vessel 12, again showing the interface plates 3 spaced from the inner surface 13 of the cylindrical wall of the vessel 12. Figure 5 is a vertical section through the containment vessel showing the interface plates in their extended positions, closely adjacent the inner surface 13 of the cylindrical wall of the vessel 12.
Figures 6A and 6B are a front view and a side view of part of the assembly, showing a single heat sink between pillars 2. A connecting rod 15 connects the lower edge of the heat sink plate 3 to a tensioning bolt 16 which passes through the base ring 10 and can be adjusted by a nut 17. In Figures 6A and 6B the heat sink 3 is in the retracted position, there being the gap 14 between the plate 3 and the inner surface of the wall of the pressure vessel 12.
Figures 7A and 7B are views similar to Figures 6A and 6B but show the plate 3 in the extended position, the adjustment of the nut 17 on the tensioning bolt 16 having caused the connecting rod 15 to pull the heat sink 3 obliquely into contact with the wall of the pressure vessel 12.

Claims

Claims
1. A cage for accommodation within a subsea containment vessel, comprising a plurality of pillars (2) and between at least one pair of adjacent pillars a heat sink in the form of a plate (3) having an outer face (4) for engagement with the containment vessel, the plate having lateral faces (5) each of which has a slanted profile (6) for sliding movement relative to a complementary profile (7) on an adjacent side face (8) of a pillar (2), whereby movement of the plate (3) relative to the pair of pillars is constrained to have a component normal to the said outer face and a component parallel to said outer face.
2. A cage according to claim 1 in which the profiles (6, 7) comprise a rail (6) on a lateral face of the plate (3) and a corresponding slot (7) on an adjacent side face of a pillar (2).
3. A cage according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the pillars (2) are parallel and are spaced apart in a circle.
4. A subsea containment vessel (12) which includes a cage according to any of claims 1 - 3, wherein the vessel has a wall of which an inner surface (13) conforms to the outer face (4) of the plate (3).
5. A subsea containment vessel (12) according to claim 4 and further comprising means for moving the plate (3) to bring the outer face (4) thereof into close contact with the inner surface (13) of the containment vessel.
6. A subsea containment vessel (12) according to claim 5 in which the said means for moving comprises a tensioning link (15 - 17) coupled to the plate (3).
7. A subsea module comprising a containment vessel according to any of claims
EP08860632A 2007-12-12 2008-12-02 Subsea containment vessel and heat sink assembly Withdrawn EP2223400A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0724286.0A GB0724286D0 (en) 2007-12-12 2007-12-12 Subsea containment vessel and heat sink assembly
PCT/GB2008/003983 WO2009074770A1 (en) 2007-12-12 2008-12-02 Subsea containment vessel and heat sink assembly

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2223400A1 true EP2223400A1 (en) 2010-09-01

Family

ID=39048065

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP08860632A Withdrawn EP2223400A1 (en) 2007-12-12 2008-12-02 Subsea containment vessel and heat sink assembly

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2223400A1 (en)
GB (1) GB0724286D0 (en)
WO (1) WO2009074770A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2610026A1 (en) 2011-12-30 2013-07-03 Agie Charmilles SA Wire cutting method

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2533150A (en) * 2014-12-12 2016-06-15 Ge Oil & Gas Uk Ltd Locking mechanism

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3939464A (en) * 1974-11-04 1976-02-17 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Coaxial cable sensor mounting
US4528615A (en) * 1983-05-13 1985-07-09 At&T Bell Laboratories Repeater housing and circuit mounting structure
AU5658799A (en) * 1999-08-13 2001-03-13 Kvaerner Oilfield Products A.S Passive thermal transfer of subsea electronics

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2009074770A1 *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2610026A1 (en) 2011-12-30 2013-07-03 Agie Charmilles SA Wire cutting method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0724286D0 (en) 2008-01-30
WO2009074770A1 (en) 2009-06-18

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
BRPI0821072A2 (en) Device for adjusting the height of an assembly without the use of tools
GB2398314A (en) Subsea drilling control pod
WO2009074770A1 (en) Subsea containment vessel and heat sink assembly
CN103661451B (en) A kind of rail vehicle skirtboard
CN102143668A (en) Cabinet assembly device and connecting piece
CN106058759A (en) Novel GIL pipeline bus sliding supporting device
CA2688713A1 (en) Heat exchanger shell assembly and method of assembling
CN107332496A (en) Photovoltaic module longitudinal beam structure
US20100288523A1 (en) Component management system
US8672702B2 (en) Electrical conductor arrangement as a component of a photovoltaic array
CN105071247A (en) Multi-layer platform for power equipment
CN105197270A (en) Automatic packing equipment
CN105443025B (en) Extension ladder with functions of automatic locking and unlocking
CN206551504U (en) Intelligent lid pad pasting sealing machine
CN105931567B (en) A kind of road traffic direction board fastening assembly easy to operate
CN203836259U (en) Efficient rectangular gate valve
EP1988351A3 (en) Cooling tower seal joint
EP3414432B1 (en) Fixing system for panels and turbomachine enclosure comprising such system
CN107860951B (en) Urban illumination power supply line monitoring terminal
CN211867548U (en) Clamp for chip
CN105889641B (en) A kind of pipe-supporting device and Pipe installing adjusting method
KR20150002167U (en) Hydraulic device for disassembling and assembling heater cover
CN211815748U (en) Temporary drainage device for bridge inspection
CN217498556U (en) High-sealing-performance oil cylinder with sealed joint
CN211081583U (en) Adjustable airtight door mounting structure

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20100707

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: AL BA MK RS

DAX Request for extension of the european patent (deleted)
GRAP Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 20130403