Submarine cable limiting and fixing system

Abstract

The submarine cable limiting and fixing system comprises an anchoring device, a steel pipe column, a chain type protection pipe, a bending limiter, a protection sleeve and a control system, the steel pipe column is arranged on a seabed, the anchoring device is arranged at the top end of the steel pipe column, the bending limiter is attached to the steel pipe column, and the chain type protection pipe is arranged in the bending limiter; the protective sleeve is connected to the seabed position and is attached to the seabed; a guide chain and a tensioning ring are fixed to the outer side wall of the chain type protection pipe through a connecting rod, the guide chain penetrates through the tensioning ring, a pressure sensor is arranged at the contact position of the guide chain and the tensioning ring, and a pressure sensor and a height adjusting device are arranged on the connecting rod and electrically connected with a control system. The states of the pressure sensor and the height adjusting device are controlled by the control system. According to the technical scheme, recovery can be directly carried out when the system is impacted, the maintenance efficiency is high, the service life of the J-shaped pipe can be effectively prolonged, and the maintenance cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a submarine cable limiting and fixing system, belonging to the technical field of submarine cable laying methods. Background Art

[0002] During the laying of submarine cables and the construction of offshore wind farms, a large number of cables need to be laid. During the laying of submarine cables, a J-type pipe submarine cable protection system is required to limit the deformation of the submarine cable and prevent excessive bending of the submarine cable. The current central fixture of the J-type pipe generally adopts a passive clamping type, and this structure has problems such as insufficient fitting accuracy and unstable connection, and cannot respond to the dynamic bending stress caused by the self-weight of the submarine cable and the impact of ocean currents. This leads to a high cumulative rate of cracks in the insulation layer of the submarine cable and a sharp increase in the risk of partial discharge. Generally, the existing scheme requires the overall disassembly of the J-type pipe. In the case of large wave heights, the accuracy of the underwater robot deteriorates rapidly, and its single maintenance time is generally more than 8 hours, and the maintenance cost is as high as more than 30% of the entire life cycle. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve the problems in the above background art, the present invention provides a submarine cable limiting and fixing system, including an anchoring device, a steel pipe column, a chain protection pipe, a bending limiter and a protection sleeve. The steel pipe column is vertically fixed on the seabed, the anchoring device is arranged at the top of the steel pipe column, the bending limiter is arranged in contact with the steel pipe column, the chain protection pipe is arranged inside the bending limiter and is connected to the protection sleeve at the seabed position, and the protection sleeve is arranged in contact with the seabed;

[0004] It also includes a supporting control system;

[0005] A guiding chain and a tensioning ring are fixed on the outer side wall of the chain protection pipe through a connecting rod. The guiding chain passes through the tensioning ring and a pressure sensor is arranged at the contact position. A pressure sensor and a height adjusting device are arranged on the connecting rod, and the pressure sensor and the height adjusting device are electrically connected to the control system;

[0006] The states of the pressure sensor and the height adjusting device are controlled by the control system.

[0007] The submarine cable limiting and fixing system of the present application adopts a closed J-type pipe. The submarine cable is laid after passing through the chain protection pipe, the bending limiter and the protection pipe, and the waterproof effect of the submarine cable is better; in this structure, the bending angle of the chain protection pipe is adjusted by the guiding chain and the tensioning ring, the bending angle of the chain protection pipe can be measured by the pressure sensor to control the bending angle of the submarine cable, the control system can monitor the bending situation of the submarine cable at any time, and the angle of the submarine cable can be directly adjusted through the control system under the state that the submarine cable is impacted by ocean currents. Compared with the existing J-type pipe installation system, this system has a simple structure, does not require the use of an underwater robot during maintenance, can be directly restored under the state of being impacted by the system, has high maintenance efficiency, can effectively extend the service life of the J-type pipe, and reduce the maintenance cost.

[0008] Further or optionally, the chain protection tube is a joint sleeve, which is composed of segmented metal fittings connected end to end. Each single segment of the segmented metal fitting has a reduced-diameter mating structure. At the end with a larger diameter of the segmented metal fitting, a stepped annular card slot is provided, and at the end with a smaller diameter, a radial tongue is provided. The outer diameter of the radial tongue is equal to the inner diameter of the annular card slot. During the assembly process, the radial tongue of the previous section is connected to the annular card slot of the next section. A guiding chain is arranged outside the chain protection tube, and the guiding chain is threaded through a tensioning ring and the tensioning state of the guiding chain is controlled by a control system tensioning ring.

[0009] Adopting the above-mentioned joint sleeve structure with a segmented metal fitting structure, the angle between joints can be adjusted, and it has a passive flexible adaptation function under the impact of ocean currents on the submarine cable, which can effectively extend the service life of the J-tube.

[0010] Further or optionally, in order to improve the accuracy of the height adjustment mechanism of the tensioning ring, the height adjustment device is a cylinder, which is controlled by an electromagnetic valve. The electromagnetic valve is electrically connected to the control system, and its control accuracy is 1 mm. After the pressure sensor on the tensioning ring detects abnormal force, it performs reverse adjustment, so that the joint sleeve structure can be corrected in time to avoid further deformation of the J-tube due to impact.

[0011] Further or optionally, the bending limiter is a split assembled protection tube, which is composed of two symmetric half-shells spliced together, and a waterproof structure is provided at the joint.

[0012] Specifically, during the assembly process, first complete the assembly of one side half-shell, and then splice the two side half-shells together. During the splicing process, waterproof glue is applied at its longitudinal connection position, and a waterproof ring is provided at the radial position to prevent water leakage during the use of the bending limiter.

[0013] The anchoring device is assembled by multiple prefabricated tower modules. An operation platform is provided at the top of the tower. The steel pipe column is connected to the bottom of the tower and fixed on the seabed. A vertical hydraulic driving device is provided on the anchoring device. One end of the chain protection tube is connected to the hydraulic device and the horizontal height is controlled by the hydraulic driving device.

[0014] When it is necessary to adjust the tensile state of the submarine cable during use, the vertical height on the anchoring device is adjusted by the vertical hydraulic drive on the anchoring device. This structure acts together with the sprockets, guiding chains, and tensioning rings arranged in the chain protection tube, bending limiter, and protection sleeve. Through the parameter adjustment of the control system, the control of the tensioning chain is realized, and the real-time monitoring and adjustment of the bending state of the internal submarine cable are realized.

[0015] Further optionally, to prevent the steel pipe column from being corroded by seawater, the steel pipe column adopts a double-wall steel pipe structure, with concrete filled in the inner layer and a nano-ceramic anti-corrosion coating applied on the outer layer.

[0016] Further optionally, to prevent the protection pipe from being overly impacted in ocean currents, the protection sleeve is laid along the seabed, and is provided with guiding fins on its surface. The guiding fins are distributed in a spiral shape, and polyurethane foam is filled inside to suppress vortex vibration.

[0017] Further or optionally, to prevent the guiding chain from becoming disconnected, a pin shaft is provided between adjacent guiding chains on the chain-type protection pipe and the guiding chain.

[0018] Further or optionally, for remote control to achieve centralized control at different locations, the control system further includes a remote monitoring module and a supporting ship control center for transmitting the detection data to a remote operation center.

[0019] Further or optionally, to achieve the stability of the connection between the chain-type protection pipe and the bending limiter and to achieve the micro-adjustment of the maximum impact position of the chain-type protection pipe, the chain-type protection pipe is composed of multiple articulated pipe segments, arranged axially along the steel pipe column. At the end of the chain-type protection pipe close to the bending limiter, multiple layers of nylon bundle rings are provided. Shape memory alloy wires are embedded in the multiple layers of nylon bundle rings, and the alloy wires are electrically connected to the control system. When the connection position is subjected to a large-intensity impact and callback is required, the shape memory alloy wires are electrified. The shape memory alloy wires can be purchased from the market according to the specification requirements, and their deformation range is controlled at 10±2%. When the interface position receives a strong impact and large deformation is predicted, the shape memory alloy wires are electrified to make them deform in the opposite direction of the deformation.

[0020] The technical solution for achieving the object of the present invention is:

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0022] (1) A submarine cable limiting and fixing system of the present application adopts a closed J-type pipe. The submarine cable is laid after passing through the chain-type protection pipe, the bending limiter and the protection pipe, and the waterproof effect of the submarine cable is good. In this structure, the guiding chain and the tensioning ring are used to adjust the bending angle of the chain-type protection pipe, and a pressure sensor can be used to measure the bending angle of the chain-type protection pipe to control the bending angle of the submarine cable. The control system can monitor the bending condition of the submarine cable at any time. When the submarine cable is impacted by ocean currents, the angle of the submarine cable can be directly adjusted through the control system. Compared with the existing J-type pipe installation system, this system has a simple structure, does not require the use of an underwater robot during maintenance, can be directly restored when the system is impacted, has a high maintenance efficiency, can effectively extend the service life of the J-type pipe, and reduce the maintenance cost.

[0023] (2) The chain protection pipe of a submarine cable limiting and fixing system of the present application adopts segmented fittings, and the angle adjustment between each joint is more flexible. It has a flexible adaptation function under the state that the submarine cable is impacted by ocean currents, and can effectively extend the service life of the J-shaped pipe.

[0024] (3) The tensioning ring of a submarine cable limiting and fixing system of the present application uses a cylinder and a solenoid valve in cooperation as a height adjustment device, and the adjustment accuracy is controlled to be 1 mm. Its adjustment accuracy is high, and it can automatically adjust when the J-shaped pipe is impacted, preventing further deformation of the J-shaped pipe.

[0025] (4) The bending limiter of a submarine cable limiting and fixing system of the present application is a split-type assembled protection pipe, which is convenient for disassembly and assembly during installation, has higher transportation efficiency and more convenient installation. There is even a waterproof structure at its splicing part, which can effectively prevent the occurrence of internal water seepage.

[0026] (5) The anchoring device of a submarine cable limiting and fixing system of the present application is provided with multiple prefabricated tower racks for assembly, and a hydraulic device is used for height adjustment, which can effectively ensure the tension state of the chain protection pipe and thus adjust the state of the submarine cable in the pipe, preventing deformation under the action of ocean currents.

[0027] (6) The steel pipe column of a submarine cable limiting and fixing system of the present application adopts a double-wall steel pipe structure, with concrete filled in the inner layer and a nano-ceramic anti-corrosion coating applied on the outer layer, which can effectively prevent seawater corrosion and has a longer service life.

[0028] (7) The surface of the protective sleeve of a submarine cable limiting and fixing system of the present application is provided with flow guiding fins, which can prevent the protection pipe from being overly impacted in ocean currents.

[0029] (8) A pin shaft is arranged between adjacent guiding chains on the guiding chain and the chain protection pipe of a submarine cable limiting and fixing system of the present application, which can prevent the position of the guiding chain from shifting.

[0030] (9) A submarine cable limiting and fixing system of the present application is also provided with a remote monitoring module and a supporting ship control center, which can realize remote centralized control.

[0031] (10) The end of a submarine cable limiting and fixing system of the present application is provided with multiple layers of nylon bundle rings, and shape memory alloy wires are embedded in the multiple layers of nylon bundle rings. It can be automatically adjusted under the impact state, and can perform reverse adjustment when the interface position receives a strong impact and the predicted deformation is large, and its impact resistance is better. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] In order to make the content of the present invention easier to be clearly understood, the following further details the present invention according to specific embodiments in combination with the drawings, where

[0033] Figure 1It is a schematic structural diagram of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the guide chain installation structure of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the connection relationship between the anchoring device and the sectional fitting of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of the sectional fitting of the present invention.

[0037] The reference numerals in the drawings are:

[0038] Anchoring device 1, steel pipe column 2, chain protection pipe 3, guide chain 31, tensioning ring 32, sectional fitting 33, bending limiter 4, protection sleeve 5, control system 6. Detailed implementation manners

[0039] In order to better understand the above technical solutions, the above technical solutions will be described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings in the specification and specific implementation manners.

[0040] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are some but not all of the embodiments of the present invention. Usually, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated herein can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0041] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed present invention, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without making creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0042] It should be noted that: similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings. Therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent drawings.

[0043] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationships indicated by the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc. are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the drawings, or the orientation or positional relationships in which the invention product is customarily placed during use, or the orientation or positional relationships commonly understood by those skilled in the art. These are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as a limitation on the present invention.

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should also be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "set", "installed", "connected", "coupled" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances. The present invention will be further described below with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present invention.

[0045] (Embodiment 1)

[0046] See Figures 1 to 4 , a submarine cable limiting and fixing system, comprising an anchoring device 1, a steel pipe column 2, a chain protection pipe 3, a bending limiter 4 and a protection sleeve 5. The steel pipe column 2 is vertically fixed on the seabed, the anchoring device 1 is arranged at the top of the steel pipe column 2, the bending limiter 4 is arranged in contact with the steel pipe column 2, the chain protection pipe 3 is arranged inside the bending limiter 4 and is connected to the protection sleeve 5 at the seabed position,

[0047] The protection sleeve 5 is arranged in contact with the seabed;

[0048] It further includes a supporting control system 6;

[0049] On the outer side wall of the chain protection pipe 3, a guiding chain 31 and a tensioning ring 32 are fixed through a connecting rod. The guiding chain 31 passes through the tensioning ring 32 and a pressure sensor is arranged at the contact position. A pressure sensor and a height adjusting device are arranged on the connecting rod, and the pressure sensor and the height adjusting device are electrically connected to the control system 6;

[0050] The states of the pressure sensor and the height adjusting device are controlled by the control system 6.

[0051] For the convenience of fixing, the diameter of the external chain protection pipe 3 should be greater than 1.5 m. To prevent the pipeline from sliding, the installation slope should be <15°.

[0052] The above-mentioned anchoring device 1 is installed on the sea installation platform, and the control system 6 is installed in the operation room of the installation platform. The control system 6 includes a data analysis system, which is used to analyze the data of the tensioning ring 32 and determine the stress state of the tensioning ring 32. In order to facilitate remote control, the control center can be designed in a distributed manner, with a remote monitoring module and a control center located on the ship. During maintenance, remote control or ship-end remote control can be used for operation.

[0053] The chain protection tube 3 is a joint sleeve, which is composed of segmented fittings 33 connected end to end. Each single segment of the segmented fitting 33 has a different-diameter mating structure. One end with a larger diameter of the segmented fitting 33 is provided with a stepped annular card slot, and one end with a smaller diameter is provided with a radial tongue. The outer diameter of the radial tongue is equal to the inner diameter of the annular card slot. During the assembly process, the radial tongue of the upper section is connected to the annular card slot of the lower section. A guiding chain 31 is arranged on the outer side of the chain protection tube 3, and the guiding chain 31 is arranged inside the tensioning ring 32 and the tensioning state of the guiding chain is controlled by the control system of the tensioning ring 32.

[0054] The chain protection tube 3 is composed of multiple articulated pipe sections, which are arranged axially along the steel pipe column 2. Multiple layers of nylon bundle rings are arranged at the end of the chain protection tube 3 close to the bending limiter 4. Shape memory alloy wires are embedded in the multiple layers of nylon bundle rings, and the alloy wires are electrically connected to the control system.

[0055] The bending limiter 4 is a split-type assembled protection tube, which is spliced by two symmetrical half-shells, and a waterproof structure is arranged at the joint.

[0056] During the installation process, the bending limiter 4 is hoisted to the corresponding position in a split manner, and then the two half-shell pipes at both ends are assembled together. During the assembly process, after the segmented fittings 33 are assembled section by section, the external fixing device is hoisted and recovered to reduce material consumption.

[0057] The height adjustment device is a cylinder, and the cylinder is controlled by a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve is electrically connected to the control system. During the installation and testing process, pay attention to controlling the test accuracy, which is generally set to a control accuracy of 0.1 mm.

[0058] In order to prevent the guiding chain 31 from breaking, a pin shaft is arranged between the guiding chain 31 and the adjacent guiding chain 31 on the chain protection tube 3.

[0059] The anchoring device 1 is assembled by multiple prefabricated tower modules. An operation platform is arranged at the top of the tower. The steel pipe column is connected to the bottom of the tower and fixed on the seabed. A vertical hydraulic driving device is arranged on the anchoring device. One end of the chain protection tube is connected to the hydraulic device and the horizontal height is controlled by the hydraulic driving device.

[0060] For the prefabricated tower module assembly, a steel pipe column 2 is used. The steel pipe column 2 adopts a double-wall steel pipe structure, with concrete filled in the inner layer and a nano-ceramic anti-corrosion coating applied on the outer layer.

[0061] The material of the steel pipe column 2 is high-strength low-alloy steel, with a thickness set above 20 mm. C50 - C60 self-compacting micro-expansion concrete is poured into the inner steel pipe, and vibration is used to ensure that the compactness is ≥98%. The coating adopts a nano-aluminum oxide and epoxy resin composite system, and silicon carbide (SiC) particles are added to enhance wear resistance to prevent the surface of the steel pipe column 2 from being worn by fine sand and to prevent seawater corrosion.

[0062] The protection sleeve 5 is laid along the seabed, and has flow guiding fins on its surface. The flow guiding fins are distributed in a spiral shape, and polyurethane foam is filled inside to suppress vortex vibration. The flow guiding fins can be controlled in angle by a hydraulic device. The spiral pitch of the fins is 1.2 - 1.5 times the diameter of the sleeve, and is 15 - 20% of the diameter of the sleeve to balance the flow guiding efficiency and the structural strength. The initial angle is set at 30° - 45° according to specific circumstances. Its hydraulic device adopts an in-built micro hydraulic cylinder and is controlled in cooperation with an electro-hydraulic servo valve.

[0063] In the above specific embodiments, the purpose, technical solution and beneficial effects of the present invention have been further described in detail. It should be understood that the above are only specific embodiments of the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A submarine cable limiting and fixing system, characterized in that: The invention comprises an anchoring device (1), a steel pipe column (2), a chain protection pipe (3), a bending limiter (4) and a protective sleeve (5), wherein the steel pipe column (2) is vertically fixed on the seabed, the anchoring device (1) is arranged at the top of the steel pipe column (2), the bending limiter (4) is arranged in close contact with the steel pipe column (2), the chain protection pipe (3) is arranged inside the bending limiter (4) and connected to the protective sleeve (5) at the seabed position, and the protective sleeve (5) is arranged in close contact with the seabed; Also includes a matching control system (6); The outer wall of the chain protection tube (3) is fixed with a guide chain (31) and a tensioning ring (32) via a connecting rod, the guide chain (31) passes through the tensioning ring (32) and a pressure sensor is arranged at the contact position, the connecting rod is provided with a pressure sensor and a height adjustment device, and the pressure sensor and the height adjustment device are electrically connected to the control system (6); The states of the pressure sensor and the height adjustment device are controlled by a control system (6).

2. A submarine cable position limiting and fixing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chain protection tube (3) is a joint sleeve, which is composed of segmented hardware (33) connected end to end. The single segment of the segmented hardware (33) is a different diameter matching structure. The end with a larger diameter of the segmented hardware (33) is provided with a stepped annular groove, and the end with a smaller diameter is provided with a radial tongue. The outer diameter of the radial tongue is equal to the inner diameter of the annular groove. During the assembly process, the radial tongue of the upper section is connected to the annular groove of the lower section. A guide chain (31) is provided on the outside of the chain protection tube (3). The guide chain (31) is inserted into a tensioning ring (32) and the tensioning state of the guide chain is controlled by the tensioning ring (32) of the control system.

3. A submarine cable position limiting and fixing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The height adjustment device is a cylinder, which is controlled by a solenoid valve, and the solenoid valve is electrically connected to the control system.

4. A submarine cable position limiting and fixing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bending limiter (4) is a split-type assembled protection tube, which is formed by splicing two symmetrical half-tube shells, and a waterproof structure is provided at the connection point.

5. A submarine cable position limiting and fixing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anchoring device (1) is assembled from a plurality of prefabricated tower modules, a working platform is arranged on the top of the tower, a steel pipe column is connected to the bottom of the tower and is fixed on the seabed, a vertical hydraulic drive device is arranged on the anchoring device, one end of the chain protection pipe is connected to the hydraulic device and the horizontal height is controlled by the hydraulic drive device.

6. A submarine cable position limiting and fixing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steel pipe column (2) adopts a double-wall steel pipe structure, the inner layer is filled with concrete, and the outer layer is coated with a nano-ceramic anti-corrosion coating.

7. A submarine cable position limiting and fixing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protective sleeve (5) is laid along the seabed and is provided with guide fins on its surface. The guide fins are distributed in a spiral shape and are filled with polyurethane foam to suppress eddy current vibration.

8. A submarine cable position limiting and fixing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A pin is provided between the guide chain (31) and an adjacent guide chain (31) on the chain protection tube (3).

9. A submarine cable position limiting and fixing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control system (6) also includes a remote monitoring module and a matching ship control center, which are used to transmit the detection data to the remote operation center.

10. A submarine cable position limiting and fixing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chain protection tube (3) is composed of a plurality of articulated tube sections, which are arranged axially in conformity with the steel pipe column (2). A multi-layer nylon tie ring is provided at the end of the chain protection tube (3) close to the bending limiter (4), wherein the multi-layer nylon tie ring is embedded with a shape memory alloy wire, and the alloy wire is electrically connected to the control system.

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