A seawater pressure compensation system

Abstract

The application discloses a seawater pressure compensation system, which comprises a rolling diaphragm type pressure compensator, a balance valve, an electromagnetic switch valve and a hydraulic control check valve; the rolling diaphragm type pressure compensator comprises a seawater communication cavity and a pressure compensation cavity, and the seawater communication cavity and the pressure compensation cavity are isolated by a rolling diaphragm; the seawater communication cavity is communicated with a marine environment through a first pipeline, the pressure compensation cavity is connected with an oil return pipeline through a second pipeline, and the oil return pipeline is connected with an actuator of the oil return pipeline; the balance valve is provided with a balance cavity, a balance valve inlet, a balance valve outlet and an electromagnetic switch valve through-flow port, the balance cavity is communicated with the marine environment through a third pipeline, and the balance valve inlet is communicated with the oil return pipeline; and the seawater pressure is sensed by an elastic element, and the seawater pressure is transmitted to the inside of a hydraulic system, so that the oil return pressure of the hydraulic system is slightly higher than the seawater pressure, and the oil return pressure can automatically change with the seawater depth, thereby realizing pressure compensation of two working states of oil liquid static and flow of the oil return pipeline.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an underwater hydraulic system, in particular to a seawater pressure compensation system. Background Art

[0002] Submersibles are essential tools for marine surveys. Hydraulic systems are widely used in submersible control due to their high load-carrying capacity and high power-to-weight ratio. Outboard hydraulic systems operate in seawater environments at depths ranging from tens to hundreds of meters. These systems must withstand not only internal high pressure but also external seawater pressure. Seawater infiltration into the hydraulic system can cause corrosion, potentially malfunctioning at best and damaging hydraulic components at worst. Therefore, underwater hydraulic systems must be protected from seawater infiltration to ensure sufficient structural strength to withstand the external seawater pressure.

[0003] Seawater pressure compensation devices are commonly used in the hydraulic systems of underwater submersibles to protect hydraulic actuators, batteries, and other equipment located outside the submersible's pressure hull from seawater intrusion and pressure loss. Most traditional hydraulic components are one-way seals that only prevent hydraulic oil leakage. If used directly in a seawater pressure environment, the hydraulic system's return oil pressure is typically close to atmospheric pressure, and the external pressure is higher than the system's internal pressure, allowing seawater to easily intrude and affect the proper functioning of the entire underwater external hydraulic system. Applying a seawater pressure compensation device in these situations can ensure that the hydraulic system's return oil pressure is equal to, or slightly higher than, the seawater pressure, and varies with seawater depth. This mitigates the effects of the aforementioned seawater pressure on the hydraulic system.

[0004] Current submersible outboard hydraulic systems use a combination of isolation cylinders and back-pressure valves to prevent seawater infiltration. While this solution provides a certain degree of sealing, each lifting device requires its own isolation cylinder, and the back-pressure valve can only provide a fixed compensation pressure. This results in system complexity, increased weight, and poor adaptability to depth fluctuations. Current submersible underwater hydraulic systems use a seawater pressure compensation device, which introduces seawater pressure into the entire oil return line. This requires a closed design for the oil tank, valve block, and other components, and the piping must withstand higher pressures. This increases the system's mass and volume, posing safety risks.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new seawater pressure compensation device that can be directly used in the oil return system. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a safe and reliable seawater pressure compensation system to address the deficiencies of the prior art.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a seawater pressure compensation system, including a rolling diaphragm pressure compensator, a balancing valve, an electromagnetic switch valve and a hydraulically controlled one-way valve;

[0008] The rolling diaphragm pressure compensator includes a sea-connected cavity and a pressure compensation cavity, which are separated by a rolling diaphragm. The sea-connected cavity is connected to the marine environment through a first pipeline, and the pressure compensation cavity is connected to the oil return line through a second pipeline, and the oil return line is connected to the actuator of the oil return line.

[0009] The balancing valve is provided with a balancing chamber, a balancing valve inlet, a balancing valve outlet and a solenoid switch valve flow port, wherein the balancing chamber is connected to the marine environment through a third pipeline, the balancing valve inlet is connected to the oil return line, the balancing valve outlet is connected to the hydraulically controlled one-way valve, and the solenoid switch valve flow port is connected to the inlet of the solenoid switch valve;

[0010] The hydraulically controlled one-way valve is provided with a hydraulically controlled one-way valve inlet, a hydraulically controlled port and a hydraulically controlled one-way valve outlet. The hydraulically controlled one-way valve inlet is connected to the balance valve outlet, the hydraulically controlled port is connected to the electromagnetic switch valve outlet, and the hydraulically controlled one-way valve outlet is connected to the oil tank.

[0011] According to the above solution, a displacement sensor is provided on the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator.

[0012] According to the above scheme, a pressure sensor is set at the inlet of the balancing valve.

[0013] According to the above scheme, a proximity switch is set on the hydraulically controlled one-way valve.

[0014] According to the above scheme, the balancing valve includes a valve body, a valve seat and a valve core; one end of the valve body is provided with a balancing valve inlet, a balancing valve outlet and a solenoid switch valve flow port, and the other end of the valve body is provided with a balancing chamber; the valve seat is installed in the valve body, and the valve seat is provided with a fluid channel connected to the balancing valve inlet and the balancing valve outlet; the valve core is arranged in the valve body, and a spring is provided on the outside of the valve core. One end of the valve core is adapted to the valve seat, and the other end of the valve core extends into the balancing chamber and is connected to the piston and the sealing diaphragm in the balancing chamber. The sealing diaphragm separates the balancing chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber that are not connected to each other, wherein the valve core end and the piston are located in the first chamber, and the second chamber is connected to the marine environment through a third pipeline.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0016] 1. Based on the characteristics of the return oil circuit of the hydraulic system of an existing underwater submersible, the present invention designs a seawater pressure compensation system with simple control and operation and reliable structure. The system senses the seawater pressure through an elastic element and transmits it to the interior of the hydraulic system, so that the return oil pressure of the hydraulic system is slightly higher than the seawater pressure. The system can automatically change with the depth of the seawater, realizing pressure compensation for both static and flowing working states of the oil in the return oil circuit, which is safe and reliable. The system also uses a combination of an electromagnetic switch valve and a hydraulically controlled one-way valve to control the on-off of the outlet oil circuit, effectively preventing internal leakage. The system has a simple control and purely mechanical structure, and basically no energy consumption.

[0017] 2. The present invention integrates and modularizes the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator, the balancing valve, and the electromagnetic switch valve and hydraulically controlled one-way valve integrated on the balancing valve. This eliminates the need for pipeline connections, reduces the volume occupied by the entire compensator, simplifies the structure, and thus reduces the complexity and cost of the seawater pressure compensator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] In the figure: 1- rolling diaphragm pressure compensator, 2- balancing valve, 3- hydraulically controlled one-way valve, 4- electromagnetic switch valve, 5- displacement sensor, 6- pressure sensor, 7- oil return line, 8- actuator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In order to better understand the present invention, the present invention is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0021] like Figure 1 A seawater pressure compensation system shown includes a rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1, a balancing valve 2, an electromagnetic switch valve 4 and a hydraulically controlled one-way valve 3;

[0022] The rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1 includes a sea-connected cavity and a pressure compensation cavity, which are separated by a rolling diaphragm. The sea-connected cavity is connected to the marine environment via a first pipeline, and the pressure compensation cavity is connected to the oil return line 7 of the hydraulic system via a second pipeline. The oil return line 7 is connected to the actuator 8 of the oil return line 7.

[0023] The balancing valve 2 is provided with a balancing chamber, a balancing valve inlet, a balancing valve outlet, and a solenoid switch valve flow port. The balancing chamber is connected to the marine environment via a third pipeline (the third pipeline is also connected to the first pipeline). The balancing valve inlet is connected to the oil return line 7. The balancing valve outlet is connected to the hydraulically controlled one-way valve 3. The solenoid switch valve flow port is connected to the inlet of the solenoid switch valve 4 (the solenoid switch valve 4 is connected to the oil return line 7).

[0024] The hydraulically controlled one-way valve 3 is provided with a hydraulically controlled one-way valve inlet, a hydraulically controlled port and a hydraulically controlled one-way valve outlet. The hydraulically controlled one-way valve inlet is connected to the balance valve outlet 16, the hydraulically controlled port is connected to the outlet of the electromagnetic switch valve 4, and the hydraulically controlled one-way valve outlet is connected to the oil tank.

[0025] The present invention integrates a balancing valve 2, a rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1, an electromagnetic switch valve 4 and a hydraulically controlled one-way valve 3. The rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1 performs pressure compensation when the actuator 8 is not working, and the balancing valve 2 performs pressure compensation when the actuator 8 is working; the electromagnetic switch valve 4 and the hydraulically controlled one-way valve 3 control the opening and closing of the return oil circuit 7 of the entire compensation system.

[0026] In the present invention, the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1 is an existing mature structure, and its main components are a rolling diaphragm and a compensation spring. The compensation spring is connected to the valve core of the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1. One side of the rolling diaphragm is connected to the return oil circuit 7, and the other side is connected to seawater. The compensation spring plays a pressure compensation role, and the pressure difference change causes the pressure compensator piston to move to compensate for the volume change.

[0027] In the present invention, the balancing valve mainly includes a valve body, a valve seat, a valve core and a sealing diaphragm; one end of the valve body is provided with a balancing valve inlet, a balancing valve outlet 1 and an electromagnetic switch valve flow port, and the other end of the valve body is provided with a balancing chamber; the valve seat is installed in the valve body, and the valve seat is provided with a fluid channel connected to the balancing valve inlet 1 and the balancing valve outlet; the valve core is arranged in the valve body 1, and a spring is sleeved on the outside of the valve core, and one end of the valve core is adapted to the fluid channel port of the valve seat; the other end of the valve core extends into the balancing chamber and is connected to the piston and the sealing diaphragm in the balancing chamber. The sealing diaphragm divides the balancing chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber that are not connected to each other, wherein the valve core end and the piston are located in the first chamber, and the sea flow port of the second chamber is connected to the marine environment through a third pipeline; when the sealing diaphragm is moved by the seawater pressure and drives the piston and the valve core to move, it can open (or close) the connection port between the valve seat and the valve core, so that the balancing valve inlet is connected (or disconnected) with the balancing valve outlet through the fluid channel. In the present invention, the structure and function of the balancing valve are all based on existing mature technologies and will not be described in detail here.

[0028] Preferably, a displacement sensor 5 is provided on the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1 for detecting the displacement of the rolling diaphragm in real time.

[0029] Preferably, a pressure sensor 6 is provided at the inlet of the balancing valve 2 for detecting the hydraulic pressure of the oil return line 7 in real time and providing timely feedback on the pressure of the oil return line 7 .

[0030] Preferably, a proximity switch is provided on the hydraulically controlled one-way valve 3 to obtain a signal indicating whether the hydraulically controlled one-way valve 3 is open, thereby avoiding erroneous operation of the compensation system.

[0031] The present invention is used for the arrangement of the hydraulic system of the underwater submersible as follows Figure 1As shown, the seawater pressure compensation system mainly includes a rolling diaphragm compensator 1 and a balancing valve 2, both of which have compensation ports directly connected to the sea. The working principle of the present invention is:

[0032] 1. When actuator 8 is operating normally, oil flows through return line 7, and balancing valve 2 ensures that the pressure within return line 7 equals the sea depth pressure plus the spring preload of balancing valve 2. Opening solenoid valve 4 directs the pressure oil from the lower chamber of rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1 to the hydraulic port of hydraulically piloted check valve 3, causing it to open. The oil in return line 7 must overcome the spring force of balancing valve 2 and flow back through balancing valve 3 to the oil tank. The balancing chamber is separated from the balancing valve outlet by a sealing diaphragm. This diaphragm transmits the force generated by the deep-sea pressure to the spool of balancing valve 2. Opening the spool requires overcoming the deep-sea pressure and the force generated by the spring compression of balancing valve 2. This ensures that when front-end actuator 8 is operating, oil in return line 7 must overcome the deep-sea pressure and the elastic force of spring 6 to return to the tank through balancing valve 2, maintaining the oil level in return line 7 above the deep-sea pressure.

[0033] 2. When actuator 8 stops operating, the oil in return line 7 becomes stationary. The rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1 compensates for the pressure in return line 7, ensuring that the pressure in return line 7 equals the sea depth pressure plus the pressure generated by the compression of the compensating spring. Solenoid valve 4 is closed, and the hydraulic port of hydraulically controlled check valve 3 is unpressurized, effectively preventing internal leakage. The rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1 comprises two chambers: a sea-access chamber and a pressure compensation chamber, separated by a rolling diaphragm. The pressure compensation chamber is connected in parallel with the hydraulic system circuit and filled with hydraulic oil. The sea-access chamber is connected to the marine environment, and deep-sea pressure is transmitted to the oil in the pressure compensation chamber through the deformation of the rolling diaphragm. Simultaneously, due to the incompressible nature of the compensating spring, the oil pressure within the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1 is always slightly higher than the external sea pressure. Since the return line 7 is connected to the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1, the pressure in return line 7 is also higher than the external sea pressure. In this way, no matter how deep it is, the pressure of the circuit system is always higher than the external seawater pressure, which achieves compensation for seawater pressure at different depths and ensures the reliability and airtightness of the submersible hydraulic system.

[0034] When the system is working, the upper chamber of the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1 is connected to the external marine environment, and the seawater pressure is transmitted to the lower chamber through the elastic deformation of the rolling diaphragm, and a spring force is applied by the compensation spring to compensate for the pressure.

[0035] When the hydraulic system is working underwater, since the balancing chamber is connected to the external seawater, the balancing chamber is always consistent with the pressure of the external marine environment. The upper end of the piston is affected by the marine environmental pressure, and the valve core is tightly pressed against the valve seat through the spring force of the pre-compression of the spring and the seawater pressure on the piston, so that the balancing valve 2 is in a closed state; when the hydraulic system return oil circuit 7 needs to flow through the balancing valve 2, it is necessary to overcome the marine environmental pressure and the spring force acting on the valve core 5, so that the pressure of the hydraulic system return oil circuit 7 is always higher than the external marine environmental pressure.

[0036] In the present invention, the pressure compensation system utilizes a rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1 and a balancing valve 2 to compensate for the pressure in the hydraulic system's oil return line 7, either when the oil is stationary or when it is returning to the tank. The combination of a hydraulically controlled check valve 3 and a solenoid-operated on / off valve 4 controls the opening and closing of the oil return line 7, effectively preventing leakage from the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator 1 and improving the reliability of the compensation system.

[0037] The contents not described in detail in this specification belong to the prior art known to those skilled in the art. Finally, it should be noted that the above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments or replace some of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A seawater pressure compensation system, characterized in that: It includes rolling diaphragm pressure compensator, balancing valve, electromagnetic switch valve and hydraulically controlled one-way valve; The rolling diaphragm pressure compensator includes a sea-connected cavity and a pressure compensation cavity, which are separated by a rolling diaphragm. The sea-connected cavity is connected to the marine environment through a first pipeline, and the pressure compensation cavity is connected to the oil return line through a second pipeline, and the oil return line is connected to the actuator of the oil return line. The balancing valve is provided with a balancing chamber, a balancing valve inlet, a balancing valve outlet and a solenoid switch valve flow port, wherein the balancing chamber is connected to the marine environment through a third pipeline, the balancing valve inlet is connected to the oil return line, the balancing valve outlet is connected to the hydraulically controlled one-way valve, and the solenoid switch valve flow port is connected to the inlet of the solenoid switch valve; The hydraulically controlled one-way valve is provided with a hydraulically controlled one-way valve inlet, a hydraulically controlled port and a hydraulically controlled one-way valve outlet. The hydraulically controlled one-way valve inlet is connected to the outlet of the balancing valve, the hydraulically controlled port is connected to the outlet of the electromagnetic switch valve, and the hydraulically controlled one-way valve outlet is connected to the oil tank. When the actuator is operating normally, the oil in the return oil circuit flows, and the balancing valve ensures that the pressure in the return oil circuit is equal to the seawater pressure plus the spring preload of the balancing valve. The solenoid switch valve opens, introducing the pressure oil in the lower chamber of the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator into the hydraulic port of the hydraulically controlled check valve, causing the hydraulically controlled check valve to open. The oil in the return oil circuit must overcome the spring force of the balancing valve and flow back to the oil tank through the hydraulically controlled check valve. When the actuator stops working, the oil in the return oil circuit is stationary, and the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator compensates the pressure of the entire return oil circuit to ensure that the pressure of the return oil circuit is equal to the seawater pressure plus the pressure generated by the compression of the compensation spring: the solenoid switch valve is closed, and the hydraulic port of the hydraulic control check valve is not subjected to pressure; the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator has two chambers, a sea-passing chamber and a pressure compensation chamber, which are isolated by a rolling diaphragm; the pressure compensation chamber is connected in parallel with the hydraulic system circuit and is filled with hydraulic oil; the sea-passing chamber is connected to the marine environment, and the deep sea water pressure is transmitted to the oil in the pressure compensation chamber through the deformation of the rolling diaphragm. At the same time, due to the force of the compensation spring, the oil pressure inside the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator is always higher than the external seawater pressure; the return oil circuit is connected to the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator, so the pressure of the return oil circuit is higher than the external seawater pressure.

2. The seawater pressure compensation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A displacement sensor is provided on the rolling diaphragm pressure compensator.

3. The seawater pressure compensation system according to claim 1, wherein: A pressure sensor is set at the inlet of the balancing valve.

4. The seawater pressure compensation system according to claim 1, wherein: A proximity switch is provided on the hydraulically controlled one-way valve.

5. The seawater pressure compensation system according to claim 1, wherein: The balancing valve includes a valve body, a valve seat and a valve core; one end of the valve body is provided with a balancing valve inlet, a balancing valve outlet and a solenoid switch valve flow port, and the other end of the valve body is provided with a balancing chamber; the valve seat is installed in the valve body, and the valve seat is provided with a fluid channel connected to the balancing valve inlet and the balancing valve outlet; the valve core is arranged in the valve body, and a spring is provided on the outside of the valve core. One end of the valve core is adapted to the valve seat, and the other end of the valve core extends into the balancing chamber and is connected to the piston and the sealing diaphragm in the balancing chamber. The sealing diaphragm separates the balancing chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber that are not connected to each other, wherein the valve core end and the piston are located in the first chamber, and the second chamber is connected to the marine environment through a third pipeline.

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