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EP-4738629-A1 - SUBSEA HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED ELECTRICAL ISOLATOR

EP4738629A1EP 4738629 A1EP4738629 A1EP 4738629A1EP-4738629-A1

Abstract

A subsea electrical junction box (180) is provided. The subsea electrical junction box (180) includes a pressurized fluid source, a busbar (102a, b), a switch (100a, b) isolator module, and an electrical connector (124a, b, c). The switch (100a, b) is in selective fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source, the pressurized fluid source supplying hydraulic fluid to actuate the switch (100a, b) from a retracted configuration (130) to an extended configuration (140). The switch (100a, b) is in electrical communication with the busbar (102a, b). The electrical connector (124a, b, c) is in selective electrical communication with the busbar (102a, b) via the switch (100a, b).

Inventors

  • ASKELAND, AUDUN MAGNE
  • GRYTDAL, Andreas

Assignees

  • OneSubsea IP UK Limited

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251030

Claims (15)

  1. A subsea electrical junction box (180), comprising: a pressurized fluid source; a busbar (102a, b); a switch (100a, b), the switch being in selective fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source, the pressurized fluid source supplying hydraulic fluid to actuate the switch from a retracted configuration (130) to an extended configuration (140), and electrically isolated from the pressurized fluid source; and an electrical connector (124a, b, c) in selective electrical communication with the busbar via the switch.
  2. The subsea electrical junction box of claim 1, wherein the busbar is hollow and houses at least a portion of a hydraulic line (101a, b) fluidly connecting the switch to the pressurized fluid source.
  3. The subsea electrical junction box of claim 2, wherein the hydraulic line is electrically insulative.
  4. The subsea electrical junction box of any of claims 2-3, wherein the busbar defines a transverse bore (126a, b), and the hydraulic line extends through the transverse bore to connect to the switch.
  5. The subsea electrical junction box of any of claims 1-4, wherein the pressurized fluid source is an accumulator package (170).
  6. The subsea electrical junction box of any of claims 1-5, wherein the switch includes a housing (128) mounted to and in electrical communication with the busbar, and a piston (104) slidably disposed in and in electrical communication with the housing.
  7. The subsea electrical junction box of claim 6, wherein the piston is slidably disposed in an actuation space (142) defined by the housing, and when the pressurized fluid source supplies the hydraulic fluid to the switch, the hydraulic fluid flows into the actuation space and fluidically bears against a rear end (144a) of the piston to push the piston outwardly from the housing.
  8. The subsea electrical junction box of any of claims 6-7, wherein the switch includes an electrical terminal (132) mounted to and in electrical communication with the electrical connector, and a dielectric bracket (134) mounted to the housing and the electrical terminal, the dielectric bracket electrically insulating the electrical terminal from the housing when the piston is in the retracted configuration.
  9. The subsea electrical junction box of claim 8, wherein when the piston is in the extended configuration, the piston extends through the dielectric bracket.
  10. The subsea electrical junction box of any of claims 8-9, wherein when the piston is in the extended configuration, the piston extends into, contacts, and is in electrical communication with the electrical terminal, and the electrical connector is in electrical communication with the busbar via the electrical terminal, the piston, and the housing.
  11. The subsea electrical junction box of any of claims 8-10, wherein when the piston is in the extended configuration, a spring (146) mounted in the electrical terminal releasably snaps into to a groove (148) defined in a front end (144a) of the piston.
  12. The subsea electrical junction box of any of claims 8-10, wherein when the piston is in the extended configuration, a spring (146) mounted in the housing snaps into to a groove (148) defined in a rear end (144b) of the piston.
  13. The subsea electrical junction box of any of claims 6-12, wherein the piston sealably engages the housing via a piston seal (400) disposed about the piston.
  14. The subsea electrical junction box of any of claims 6-13, wherein the switch includes a bellow (210) disposed in the housing to engage a rear end (144b) of the piston, the bellow being in fluid communication with the accumulator package.
  15. The subsea electrical junction box of any of claims 1-14, wherein the pressurized fluid source receives the hydraulic fluid to actuate the switch from the extended configuration to the retracted configuration.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/713,977, titled "Subsea Hydraulically Actuated Electrical Isolator," filed October 30, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. BACKGROUND For subsea substations and high-power distribution systems, a straightforward and reliable method for disconnecting circuits is important to improve system availability. Specifically, in the case of subsea substations, this allows for the swift isolation of a failed subsea wet-mate connector and its associated cable from the operational circuits, minimizing production downtime. SUMMARY Some embodiments provide a subsea electrical junction box. The subsea electrical junction box includes a pressurized fluid source, a busbar, a switch, and an electrical connector in selective electrical communication with the busbar via the switch. The switch is in selective fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source, the pressurized fluid source supplying hydraulic fluid to actuate the switch from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration, and the switch is electrically isolated from the pressurized fluid source. In some embodiments, the busbar is hollow and houses at least a portion of a hydraulic line fluidly connecting the switch to the pressurized fluid source. In some embodiments, the hydraulic line is electrically insulative. In some embodiments, the busbar defines a transverse bore, and the hydraulic line extends through the transverse bore to connect to the switch. In some embodiments, the pressurized fluid source is an accumulator package. In some embodiments, the switch includes a housing mounted to and in electrical communication with the busbar, and a piston slidably disposed in and in electrical communication with the housing. In some embodiments, the piston is slidably disposed in an actuation space defined by the housing, and when the pressurized fluid source supplies the hydraulic fluid to the switch, the hydraulic fluid flows into the actuation space and fluidically bears against a rear end of the piston to push the piston outwardly from the housing. In some embodiments, the switch includes an electrical terminal mounted to and in electrical communication with the electrical connector, and a dielectric bracket mounted to the housing and the electrical terminal, the dielectric bracket electrically insulating the electrical terminal from the housing when the piston is in the retracted configuration. In some embodiments, when the piston is in the extended configuration, the piston extends through the dielectric bracket. In some embodiments, when the piston is in the extended configuration, the piston extends into, contacts, and is in electrical communication with the electrical terminal, and the electrical connector is in electrical communication with the busbar via the electrical terminal, the piston, and the housing. In some embodiments, when the piston is in the extended configuration, a spring mounted in the electrical terminal releasably snaps into to a groove defined in a front end of the piston. In some embodiments, when the piston is in the extended configuration, a spring mounted in the housing snaps into to a groove defined in a rear end of the piston. In some embodiments, the piston sealably engages the housing via a piston seal disposed about the piston. In some embodiments, the switch includes a bellow disposed in the housing to engage a rear end of the piston, the bellow being in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source. In some embodiments, the pressurized fluid source receives the hydraulic fluid to actuate the switch from the extended configuration to the retracted configuration. Some embodiments provide a switch. The switch includes a dielectric bracket between a housing and an electrical terminal; and a piston disposed in the housing and moveable between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. In some embodiments, the dielectric bracket electrically isolates the housing from the electrical terminal when the piston is in the retracted configuration. In some embodiments, the piston electrically connects the housing to the electrical terminal in the extended configuration. Some embodiments provide a subsea electrical junction box including an isolator module, an electrical connector, an accumulator package, a high pressure valve, and a low pressure valve. The subsea electrical junction box, including the isolator module, is filled with hydraulic fluid at a first pressure. The isolator module includes a busbar, and a piston switch mounted to and in electrical communication with the busbar. The electrical connector is mounted to the isolator module and in selective electrical communication with the busbar via the piston switch. The accumulator package is in selective fluid communication with the piston switch. The acc