Zero buoyancy cable and deep-sea equipment

Abstract

The present application provides a zero buoyancy cable, which includes: a cable; a plurality of floats sleeved on the cable; and a coating layer, wherein the coating layer tightly covers the plurality of floats and the cable to fix the floats to the cable. The zero buoyancy cable provided by the present application can effectively prevent the float from being lost or the float from slipping on the cable, thereby improving the balance of the zero buoyancy cable in water.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of electric power technology, and in particular to a zero-buoyancy cable and deep-sea equipment. Background Art

[0002] Zero buoyancy cables neither sink nor float in the water, effectively reducing the impact of the gravity or buoyancy generated by the cable on the underwater equipment, and are widely used in underwater equipment. In deep-sea oil and gas exploitation, the safety of deep-sea umbilical cables connecting surface floating devices and submarine equipment is crucial, but commercial zero buoyancy cables are mostly suitable for shallow sea areas with a seawater depth of less than 300 meters. At present, zero buoyancy cables are mainly prepared in the following two ways: the first way is to set a foaming material on the outer layer of the cable, and most of them are polyethylene foaming materials, but the foaming material can withstand low water pressure, so this type of zero buoyancy cable is mostly used in shallow sea areas with a seawater depth of less than 300 meters. The second way is to fix the buoyancy material on the outer periphery of the cable by bundling or locking. High-strength buoyancy materials can be selected to achieve deep-sea applications with a depth of several thousand meters. However, the bundling or locking method is prone to failure of bundling or locking under the corrosion, impact or other external forces of seawater, resulting in single floating body floating, or the floater is significantly displaced in the length direction of the cable, affecting the balance of the cable, causing the cable to bend and fail to work normally. Summary of the invention

[0003] The purpose of the embodiment of the present application is to provide a zero buoyancy cable and deep-sea equipment to prevent the float on the zero buoyancy cable from being lost or the float from slipping on the cable, thereby improving the balance of the zero buoyancy cable in water. The specific technical solution is as follows:

[0004] The first aspect of the present application provides a zero buoyancy cable, comprising:

[0005] cable;

[0006] A plurality of floats sleeved on the cable;

[0007] The coating layer tightly covers the plurality of floats and the cable to fix the floats to the cable.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present application, the zero-buoyancy cable further includes a plurality of isolation pads sleeved on the cable, each isolation pad being disposed between two adjacent floats.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present application, the isolation pad is an elastic isolation pad.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present application, the outer diameter of the isolation pad is smaller than or equal to the outer diameter of the float.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the isolation pad is greater than the difference between the inner diameter of the float and the outer diameter of the cable.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present application, the float is cylindrical, prismatic or spindle-shaped.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present application, the difference between the inner diameter of the float and the outer diameter of the cable is no more than 10 mm.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present application, the float comprises a buoyancy material, and the buoyancy material comprises a composite material of epoxy resin and hollow glass microspheres.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present application, the thickness of the coating layer is 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present application, the coating layer is formed by any one or more selected from a heat shrink tube, a cold shrink tube, a rubber tube, a heat shrink tape, a cold shrink tape or a rubber tape.

[0017] A second aspect of the present application provides a deep-sea device, comprising the zero-buoyancy cable in any of the above embodiments.

[0018] The zero buoyancy cable provided by the present application has a float sleeve arranged on the outside of the cable, and no additional reinforcement is required, which will not cause the float to be lost. At the same time, the coating layer is tightly wrapped around the cable and the float, so that the cable and the float form a whole. It is not easy for the float and the cable to slide relative to each other, and the float will not be lost due to external force. Therefore, the cable has good balance and is not easy to bend, which can ensure the normal operation of the cable.

[0019] Of course, the product or method of implementing any embodiment of the present application does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and for ordinary technicians in this field, other embodiments can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0021] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a zero-buoyancy cable according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0022] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a zero-buoyancy cable without a covering layer according to some embodiments of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the present application belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0024] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the first aspect of the present application provides a zero buoyancy cable 10, which includes:

[0025] Cable 11;

[0026] A plurality of floats 12 sleeved on the cable 11;

[0027] The coating layer 13 tightly covers the plurality of floats 12 and the cable 11 , and fixes the floats 12 to the cable 11 .

[0028] The zero buoyancy cable 10 provided in the present application has a float 12 which is sleeved on the outside of the cable 11, and no additional reinforcement is required, so the float 12 will not be lost. At the same time, the coating layer 13 is tightly coated on the outside of the cable 11 and the float 12, so that the cable 11 and the float 12 form a whole. It is not easy for the float 12 to slide relative to the cable 11, and the float 12 will not be lost due to external force. Therefore, the cable 11 has good balance and is not easy to bend, which can ensure the normal operation of the cable 11 and can be used in the deep sea with a maximum depth of 10,000 meters.

[0029] The present application has no particular restrictions on the coating layer, as long as the purpose of the present application can be achieved. For example, the coating layer can be, but is not limited to, formed by any one or more selected from heat shrink tubes, cold shrink tubes, rubber tubes, heat shrink tapes, cold shrink tapes or rubber tapes. The present application has no particular restrictions on the size of heat shrink tubes, cold shrink tubes, rubber tubes, heat shrink tapes, cold shrink tapes or rubber tapes, and can be selected according to the outer diameter of the float 12. A heat shrink tube refers to a sleeve that can shrink when heated, and maintains the expanded state formed during the preparation process at room temperature, and can shrink when heated during use. A cold shrink tube refers to a sleeve that can shrink at room temperature, including a cold shrink tube sleeve and a spiral support supporting the cold shrink tube sleeve. When used, the spiral support is pulled out, and the cold shrink tube sleeve can shrink at room temperature by elasticity. The principle of a heat shrink tape is similar to that of a heat shrink tube, but the shape is different; the principle of a cold shrink tape is similar to that of a cold shrink tube, but the shape is different.

[0030] The present application has no particular limitation on the thickness of the coating layer, as long as the purpose of the present application can be achieved. For example, the thickness of the coating layer is 0.5 mm to 2 mm. In the present application, the thickness of the coating layer refers to the thickness of the coating layer coated on the float and the isolation pad.

[0031] like Figure 1As shown, in some embodiments of the present application, the zero buoyancy cable 10 further includes a plurality of isolation pads 14 sleeved on the cable 11, and each isolation pad 14 is disposed between two adjacent floats 12. The provision of the isolation pads 14 allows a stable spacing to be maintained between two adjacent floats 12, thereby further improving the structural stability of the zero buoyancy cable 10.

[0032] In some embodiments of the present application, the isolation pad 14 is an elastic isolation pad, which facilitates the winding or bending of the zero buoyancy cable 10. The present application has no particular restrictions on the material of the elastic isolation pad 14, as long as the purpose of the present application can be achieved. For example, the material of the elastic isolation pad 14 can be, but is not limited to, polyurethane or silicone rubber.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present application, the outer diameter of the isolation pad 14 is smaller than or equal to the outer diameter of the float 12. Since the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the float 12 is usually large, and the isolation pad 14 is mainly used to separate two adjacent floats 12, the outer diameter of the isolation pad 14 can be smaller than the outer diameter of the float 12, thereby reducing the total mass of the zero buoyancy cable 10.

[0034] In the present application, the isolation pad 14 and the cable 11 may be tightly fitted with no gap to prevent the isolation pad 14 from slipping on the cable 11; or there may be a certain gap to facilitate the isolation pad 14 to be mounted on the cable 11.

[0035] In some embodiments of the present application, the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the isolation pad 14 is greater than the difference between the inner diameter of the float 12 and the outer diameter of the cable 11. Therefore, when there is a gap between the float 12 and the cable 11, the isolation pad 14 is prevented from sliding along the cable and partially or completely overlapping with the float 12, thereby affecting the spacing between two adjacent floats 12.

[0036] The present application has no particular restrictions on the length of the isolation pad along the length direction of the cable, and can be selected according to the outer diameter of the cable. Specifically, when the outer diameter of the cable is small, the bending radius required for winding is also small, so a longer isolation pad is required; when the outer diameter of the cable is large, the bending radius required for winding is large, and the length of the isolation pad can be appropriately reduced. For example, the ratio of the length of the isolation pad along the length direction of the cable to the outer diameter of the cable is 1:5-5:1.

[0037] In the present application, the float 12 and the cable 11 may be tightly fitted without a gap to prevent the float 12 from sliding on the cable 11; or there may be a certain gap to facilitate the float 12 to be sleeved on the cable 11. Preferably, the difference between the inner diameter of the float 12 and the outer diameter of the cable 11 is not greater than 10 mm. The present application has no particular restriction on the inner diameter of the float 12, which can be selected according to the outer diameter of the cable 11.

[0038] The present application has no particular restrictions on the length of the float along the length direction of the cable, and can be selected according to the outer diameter of the cable. Specifically, when the outer diameter of the cable is small, the bending radius required for winding is also small, so a float with a smaller length is required; when the outer diameter of the cable is large, the bending radius required for winding is large, and the length of the float can also be appropriately increased. For example, the ratio of the length of the float along the length direction of the cable to the outer diameter of the cable is 1:1-6:1.

[0039] The present application has no particular restrictions on the shape of the float 12, as long as the purpose of the present application can be achieved. For example, the shape of the float 12 can be, but is not limited to, cylindrical, prismatic, or spindle-shaped. The float 12 is a symmetrical structure, which is conducive to improving the balance of the zero buoyancy cable 10.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present application, the float comprises a buoyancy material. The present application has no particular limitation on the buoyancy material, as long as the purpose of the present application can be achieved. For example, the density of the buoyancy material is less than 1 g / cm 3 , the compressive strength is greater than or equal to 50 MPa, preferably, the buoyancy material comprises a composite material of epoxy resin and hollow glass microspheres. It is understood that the buoyancy material can be selected according to the use depth of the zero buoyancy cable in the water.

[0041] The present application has no particular restrictions on the preparation method of the zero buoyancy cable, as long as the purpose of the present application can be achieved. For example, the preparation method of the zero buoyancy cable may include but is not limited to the following steps: sleeve the float and the isolation pad on the cable at intervals, then sleeve the heat shrink tube, heat the heat shrink tube with a hot air gun to shrink it, so that the float and the isolation pad are tightly wrapped on the cable to obtain the zero buoyancy cable.

[0042] Specifically, as shown in Table 1, the zero buoyancy cable 1-8, wherein the heat shrink tube is a polyethylene heat shrink tube, the thickness of the coating layer formed by the polyethylene heat shrink tube on the float is 0.1 cm, and the parameters of the cable, float, and isolation pad are shown in Table 1. It should be noted that the zero buoyancy cable in Table 1 is used as an example to explain the present application, but the zero buoyancy cable of the present application is not limited to the zero buoyancy cable shown in Table 1.

[0043] Table 1

[0044]

[0045]

[0046] The second aspect of the present application provides a deep-sea device, including the zero-buoyancy cable in any of the above embodiments, which can be applied to deep sea with a maximum depth of 10,000 meters. The above-mentioned deep-sea device can be but is not limited to deep-sea oil and gas production equipment, deep-sea detection equipment, etc.

[0047] It should be noted that, in this article, the term "comprise" or any other variation thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a method or article including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also includes other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such method or article.

[0048] Each embodiment in this specification is described in a related manner, and the same or similar parts between the embodiments can be referenced to each other, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments.

[0049] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the protection scope of the present application. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application are included in the protection scope of the present application.

[0050] This application is supported by the "Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities 201964010" project.

Claims

1. A zero buoyancy cable, comprising: cable; A plurality of floats sleeved on the cable, wherein the floats contain a buoyancy material, and the buoyancy material includes a composite material of epoxy resin and hollow glass microspheres; The coating layer tightly covers the plurality of floats and the cable to fix the floats to the cable.

2. The zero-buoyancy cable according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of isolation pads sleeved on the cable, each isolation pad being disposed between two adjacent floats.

3. The zero buoyancy cable according to claim 2, wherein: The isolation pad is an elastic isolation pad.

4. The zero buoyancy cable according to claim 2, wherein: The outer diameter of the isolation pad is smaller than or equal to the outer diameter of the float.

5. The zero buoyancy cable according to claim 2, wherein: The difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the isolation pad is greater than the difference between the inner diameter of the float and the outer diameter of the cable.

6. The zero buoyancy cable according to claim 1, wherein: The float is cylindrical, prism-shaped or spindle-shaped.

7. The zero-buoyancy cable according to claim 1, wherein: The difference between the inner diameter of the float and the outer diameter of the cable is no more than 10 mm.

8. The zero buoyancy cable according to claim 1, wherein: The coating layer has a thickness of 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

9. The zero-buoyancy cable according to claim 1, wherein: The coating layer is formed by any one or more selected from a heat shrinkable tube, a cold shrinkable tube, a rubber tube, a heat shrinkable tape, a cold shrinkable tape or a rubber tape.

10. A deep sea device comprising the zero buoyancy cable according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images