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EP-4464469-B1 - SUBMERSIBLE REMOTE OPERATED VEHICLE TOOL CHANGE CONTROL

EP4464469B1EP 4464469 B1EP4464469 B1EP 4464469B1EP-4464469-B1

Inventors

  • LEONHARDT, Mark
  • SLAM, Spencer
  • ABRAHAM, Bijou
  • BOISSIERE, Peter
  • COHAN, Steve
  • HJELDEN, Kevin
  • MAYNE, DOUG
  • RANSTROM, Tim
  • ROGERS, SEAN
  • SCHELL, KEVIN

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20200403

Claims (7)

  1. A submersible remote operated vehicle (ROV) system, comprising: a submersible ROV (10) with a manipulator arm (16) for carrying a tool (18); a tool holder (200) for storing the tool; a tool carousel (32) for moving the tool holder; and a control system configured to: receive an input from a human operator identifying a tool; receive data from sensors (220, 414) of the ROV about the operation of the arm; operate the tool carousel in response to the input to present the tool holder containing the tool to an access position; and automatically control, based on the data, movement of the arm in docking the arm to the tool holder.
  2. The submersible ROV system of claim 1, wherein the tool holder is carried by the ROV.
  3. The submersible ROV system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the sensors comprise a camera (220), and the control system is configured to receive image data from the camera.
  4. The submersible ROV system of claims 1-3, wherein the sensors comprise a force sensor configured to sense forces exerted by the manipulator arm, and the control system is configured to receive force data from the sensor.
  5. The submersible ROV system of any of claims 1-4, wherein the tool holder comprises: an opening (208) through which the tool is passed when docking the arm to the tool holder; and a conical guide, surrounding the opening and decreasing in diameter toward the opening.
  6. The submersible ROV system of claim 5, wherein the conical guide comprises a plurality of lead-in ramps (210), each having a ramped inward facing surface (212).
  7. The submersible ROV system of any of claims 1-3, further comprising a key on the tool holder or a keyway (224) defined by the tool holder, the key or the keyway configured to interface with a corresponding keyway defined by the tool or a corresponding key on the tool and lock the tool to the tool holder.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/830,104, filed April 5, 2019, and U.S. Patent Application No. 16/460,467, filed July 2, 2019. BACKGROUND In petrochemical exploration and production, many offshore wells are at depths well beyond the reach of divers. In these instances, a submersible remote operated vehicle (ROV) is controlled from above the water's surface to perform some operations in the construction and control of the wells. The ROV has a manipulator arm that can mount tools for use in performing these operations. Some manipulator arms have the capability to remotely release from and attach to tools, so that different tools can be interchanged while the ROV is subsea. WO 03/040602 A1 describes a single-module deployable bolted flange connection apparatus that makes up standard flange joints for various pipeline tie-in situations, such as spool piece connection and flowline-tree connections, without the use of divers and auxiliary multiple pieces of equipment. An outer flange alignment frame carries one or more claws for grabbing the pipe/spool to provide flange alignment. The claws are suspended and driven by an arrangement of five hydraulic rams. A crash-resistant inner frame houses complete connection tooling. The tooling performs the final alignment steps, inserts the gasket and studs, applies the required tension, and connects the nuts. Studs and nuts are stored separately from the tooling in an indexed carousel, to permit multiple operations, reverse operations (disconnection), and re-work of failed steps, all without external intervention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a submersible remote operated vehicle (ROV) operating subsea;FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example tool holder with a portion of a docked manipulator arm;FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a face plate of the tool holder of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the face plate with a male mount of a tool protruding through the faceplate;FIG. 4 is a schematic of an aspect of the system described herein, including a control interface, sensors and actuators;FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of steps in operation of automated docking of the manipulator arm to a tool holder;FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of steps in operation of an image feedback control of the system; andFIG. 7 is a flow diagram of steps in operation of a force accommodation control of the system. Throughout the figures, like reference numbers are used to indicate the like parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows an example submersible remote operated vehicle (ROV) 10 operating subsea. The ROV 10 can be controlled by a human operator from a control interface 12, typically on a vessel 30 (e.g., a platform, ship or other vessel) above a surface 14 of a body of water, to fly through the water and perform certain operations. The ROV 10 of FIG. 1 includes a manipulator arm 16 with a tool 18 attached to its end. In certain instances, the ROV 10 can include one or more additional arms, such as a grabber or other type of arm, but the manipulator arm 16 is the most dexterous, having multiple pivot and rotational joints 22 that enable movement of the arm in multiple degrees of freedom. In certain instances, the joints 22 in the manipulator arm 16 collectively provide 6 degrees of freedom (i.e., movement along the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, roll, pitch, and yaw). Each joint 22 includes a mechanical joint that enables movement between the connected segments of the arm 16, one or more actuators to drive movement of the joint and, in certain instances, one or more sensors, such as position and force (linear and/or torque) sensors. The control interface 12 is communicably coupled to the ROV 10 submerged in the water. In some cases, the ROV 10 is connected to the control interface 12 through a tether management system (TMS) 24, also submerged in the water, and supported from the vessel 30. The operator controls the ROV 10 to fly around and perform operations and the TMS 24, in performing those operations, via the control interface 12. An umbilical 26 extends between the control interface 12 at the vessel 30 to the TMS 24. The TMS 24 pays out and takes up a tether 28 that extends between the TMS 24 and the ROV 10. The umbilical 26 and tether 28 communicate power, e.g., electrical power, and data between the control interface 12 and the TMS 24 and ROV 10. The data communicated on the umbilical 26 and tether 28 includes control signals to actuators of the TMS 24 and ROV 10 and other control communications, output from sensors at the TMS 24 and ROV 10. and other data. The ROV 10, in turn, supplies power, e.g., electrical and/or hydraulic power, and exchanges data with the tool 18 through the manipulator arm 16, enabling the operator to actuate and operate the tool 18 via the control interface 12. The tool 18 and ROV 10 communicate data including control signals to actuators in the tool 18, output from