An intelligent anti-twist device for deep-sea subsea operation cables

Abstract

The present invention discloses an intelligent untwisting device for deep - sea subsea operation cables, which comprises an observation module and a counterweight module; the observation module includes a load - bearing frame, as well as a connection assembly, a pressure - resistant electronic cabin, an optical - electrical separation box, and a compensator group fixed in the load - bearing frame; the upper end of the connection assembly is connected to the end of the cable, and the lower end is connected to the counterweight module; a sensor module is arranged inside the pressure - resistant electronic cabin, and the sensor module is used to transmit the collected data back to the sea surface through the optical - electrical core wire in the cable; the optical - electrical separation box is connected to the optical - electrical core wire of the cable, and separates the cable and the optical fiber in the optical - electrical core wire inside the optical - electrical separation box. The intelligent untwisting device of the present invention can achieve untwisting by the underwater weight of the counterweight module to generate tension rotation of the subsea operation cable, and quickly judge the cable pulling - twisting performance and untwisting situation through the measured values of the sensors, which can effectively ensure the safety of the deep - sea subsea equipment deployment and recovery process, and determine the recovery time of the cable through real - time detection, which can shorten the operation time, and has simple operation, simple and reliable structure, and is convenient to replace.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of cable untwisting devices, and particularly to an intelligent cable untwisting device for deep-sea subsea operations. Background Art

[0002] Long cables (such as umbilical cables and ropes) are essential engineering equipment in marine technology fields such as deep-sea exploration, scientific research, and construction. During the use of such cables, generally, they need to bear large underwater loads, and high-strength materials such as steel wires and fibers are commonly used in the form of spiral stranding as the tensile reinforcement layer. During offshore construction operations, due to their structural characteristics, under the action of tension, the cable usually generates torsion. After the sudden unloading of the tension, due to the existence of torsion, the cable will rebound in the reverse direction, and may produce phenomena such as twisting and knotting, which are extremely likely to cause cable damage.

[0003] The method to deal with such problems is generally to hang a heavy object with the same weight as the actual underwater equipment at the underwater end of the cable before cable operation, lower it to the seabed, but not touch the seabed, and keep the heavy object rotating freely until it stops and stabilizes, and then recover it to the water surface to complete the cable untwisting work. However, on the one hand, this operation method is very difficult to judge the underwater rotation situation, and on the other hand, it cannot completely untwist the cable, but only eliminates the residual stress caused by the uneven structure existing during cable production. Since when the heavy object is lowered to the seabed, the heavy object does not touch the seabed, the force borne by the cable is not unloaded. During actual operation, the underwater equipment connected to the end of the cable will touch the seabed, and the load at the end of the cable will be suddenly unloaded, and the cable still has the possibility of twisting and knotting. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to overcome at least one defect of the above-mentioned prior art, and provides an intelligent cable untwisting device for deep-sea subsea operations, so as to fully untwist the cable before offshore deep-sea construction operations, and avoid the risk of cable damage caused by problems such as twisting and knotting of the cable during construction operations.

[0005] The present invention provides an intelligent cable untwisting device for deep-sea subsea operations, including an observation module and a counterweight module; the observation module includes a load-bearing frame, and a connection assembly, a pressure-resistant electronic cabin, and an optical and electrical separation box fixed in the load-bearing frame; the upper end of the connection assembly is connected to the end of the cable, and the lower end is connected to the counterweight module; a sensor module is arranged inside the pressure-resistant electronic cabin, and the sensor module is used to transmit the collected data back to the sea surface through the optical and electrical core wires in the cable; the optical and electrical separation box is connected to the optical and electrical core wires of the cable, and separates the cable and the optical fiber in the optical and electrical core wires inside the optical and electrical separation box; and is connected to the sensor module through a watertight cable to obtain sensor data.

[0006] The untwisting device of the present invention is used to fully untwist cables before offshore deep-water construction operations, such as spiral-structured cables like ROV umbilical cables, steel ropes, and fiber ropes, to avoid the risks of cable damage caused by problems such as cable twisting and knotting during construction operations. Among them, the load-bearing frame is used to fixedly connect equipment components such as connection components, pressure-resistant electronic cabins, and optoelectronic separation boxes; the observation module includes a main load-bearing structure component and an observation equipment component. The main load-bearing structure component is used to carry underwater counterweights and transfer the weight of the counterweights to the end of the umbilical cable; the observation equipment component is used to observe the rotation of the cable end during the process of the cable being lowered into the water. Among them, the main load-bearing structure component is mainly a connection component; the observation equipment component is mainly equipment such as a pressure-resistant electronic cabin and an optoelectronic separation box. The pressure-resistant electronic cabin is a deep-water pressure-resistant cabin body, and sensor modules for detecting the displacement and attitude of the cabin body are installed inside. The sensor modules transmit the collected data back to the sea surface through the optoelectronic core wires in the cable at a certain frequency. The optoelectronic separation box is used to connect the optoelectronic core wires of the cable, separate the cables and optical fibers in the optoelectronic core wires inside the optoelectronic separation box, and connect them to the pressure-resistant electronic cabin through a watertight cable to obtain the data of the sensor modules inside the pressure-resistant electronic cabin.

[0007] The intelligent untwisting device proposed by the present invention can monitor the rotation state of the cable in real time and judge the untwisting situation through the data of the sensor modules to ensure that the cable is fully untwisted before operation. At the same time, the present invention adopts a double-hull structure design, and the counterweight module can be placed on the seabed to unload the load at the end of the cable. At the same time, the observation module can monitor the rotation of the cable in real time to ensure the precise control of the untwisting process.

[0008] Furthermore, the intelligent untwisting device for deep-water seabed operation cables of the present invention further includes a compensator group. The compensator group is installed in the load-bearing frame and is connected to the optoelectronic separation box through a pipeline. The compensator group is used to compensate the internal pressure of the optoelectronic separation box.

[0009] Preferably, the compensator group includes multiple oil pressure compensators, and each oil pressure compensator is filled with mineral oil. The oil pressure compensators are connected to the optoelectronic separation box through pipelines to compensate the internal pressure of the optoelectronic separation box and prevent the optoelectronic separation box from having seal failure or structural damage under deep-water pressure. More preferably, four oil pressure compensators are provided in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0010] Furthermore, the pressure-resistant electronic cabin includes a base, a cabin body, and an upper cover that are detachably connected from bottom to top. An installation rack is also provided inside the cabin body; the sensor modules are arranged in the installation rack.

[0011] Further, the sensor module includes a cabin displacement sensor and a cabin attitude sensor. The sensors transmit the collected data back to the sea surface through the optical and electrical cores in the cable at a certain frequency. The sensor module of the present invention is not limited to the above two functions, and sensors with different monitoring functions can also be added according to requirements, all within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0012] Further, the observation module further includes a deep-sea camera, which is arranged in the load-bearing frame and is used to provide on-line video monitoring, real-time monitor the untwisting state, and can transmit the monitoring screen to the sea surface in real time, facilitating the onshore operators to monitor the underwater untwisting situation in real time and improving the operation efficiency.

[0013] Further, the connection assembly successively includes a universal joint, a load-bearing lifting lug, and a rotating hook from top to bottom. The universal joint, the load-bearing lifting lug, and the rotating hook are connected by a pin shaft; the upper part of the universal joint is connected to the mechanical joint of the cable by a pin shaft, and the lower part of the rotating hook is connected to the counterweight module.

[0014] The universal joint is a high-strength hollow structure, generally welded or forged from high-strength metals such as high-strength steel, titanium alloy and other high-strength metal materials. The upper part is connected to the mechanical joint of the cable by a pin shaft, and the lower part is connected to the upper end of the load-bearing lifting lug by a pin shaft. During the lowering process of the cable, due to the action of wind, wave and current, the untwisting device will swing, and large stress is likely to be generated at the end of the cable, causing cable damage. The function of the universal joint is to relieve the stress at the end of the cable. The load-bearing lifting lug is a high-strength hollow structure, generally welded or forged from high-strength metals such as high-strength steel, titanium alloy and other high-strength metal materials. The upper part is connected to the universal joint by a pin shaft, and the lower part is connected to the rotating hook by a pin shaft. An opening is made on the side wall in the middle of the load-bearing lifting lug for passing the optical and electrical cores in the cable.

[0015] Further, the counterweight module includes a load-bearing lifting rope and a gravity block; the upper part of the load-bearing lifting rope is connected to the connection assembly of the observation module, and the lower part is connected to the gravity block. The counterweight module is mainly used to provide sufficient underwater load for the cable, generally using the same underwater weight as the actual underwater operation equipment. The upper part of the load-bearing lifting rope is connected to the rotating hook of the observation module, and the lower part is connected to the gravity block. The gravity block is generally made of materials with a relatively high density, such as metal materials like steel plates and lead blocks. The weight of the gravity block is similar to the weight of the actual underwater operation equipment and is used to provide corresponding load for the cable. The load-bearing lifting rope generally consists of high-strength ropes such as steel ropes and fiber cables and the matching shackles.

[0016] Further, the pressure-resistant electronic cabin is made of titanium alloy; the optoelectronic separation box includes a separation box body and a connector; wherein the separation box body is made of titanium alloy, and the connector is made of stainless steel or titanium alloy. Inside the optoelectronic separation box, the cables and optical fibers in the optoelectronic core wire are separated and connected to the pressure-resistant electronic cabin through watertight cables to obtain the sensor data inside the pressure-resistant electronic cabin.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0018] The intelligent untwisting device for deep-sea subsea operation cables of the present invention can quickly judge the untwisting situation of the cable through the measured values of the sensors, determine the time for retrieving the cable through real-time detection, save a large amount of time for operations in engineering applications, and is simple to operate, with a simple and reliable structure and convenient replacement. Compared with similar equipment, combined with the intelligent control terminal, it can quickly determine the untwisting situation under the deep sea during operation, greatly shorten the time during operation, and can well solve the problems encountered in engineering.

[0019] Through the intelligent observation module and the double-body structure design, the present invention solves the problem in the prior art that the untwisting process cannot be monitored in real time and accurately controlled. The observation module can monitor the rotation state of the cable in real time and judge the untwisting situation through the sensor data to ensure that the cable is fully untwisted before operation. The present invention can significantly improve the untwisting efficiency, reduce the risk of damage to the cable caused by torsion during operation, and at the same time, through intelligent monitoring and control, shorten the operation time and improve the reliability and safety of the operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of the untwisting device of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of the observation module of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of the optoelectronic separation box of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of the pressure-resistant electronic cabin of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 5 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of the connection component of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 6 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of the universal joint of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 7 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of the load-bearing lifting lug of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 8This is a three-dimensional mechanism schematic diagram of the rotating hook of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional mechanism schematic diagram of the counterweight module of the present invention. Specific embodiments

[0029] In the accompanying drawings of the embodiments, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements or elements with the same or similar functions from beginning to end. The described embodiments are some but not all of the embodiments of the present invention. The embodiments described below by referring to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to explain the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] It should be noted that if there are directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back...) involved in the embodiments of the present application, then the directional indications are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement conditions between components in a specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0031] In addition, if there are descriptions such as "first", "second", etc. involved in the embodiments of the present application, then the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first", "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, the technical solutions between various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of those of ordinary skill in the art to implement. When the combination of technical solutions results in contradictions or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present application.

[0032] Embodiment 1

[0033] This embodiment provides an intelligent untwisting device for deep-sea subsea operation cables, as Figure 1 shown, including an observation module 1 and a counterweight module 2; as Figure 2As shown in the figure, the observation module 1 includes a load-bearing frame 11, and a connection component 12, a pressure-resistant electronic cabin 13, an optical and electrical separation box 14, a compensator group 15 and a deep-sea camera fixed in the load-bearing frame 11; the upper end of the connection component 12 is connected to the end of the cable, and the lower end is connected to the counterweight module 2; inside the pressure-resistant electronic cabin 13, there are sensors such as a cabin displacement sensor and a cabin attitude sensor, and the cabin displacement sensor and the cabin attitude sensor are used to transmit data such as the cabin displacement and attitude of the pressure-resistant electronic cabin 13 collected back to the sea surface through the optical and electrical core wires in the cable; As Figure 3 As shown in the figure, the optical and electrical separation box 14 includes a separation box body 141 and a connector 142; wherein the separation box body 141 is made of titanium alloy, and the connector 142 is made of stainless steel or titanium alloy. The connector 142 is connected to the optical and electrical core wires of the cable, and separates the cable and the optical fiber in the optical and electrical core wires inside the separation box body 141 of the optical and electrical separation box 14; and is connected to the sensor module through a watertight cable to obtain sensor data. The compensator group 15 includes four oil pressure compensators, and each oil pressure compensator is filled with mineral oil. The compensator group 15 is installed in the load-bearing frame 11 and is connected to the optical and electrical separation box 14 through a pipeline. The compensator group 15 is used to compensate the internal pressure of the optical and electrical separation box 14 to prevent the sealing failure or structural damage of the optical and electrical separation box 14 under deep water pressure. The deep-sea camera is used to provide on-line video monitoring, monitor the untwisting state in real time, and can transmit the monitoring picture to the sea surface in real time, facilitating the onshore operators to monitor the untwisting situation on the seabed in real time and improving the operation efficiency.

[0034] As Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the pressure-resistant electronic cabin 13 is made of titanium alloy and includes a detachable base 131, a cabin body 132 and an upper cover 133 from bottom to top. An installation frame 134 is also provided inside the cabin body 132; the cabin displacement sensor and the cabin attitude sensor are arranged in the installation frame 134.

[0035] As Figures 5 - 8As shown in the figure, the connection component 12 in this embodiment sequentially includes a universal joint 121, a load-bearing lifting lug 122, and a rotating hook 123 from top to bottom. The universal joint 121, the load-bearing lifting lug 122, and the rotating hook 123 are connected by a pin shaft. The upper part of the universal joint 121 is connected to the mechanical joint of the cable by a pin shaft, and the lower part of the rotating hook 123 is connected to the counterweight module 2. The universal joint 121 is a high-strength hollow structure. In some embodiments of the present invention, it is made by welding or forging high-strength metals, such as high-strength metals like high-strength steel and titanium alloy. The upper part of the universal joint 121 is connected to the mechanical joint of the cable by a pin shaft, and the lower part is connected to the upper end of the load-bearing lifting lug 122 by a pin shaft. During the lowering process of the cable, due to the action of wind, wave, and current, the untwisting device will swing, and large stress is likely to be generated at the end of the cable, causing cable damage. The function of the universal joint 121 is to relieve the stress at the end of the cable. The load-bearing lifting lug 122 is a high-strength hollow structure. In some embodiments of the present invention, it is made by welding or forging high-strength metals, such as high-strength metals like high-strength steel and titanium alloy. The upper part is connected to the universal joint 121 by a pin shaft, and the lower part is connected to the rotating hook 123 by a pin shaft. An opening is made on the middle side wall of the load-bearing lifting lug 122 for passing the optical and electrical core wires in the cable.

[0036] As Figure 9 shown, the counterweight module 2 includes a load-bearing lifting rope 21 and a gravity block 22. The upper part of the load-bearing lifting rope 21 is connected to the connection component 12 of the observation module 1, and the lower part is connected to the gravity block 22. The counterweight module 2 is mainly used to provide sufficient underwater load for the cable, generally using the same underwater weight as the actual underwater operation equipment. Among them, the upper part of the load-bearing lifting rope 21 is connected to the rotating hook 123 of the observation module 1, and the lower part is connected to the gravity block 22. The gravity block 22 is generally made of materials with a relatively large density, such as metal materials like steel plates and lead blocks. The weight of the gravity block 22 is similar to the weight of the actual underwater operation equipment and is used to provide the corresponding load for the cable. The load-bearing lifting rope 21 is generally composed of high-strength ropes such as steel ropes and fiber cables and the matching shackles.

[0037] Embodiment 2

[0038] This embodiment provides a method for untwisting an intelligent untwisting device for a new type of deep - water subsea operation cable. The untwisting device is installed and suspended at the end of the cable through a universal joint 121 and slowly lowered to the seabed through the cable. During the lowering process, under the action of the counterweight load and the self - weight of the cable, the end of the cable will rotate, realizing natural untwisting under this load. When the untwisting device is lowered above the seabed, the lowering is paused. After the untwisting device is stable and stops rotating, the cable is slowly lowered until the gravity block 22 of the untwisting device fully touches the seabed, but the observation device does not contact the seabed. Due to the release of the cable load, the cable may exhibit a phenomenon of torsional recovery, and the end of the cable will rotate in the reverse direction. At the same time, due to the use of a rotating hook 123, the counterweight module 2 of the untwisting device cannot prevent the rotation of the cable end. After the rotation stops and stabilizes, the cable is slowly lifted to recover the untwisting device, completing the untwisting.

[0039] During the process of lowering the untwisting device through the cable, the distance between the untwisting device and the seabed is monitored in real - time by the displacement sensor of the observation module 1; the angle between the untwisting device and the true north direction is monitored in real - time by the attitude sensor, and the cumulative number of rotation circles is calculated in real - time through the change of the angle, and the data is transmitted to the sea surface in real - time. When the displacement sensor monitors that the untwisting device is approaching the seabed, the lowering speed is reduced; when the attitude sensor monitors that the untwisting device stops rotating, it is determined that the untwisting device has completed the complete untwisting of the underwater cable.

[0040] The optical - electrical separation box and the pressure - resistant electronic cabin adopt oil - pressure compensation to ensure the internal and external pressure balance and achieve sealing under high water pressure. During installation, the optical - electrical separation box, the pressure - resistant electronic cabin, and the compensator group are all filled with hydraulic oil, and the optical - electrical separation box and the pressure - resistant electronic cabin are respectively connected to the compensator group through hydraulic pipelines. The optical - electrical core wire in the underwater cable is connected to the optical - electrical separation box. During the lowering to deep water, due to the existence of voids in the cable core wire, the hydraulic oil in the optical - electrical separation box will continuously enter the cable, while the compensator group continuously supplies hydraulic oil to the optical - electrical separation box through pressure compensation to continuously ensure the internal and external pressure balance of the optical - electrical separation box and ensure sealing safety. The deep - sea camera is mainly used for auxiliary observation to observe the equipment status on the untwisting device in real - time, especially during the process of lowering to the seabed. Through the visual observation of the deep - sea camera, dangerous situations such as equipment collision and overturning can be prevented.

[0041] If the deep - water cable is laid directly on the deep - water equipment without untwisting, on the one hand, untwisting needs to be carried out during the laying operation. Taking a water depth of 6000 meters as an example, the laying operation time will be increased by 5 - 10 hours. At the same time, due to the rapidly changing sea conditions of wind and waves, the operation risk will be greatly increased. On the other hand, during the untwisting process, due to the rotation of the subsea equipment, irreversible damage may be caused to the subsea equipment. However, the untwisting operation of the present invention is carried out before the laying of deep - water equipment (such as subsea trenchers, mining vehicles, ROVs, etc.) and is used for untwisting the deep - water cable. It reduces the laying time and significantly reduces the operation risk.

[0042] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above preferred embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present invention can be modified or equivalently replaced without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can also make other changes within the spirit of the present invention for use in the design of the present invention, as long as they do not deviate from the technical effects of the present invention. These changes made in accordance with the spirit of the present invention should all be included within the scope claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. An intelligent back-twisting device for deep-water submarine operation cables, characterized in that: It includes an observation module (1) and a counterweight module (2); The observation module (1) comprises a load-bearing frame (11), and a connecting assembly (12), a pressure-resistant electronic cabin (13), and a photoelectric separation box (14) fixed in the load-bearing frame (11); The upper end of the connecting assembly (12) is connected to the end of the deep-water seabed operation cable, and the lower end is connected to the counterweight module (2); A sensor module is provided inside the pressure-resistant electronic cabin (13), and the sensor module is used to transmit collected data back to the sea surface via the photoelectric core wire in the cable; The photoelectric separation box (14) is connected to the photoelectric core wire of the cable, and separates the electric cable and the optical fiber in the photoelectric core wire in the photoelectric separation box (14); and is connected to the sensor module through a watertight cable to obtain sensor data; It also includes a compensator group (15), the compensator group (15) being installed in the load-bearing frame (11) and connected to the photoelectric separation box (14) via a pipeline, and being used to compensate for the internal pressure of the photoelectric separation box (14); The pressure-resistant electronic cabin (13) comprises, from bottom to top, a detachably connected base (131), a cabin body (132), and an upper cover (133); a mounting frame (134) is also provided in the cabin body (132); the sensor module is provided in the mounting frame (134); the sensor module comprises a cabin body displacement sensor and a cabin body attitude sensor; The connection assembly (12) comprises, from top to bottom, a universal joint (121), a load-bearing lifting eye (122), and a rotating hook (123); the universal joint (121), the load-bearing lifting eye (122), and the rotating hook (123) are connected via a pin; The upper part of the universal joint (121) is connected to the mechanical joint of the cable via a pin shaft, and the lower part of the rotating hook (123) is connected to the counterweight module (2).

2. The intelligent back-twisting device for deep-water submarine operation cables according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The compensator group (15) comprises a plurality of oil pressure compensators, each of which is filled with mineral oil.

3. The intelligent back-twisting device for deep-water submarine operation cables according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The observation module (1) also includes a deep-sea camera, which is arranged in the load-bearing frame (11) and is used to provide online video monitoring and real-time monitoring of the equipment status and the back-twisting status.

4. The intelligent back-twisting device for deep-water submarine operation cables according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The universal joint (121) and the load-bearing lifting eye (122) are made of high-strength steel or titanium alloy, and are prepared by welding or forging.

5. The intelligent back-twisting device for deepwater submarine operation cables according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The counterweight module (2) comprises a load-bearing suspension rope (21) and a gravity block (22); the upper portion of the load-bearing suspension rope (21) is connected to the connection assembly (12) of the observation module (1), and the lower portion is connected to the gravity block (22).

6. The intelligent back-twisting device for deepwater submarine operation cables according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The pressure-resistant electronic cabin (13) is made of a titanium alloy; the photoelectric separation box (14) comprises a separation box body (141) and a connector (142); the separation box body (141) is made of a titanium alloy, and the connector (142) is made of stainless steel or a titanium alloy.

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