WO2016207239A1

WO2016207239A1 - Immersed box structure

Info

Publication number: WO2016207239A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/064459
Authority: WO
Inventors: Clément BIERMANN
Original assignee: Dcns
Priority date: 2015-06-22
Filing date: 2016-06-22
Publication date: 2016-12-29
Also published as: FR3037641A1; FR3037641B1

Abstract

Said immersed box structure (1), in which are arranged electrical component means (2) and means (3) for removing the heat produced by said electrical component means during operation, in order to control the operating temperature of same, is characterised in that the cooling means comprise heat pipe means (3) associated with both the electrical component means (2) and with the internal face of the immersed structure (1), in order to allow passive removal of heat to the environment through the wall of the immersed box structure (1).

Description

Submerged caisson structure

The present invention relates to a submerged box structure.

More particularly, the invention relates to a submerged box structure, in which are arranged means for electrical components and means for evacuating the heat produced by them, during their operation, in order to control their temperature. operation.

Submerged caisson structures of this nature are already used in a large number of applications, particularly in terms of exploitation of marine resources, energy production, etc.

In general, such submerged structures comprise a number of electrical means, such as electric energy storage batteries, transformer means, rectifier means, inverter means, etc., which are intended to produce electrical energy. electrical energy for later use.

However, these different equipment, involved in this electrical chain, have no perfect yields and some of the processed power is converted into heat Joule effect.

These devices being contained in a sealed gas chamber, the atmosphere in the latter will quickly heat up.

However, an increase in ambient temperature reduces the life of electrical equipment and can also limit the range of use of embedded equipment.

It is therefore necessary to maintain a cool enough atmosphere within this structure, so that the electrical equipment perform their function properly over a long term and without requiring interventions.

To solve these problems, it has already been proposed in the state of the art, to use heat exchangers for example external to the structure and therefore in heat exchange relationship with the environment.

In this case, heat exchangers are therefore placed outside the structure, and are fixed for example on the outer face of the submerged box structure.

These means are therefore intended to evacuate in the environment the heat produced by the internal equipment.

However, such means require the use of a heat recovery system on equipment, and transfer thereof to these exchangers, which implements pumps, compressors, etc.. However, these means generally have a limited life and require regular interventions control, maintenance ...

The object of the invention is to solve these problems by proposing a solution that is as reliable as possible and that allows to minimize interventions on this type of structures.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a submerged caisson structure, in which electrical component means and means for evacuating the heat produced by these during their operation are arranged in order to control their operating temperature. , characterized in that the cooling means comprise heat pipe means associated on the one hand with the electrical component means and on the other hand with the internal face of the submerged structure, to allow passive evacuation of heat towards the environment to through the wall of the submerged caisson structure.

According to other features of the structure according to the invention, taken alone or in combination:

the electrical component means comprise means selected from the group comprising:

- energy storage batteries,

transformer means,

- Inverter means,

- Rectifier means;

the heat pipe means comprise heat pipe tubes extending between evaporator means at a heat recovery end of the component means and condenser means at a heat dissipating end through the wall of the structure;

the heat pipe tubes are deformable to absorb the variations in distance between the evaporator means and the condenser means;

the components comprise semiconductor switch members associated with heat dissipating flanges against which the evaporator means are placed;

the switch members comprise IGBT transistors.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents an exemplary embodiment of a submerged caisson structure according to the invention, FIG. 2 represents a part of such a structure illustrating the implantation of heat pipe means on means with electrical components, forming part of the constitution thereof, and

- Figure 3 illustrates in more detail an example of electrical component means that can be embedded in such a structure.

In these figures and in particular in FIG. 1, a submerged box structure has been illustrated.

This is for example designated by the general reference 1 in this figure 1. This structure can then present different applications of energy production, exploitation, etc.

This structure is for example immersed in the sea and its outer face is in contact with the sea.

In fact electrical component means are arranged in this submerged structure.

These means will be described in more detail later, but it will already be noted that means constituting for example an inverter bridge, designated by the general reference 2, are illustrated in this FIG.

Of course, other component means of this nature can be envisaged.

The structure according to the invention also comprises means for evacuating the heat produced by these electrical component means during their operation in order to control their operating temperature in the structure.

In fact these means of cooling or heat removal are designated by the general reference 3 in this figure.

According to the invention, these means of cooling or heat evacuation comprise heat pipe means associated on the one hand with the electrical component means 2 and on the other hand with the internal face of the submerged structure 1.

This then allows a passive evacuation of the heat produced by the electrical component means, to the environment, through the wall of the submerged box structure.

1 and more clearly in FIG. 2, that the heat pipe means designated by the general reference 3, in fact comprise heat pipe tubes, one of which is for example designated by the general reference 4 in these figures.

These heat pipe tubes extend between evaporator means 5, a heat recovery end of the electrical component means, and heat sink means. condenser 6, at one end of heat evacuation, through the wall of the structure immersed towards the environment.

In the example described, these are gravity heat pipes.

In fact, and if we take the example illustrated in these figures, the implementation of an inverter bridge, it comprises for example conventionally, three phases, designated by the references 7, 8 and 9 respectively in Figures 2 and 3.

Each phase 7, 8 or 9 of this inverter bridge then comprises various means, among which semiconductor switching members, some of which are shown in FIG. 3 and are designated by the general reference 10.

In fact, these semiconductor switching members may for example comprise IGBT transistors of conventional type in this field of applications or any other type of component used in such applications.

These semiconductor switching members are associated with heat dissipating soles, which are designated by the references 1 1, 12 and 13 in these figures and in particular in FIG. 2.

In Figure 3, the sole 12 has been removed to reveal the IGBT transistors 10.

In FIG. 2, it can be seen that the evaporator means 5 comprise evaporator blocks associated with these soles.

These evaporator blocks then make it possible to recover the heat produced by these IGBT transistors, in order to transport it, through the heat pipe tubes for example 4, to the condenser means, for example 6, fixed against the internal face of the wall of the structure.

It should be noted that the arrangement of the condenser means makes it possible to match the shape of the internal face of the wall of the structure, to ensure thermal continuity and to allow a good evacuation of heat.

The evacuation of heat is therefore towards the environment.

It will be appreciated that this has a number of advantages in that there is a direct and passive transfer of heat produced by the operation of the electrical components to the environment simply through the wall of the structure.

The heat pipe means use no moving parts, so that their reliability is extremely high.

This makes it possible to reduce the number of interventions on this type of system.

Moreover, the use of heat pipe tubes also makes it possible to absorb, without any problem, any variation, in particular of the shape of the submerged structure, when this it is immersed in its environment and when for example, it is immersed in relatively large depths, resulting in a significant application of pressure on the outside of this structure and a slight consequent deformation thereof.

The tubes have the ability to deform, to absorb the consecutive distance variations between the evaporator means and the condenser means.

The tubes may for example have a suitable shape such as for example S or others conferring them this characteristic of deformation capacity.

Other advantages are related to the removal of exchangers external to the structure, as proposed in the state of the art, in particular because of cost reductions and improved reliability, due to the fact that There is no longer any need for watertight crossings and so on.

Of course other embodiments can be envisaged.

Claims

1 .- Submerged caisson structure (1), in which are disposed means for electrical components (2) and means (3) for evacuating the heat produced by these during their operation, in order to control their temperature operating device, characterized in that the cooling means comprise heat pipe means (3) associated on the one hand with the electrical component means (2) and on the other hand with the inner face of the submerged structure (1), for allow passive heat removal to the environment through the wall of the submerged box structure (1).

2. submerged box structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrical component means (2) comprise means selected from the group comprising:

- energy storage batteries,

transformer means

- Inverter means,

- Rectifier means.

3. submerged box structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the heat pipe means (3) comprise heat pipe tubes (4) extending between evaporator means (5) at a heat recovery end of the component means (2) and condenser means (6) at a heat-dissipating end through the wall of the structure (1).

4. submerged box structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the heat pipe tubes (4) are deformable to absorb the variations in distance between the evaporator means (5) and the condenser means (6).

5. Underwater box structure according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the electrical component means (2) comprise semiconductor switching members (10) associated with soles (1 1, 12, 13) of heat removal against which the evaporator means (5) are placed.

6. submerged box structure according to claim 5, characterized in that the switching members (10) comprise IGBT transistors.