Lightweight high-strength fiber umbilical cable
By using flexible materials and non-metal reinforced structures, the existing umbilical cord cable has solved the problems of large self-weight, high bending stiffness and low safety performance, achieving lightweight and convenient installation.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202410098874.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-01-24
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-25
AI Technical Summary
The existing umbilical cord cables are difficult to curl, transport and install due to their large weight, high bending stiffness and low safety performance. The dependence of stainless steel pipes leads to high manufacturing costs and welding quality risks.
Transmission pipe fittings and tensile parts made of flexible materials replace stainless steel pipes, including inner lining layer, reinforcement layer and sheath layer, combined with photoelectric composite parts and outer sheath, the reinforcement layer is composed of non-metallic materials such as aramid and carbon fiber. The tensile parts are made of aramid ropes, etc., and are designed by coaxial extrusion molding and winding layer to form a lightweight and high-strength umbilical cable structure.
The umbilical cord cable is lightweight, has good flexibility, small bending radius and excellent fatigue resistance, which reduces manufacturing costs and improves installation and use safety, and reduces welding risks.
Smart Images
Figure CN120376222A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of wire and cable, and particularly to a lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable. Background Art
[0002] The deep-sea oil and gas resource development system includes an offshore operation platform, an underwater production system, and a subsea pipeline. The subsea pipeline is a medium that connects the offshore platform and the underwater production system and transmits liquids, gases, and optoelectronic signals, etc., and is the "lifeline" in the entire deep-sea oil and gas resource development system. As a typical representative of the subsea pipeline, the umbilical cable has become one of the key technical components for the development of marine oil and gas resources.
[0003] In the related art, the umbilical cable generally includes a cable core composed of a cable, a signal line, a hydraulic or chemical agent pipe unit, and a filler, as well as a protective layer, a steel wire armor layer, and an outer sheath outside the cable core. Among them, the hydraulic or chemical agent pipe is mostly made of stainless steel pipe to provide a hydraulic power channel for underwater facilities.
[0004] However, the umbilical cable in in-service operation must withstand periodic bending. To meet the compliance of the overall cable shape of the umbilical cable, as well as the requirements for storage, transportation, and installation, etc., the cable body of the umbilical cable should have a small bending stiffness. However, the minimum bending radius and weight of the steel pipe umbilical cable are large, which easily leads to curling of the umbilical cable, and difficulties in transportation and installation. Summary of the Invention
[0005] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable for the problems that the bending radius and stiffness of the above-mentioned umbilical cable are large, resulting in curling, transportation, and installation difficulties of the umbilical cable.
[0006] This application provides a lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable, adopting the following technical solution:
[0007] A lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable, the umbilical cable includes a transmission pipe fitting, an optoelectronic composite member, and a protective layer. The transmission pipe fitting includes an inner lining layer and a reinforcing layer arranged in sequence from the inside to the outside. The reinforcing layer is attached to the periphery of the inner lining layer. The inner lining layer has a transmission channel inside, and the transmission channel is used for transmitting an expected working medium; the optoelectronic composite member is arranged outside the reinforcing layer and is used for transmitting optoelectronic signals; the protective layer covers the periphery of the transmission pipe fitting and the optoelectronic composite member to play a water-blocking role; wherein, both the inner lining layer and the reinforcing layer are made of flexible materials, the strength of the reinforcing layer is greater than that of the inner lining layer, the inner lining layer is used for directly contacting the expected working medium, and the material is compatible with the expected working medium.
[0008] In one embodiment, the transmission pipe fitting further includes a sheath layer disposed around the periphery of the reinforcement layer. The sheath layer is made of a flexible material to block the influence of external acid-base substances and high temperature on the inner liner layer and the reinforcement layer.
[0009] In one embodiment, the umbilical cable further includes a tensile member disposed around the periphery of the protective layer to bear the tensile force in the central axis direction of the transmission pipe fitting.
[0010] In one embodiment, the tensile member includes a winding layer coated around the periphery of the protective layer. The winding layer includes a plurality of tensile units, and all the tensile units are wound periodically along the central axis direction of the transmission pipe fitting.
[0011] In one embodiment, the tensile member includes an even number of winding layers coated around the periphery of the protective layer. The winding layer includes a plurality of tensile units, and all the tensile units are wound periodically along the central axis direction of the transmission pipe fitting. The winding directions of the tensile units of adjacent two winding layers are opposite.
[0012] In one embodiment, the tensile member further includes a braided layer coated around the periphery of the winding layer. The braided layer includes at least two braiding units, and all the braiding units are intertwined with each other to form the braided layer.
[0013] In one embodiment, the tensile member further includes at least one isolation layer clamped between adjacent braided layer and winding layer, or clamped between adjacent two braided layers.
[0014] In one embodiment, the umbilical cable further includes an outer sheath disposed around the periphery of the braided layer to provide a water-blocking barrier for the tensile member, and at least part of the braided layer is embedded in the outer sheath.
[0015] In one embodiment, the optoelectronic composite member includes at least one optical unit and at least one electrical unit, and the optical units and the electrical units are arranged at intervals one by one along the circumferential direction of the transmission pipe fitting.
[0016] In one embodiment, the optoelectronic composite member further includes a filling core clamped between the transmission pipe fitting and the protective layer, and the filling core is disposed between adjacent optical unit and electrical unit.
[0017] The above-mentioned lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable uses a transmission pipe fitting to replace the hydraulic or chemical agent pipe unit made of stainless steel pipe. Since the transmission pipe fitting is composed of a lining layer and a reinforcing layer made of flexible materials, on the premise that the reinforcing layer ensures the overall structural strength and compressive capacity of the umbilical cable, the transmission pipe fitting also has the advantages of good flexibility, small bending radius and good bending fatigue performance compared with the stainless steel pipe, thus solving the problem of difficult bending of the umbilical cable during curling, transportation and installation. Brief Description of the Drawings
[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the umbilical cable in an embodiment of the present application.
[0019] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the transmission pipe fitting in an embodiment of the present application.
[0020] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of the electrical unit in an embodiment of the present application.
[0021] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of the optical unit in an embodiment of the present application.
[0022] Description of the reference numerals in the drawings:
[0023] 1. Transmission pipe fitting; 11. Lining layer; 12. Reinforcing layer; 13. Sheath layer; 2. Optoelectronic composite part; 21. Optical unit; 211. Optical fiber; 212. Metal sleeve; 213. Plastic layer; 22. Electrical unit; 221. Conducting wire; 222. Insulating layer; 23. Filling core; 3. Protective layer; 4. Tensile member; 41. Winding layer; 411. Tensile unit; 42. Braided layer; 421. Braided unit; 43. Isolation layer; 5. Outer sheath. Detailed Description of the Embodiment
[0024] In order to make the above objects, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and understandable, the following detailed description of the specific embodiments of the present application will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to fully understand the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the connotation of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.
[0025] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that if there are terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., the orientation or positional relationship indicated by these terms is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. These are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation to the present application.
[0026] In addition, if there are terms such as "first" and "second", these terms are only used for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In the description of the present application, if there is a term "plurality", the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.
[0027] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if there are terms such as "mounted", "connected", "coupled", "fixed", etc., these terms should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it may be the communication inside two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly limited. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to specific circumstances.
[0028] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if there is a description such as a first feature being "on" or "under" a second feature, the meaning may be that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are indirectly in contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on top of" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature has a higher horizontal height than the second feature. The first feature being "under", "beneath" and "underneath" the second feature may be that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature has a lower horizontal height than the second feature.
[0029] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there can also be an intermediate element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time. If present, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this application are only for the purpose of illustration and do not represent the only implementation.
[0030] The development of deep-sea oil and gas resources is becoming the main growth point of the world's oil industry and the forefront of scientific and technological innovation. The deep-sea oil and gas resource development system mainly includes three parts: an offshore operation platform, an underwater production system, and a subsea pipeline. Among them, the subsea pipeline is a medium that connects the offshore platform and the underwater production system and transmits liquids, gases, and optoelectronic signal lights, and is the "lifeline" in the entire deep-sea oil and gas resource development system.
[0031] In related technologies, the umbilical cable, as a typical representative of the subsea pipeline, has become one of the key technical components for the development of marine oil and gas resources. The umbilical cable used to connect the underwater production system generally consists of a cable core composed of a cable, a signal line, a hydraulic or chemical agent pipe unit, and a filler, and a protective layer, a wire armor layer, and an outer sheath outside the cable core.
[0032] Among them, the hydraulic pipe is used to provide a hydraulic power channel for underwater facilities. In order to ensure sufficient pressure-bearing capacity, it is usually made of stainless steel. The cable is used to provide electricity for underwater facilities. The signal line is used to provide a transmission channel for remote control and detection data for underwater facilities. The chemical agent pipe is used to provide a transmission channel for the required fluid for underwater facilities, and the fluid can be chemical agents, etc. The armor wires helically wound on the outer protective layer of the cable core can be used to bear the loads brought by ocean currents, waves, floating body movements, etc. under marine conditions, increase the tensile capacity, axial stiffness, and strength of the umbilical cable during in-situ operation, and the outer sheath plays a role in preventing seawater corrosion and wear.
[0033] Generally, the installation of the umbilical cable is by reel-lay, which can be divided into horizontal laying and vertical laying, or it can be directly laid by an umbilical cable laying vessel. During the construction process, factors related to the minimum bending radius of the umbilical cable, such as the working radius and allowable tension, the maximum tensile load, and the installation of special accessories such as buoyancy blocks, mainly need to be considered.
[0034] However, in related technologies, especially the umbilical cable using stainless steel pipes as transportation pipe fittings, there are the following problems to be solved:
[0035] First of all, the umbilical cable in related technologies has the problem of relatively large self-weight.
[0036] In the actual application process of umbilical cables, considering the influence of factors such as waves, ocean currents, and floating body movements, it is required that the umbilical cables themselves have strong tensile resistance and the ability to withstand cyclic bending loads. When the water depth exceeds 1000m, for steel wire armored umbilical cables, especially those containing stainless steel pipes, the influence of their own mass on the stability and strength of the overall structure will increase exponentially, and various failure problems are likely to occur, such as tensile failure, bending failure, excessive torsion failure, and fatigue failure, etc. In severe cases, the connecting components may even break due to excessive stress.
[0037] Secondly, the umbilical cables in the related technologies also have the problem of relatively large bending stiffness.
[0038] During in-service operation, the umbilical cables need to withstand cyclic bending. To meet the compliance of the overall cable profile and the requirements of actual operations such as storage, transportation, and installation, the umbilical cables as a whole should have a relatively small bending stiffness. However, for the same pipeline configuration, the minimum bending radius and weight of steel wire armored and steel pipe umbilical cables are relatively large, which causes problems in the curling, transportation, and installation of umbilical cables. In addition, the equipment or components carried axially by the umbilical cables often also have relatively high requirements for the bending flexibility of the umbilical cables.
[0039] Finally, the umbilical cables in the related technologies also have the problem of low safety performance.
[0040] In the existing umbilical cables, the steel pipes are generally S32750 (SAF2507) super duplex stainless steel pipes, and almost all of these steel pipes rely on imports, which leads to an increase in the manufacturing cost of umbilical cables. At the same time, to meet the production of umbilical cables with lengths of hundreds or thousands of meters or even dozens of kilometers, the coil production of stainless steel pipes and the welding between coils before the subsequent umbilical cable stranding are required. The quality of the butt welds of these steel pipes has relatively high risks and is also the weakest link in the steel pipes. When working in a harsh environment with high pressure or corrosive media, once leakage or damage occurs, immeasurable losses will be caused.
[0041] Refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 shows a schematic structural diagram of an umbilical cable in an embodiment of the present application. In view of the above problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable, including a transmission pipe fitting 1, an optoelectronic composite member 2, and a protective layer 3. The protective layer 3 is disposed around the transmission pipe fitting 1 and the optoelectronic composite member 2.
[0042] Among them, the transmission pipe fitting 1 is used to provide hydraulic power for underwater facilities or to provide a transmission channel for required fluids such as chemical agents for underwater facilities. The optoelectronic composite member 2 is used to provide a transmission channel for power and signals for underwater facilities. The protective layer 3 is coated around the transmission pipe fitting 1 and the optoelectronic composite member 2, so that the cable core structure of the umbilical cable is an integral whole to enhance the integrity of the cable core.
[0043] In addition, in the embodiments of the present application, the protective layer 3 is made of polyurethane or other equivalent materials. During the manufacturing process, the polyurethane or other equivalent materials are extruded and coated around the transmission pipe fitting 1 and the optoelectronic composite part 2, having continuous mechanical properties and waterproof properties in the physical sense. Setting the protective layer 3 can, on the one hand, further enhance the integrity of the cable core, and on the other hand, also provide a water-blocking barrier for the transmission pipe fitting 1 and the optoelectronic composite part 2 wrapped in the middle of the cable core to prevent the erosion of external seawater.
[0044] Continuing to refer to Figure 1 , in some other embodiments, the lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable further includes a tensile member 4, and the tensile member 4 is coated around the protective layer 3 to bear the tensile force borne by the umbilical cable as a whole in the central axis direction.
[0045] In the embodiments of the present application, the tensile member 4 is entirely made of a flexible material. When bearing the longitudinal tensile force of the umbilical cable, it can also ensure that the umbilical cable as a whole has a relatively small bending stiffness, so as to facilitate the curling, transportation and installation of the umbilical cable, enabling the umbilical cable to be widely used in the field of ocean engineering.
[0046] Furthermore, the lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable further includes an outer sheath 5 disposed around the tensile member 4. The outer sheath 5 is made of polyurethane or other equivalent materials and has many performance advantages such as wear resistance, acid and alkali resistance, and high weather resistance. During actual manufacturing, protective protrusions or spiral patterns can be artificially added to the surface of the outer sheath 5 to play roles such as increasing friction or suppressing vortex-induced vibration.
[0047] In addition, the outer sheath 5 also provides a water-blocking barrier for the transmission pipe fitting 1 and the optoelectronic composite part 2 inside the umbilical cable to prevent the erosion of external seawater during actual use, further extending the service life of the umbilical cable. In addition, in the embodiments of the present application, the outer sheath 5 is directly coated around the tensile member 4 through an extrusion process and is tightly fitted with the tensile member 4, improving the overall structural stability of the umbilical cable while also enhancing a part of the bending stiffness of the umbilical cable as a whole.
[0048] In some other embodiments, the materials of the protective layer 3 and the outer sheath 5 can be TPE elastic materials, vulcanized rubber or other equivalent materials in addition to TPU polyurethane, as long as they can play a protective and waterproof role.
[0049] Combined with Figure 2 shown, Figure 2 FIG. shows a schematic structural diagram of the transmission pipe fitting 1 in an embodiment of the present application. In the embodiments of the present application, the transmission pipe fitting 1 is located at the central position of the umbilical cable and can specifically be a pipeline core formed by twisting one or more hoses into a cable.
[0050] In actual production, the transmission pipe fitting 1 is constructed by coaxial extrusion molding, which has the characteristics of continuity and seamlessness, and can reduce the risk of cracking of the steel pipe butt weld during use. In addition, the transmission pipe fitting 1 constructed by coaxial extrusion molding has excellent bending resistance and fatigue resistance, and can achieve continuous production of large lengths in China without relying on imports, thus greatly reducing the manufacturing cost.
[0051] In the embodiment of the present application, the transmission pipe fitting 1 sequentially includes an inner lining layer 11, a reinforcing layer 12 and a sheath layer 13 that are sleeved with each other from the inside to the outside. The inner lining layer 11, the reinforcing layer 12 and the sheath layer 13 are all made of flexible materials, and have the advantages of good flexibility, light weight, small bending radius and good bending fatigue performance, so that the umbilical cable can be applied to working conditions with high requirements for the minimum bending radius of the umbilical cable, thus solving the problems of curling, transportation and installation difficulties existing in the traditional umbilical cable using steel pipes as internal pipe fittings.
[0052] The lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable provided in the embodiment of the present application has remarkable lightweight effect. The tensile member 4 made of flexible material is used to replace the armored metal layer in the related technology, and the high-pressure hose is used to replace the stainless steel pipe, so that the umbilical cable has the advantages of good flexibility, small bending radius and good bending fatigue performance, and meets the performance indexes of the metal armored umbilical cable under the same conditions.
[0053] Refer to Figure 2 As shown, specifically, the inner lining layer 11 is a hose formed by coaxial extrusion molding, which has the characteristics of continuity and seamlessness. In the embodiment of the present application, the inner lining layer 11 is constructed into a hose with a circular cross-section, and the inner surface is smooth and free of foreign matters, which can ensure the cleanliness of the fluid. And, in order to adapt to the transmission requirements of special solutions such as chemical reagents, in the actual manufacturing process, it is necessary to select a material compatible with the expected working medium according to the expected working medium to extend the service life of the inner lining layer 11.
[0054] In the embodiment of the present application, the expected working medium can be water, oil or chemical agents, etc. In actual production, it is only necessary to select a material that does not react with the selected expected working medium and does not have physical penetration phenomenon, so that the structure of the inner lining layer 11 remains stable after long-term use.
[0055] The reinforcing layer 12 is composed of one or more layers of synthetic fiber braided structures covering the inner lining layer 11. The synthetic fiber has the advantages of light weight and high strength. In the embodiment of the present application, the synthetic fiber can specifically be aramid, carbon fiber, polyethylene fiber or other equivalent non-metallic reinforcing materials.
[0056] In this application, by setting the reinforcement layer 12, the internal pressure requirements generated when injecting hydraulic pressure and chemical agents into the inner liner layer 11 (hose) are met. At the same time, it can also resist external mechanical stresses, ensuring good tensile properties and certain bending stiffness of the overall transmission pipe fitting 1.
[0057] In some other embodiments, when the flexibility requirement of the umbilical cable is relatively low, aramid rods or carbon fiber rods can also be used to make the reinforcement layer 12.
[0058] Continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, in the embodiment of this application, the sheath layer 13 is specifically a rubber tube made of synthetic rubber. The sheath layer 13 tightly wraps around the periphery of the reinforcement layer 12. On the one hand, it enhances the connection tightness between the reinforcement layer 12 and the inner liner layer 11, enhancing the integrity of the transmission pipe fitting 1. On the other hand, the sheath layer 13 made of synthetic rubber has many properties such as good toughness, wear resistance, acid and alkali resistance, and high temperature resistance, which can effectively extend the service life of the transmission pipe fitting 1.
[0059] Compared with the pipe fittings made of stainless steel materials in the related art, the entire transmission pipe fitting 1 in this application is made of flexible materials, having better flexibility, fatigue resistance, and price advantages. It can be understood that compared with metal materials, the flexible materials of the transmission pipe fitting 1 in this application also have the advantage of light weight, which can effectively reduce the influence of the self-weight of the umbilical cable on the overall structural stability and strength, and reduce the failure situations such as tensile failure, bending failure, excessive torsional failure, and fatigue failure of the umbilical cable caused by factors such as waves, ocean currents, and floating body movements, improving the use safety of the umbilical cable.
[0060] In some embodiments, the transmission pipe fitting 1 further includes an embedded skeleton (not shown). The embedded skeleton is fitted inside the inner liner layer 11 and plays a supporting role for the inner liner layer 11 to enhance the structural strength of the inner liner layer 11 to resist external hydrostatic pressure, so that the inner liner layer 11 is not easily deformed or even damaged when subjected to external water pressure.
[0061] Furthermore, in some other embodiments, the transmission pipe fitting 1 must be subjected to a pressure-holding treatment before cable production. Specifically, first use a crimping machine to crimp a metal head at each end of the inner liner layer 11, and then connect one end of the metal head to a special water injection device, and fill deionized water into the inner liner layer 11 to reach the working pressure of the inner liner layer 11. It can be understood that in subsequent multiple processes, the pressure inside the inner liner layer 11 needs to be kept equal to the working pressure to avoid the situation that the empty inner liner layer 11 is deformed or even damaged under the external force of the production equipment when there is no pressure medium inside.
[0062] Continue to refer to Figure 1As shown, in the embodiments of the present application, the optoelectronic composite member 2 includes a plurality of optical units 21, electrical units 22, and filling cores 23. In the embodiments of the present application, taking the case where four optical units 21, four electrical units 22, and eight filling cores 23 are correspondingly arranged in each umbilical cable as an example for introduction, a part of the electrical units 22 and optical units 21 play the main roles in power and signal transmission, and the remaining optical units 21 and electrical units 22 are reserved for backup in case of unexpected failures of the optical units 21 and electrical units 22 during actual use, thereby improving communication reliability.
[0063] It can be understood that in some other embodiments, the corresponding numbers of optical units 21, electrical units 22, and filling cores 23 can also be set according to the actual working requirements of the cable. There is no limitation in the present application on the specific numbers of the optical units 21, electrical units 22, and filling cores 23.
[0064] Specifically, along the circumferential direction of the transmission pipe member 1, the optical units 21 and electrical units 22 are arranged at intervals and alternately distributed. The filling core 23 is installed between adjacent electrical units 22 and optical units 21, playing a role in fixing the relative positions between the optical units 21 and electrical units 22, so that the manufactured umbilical cable has better structural stability.
[0065] In the embodiments of the present application, the filling core 23 uses a tensile polymer material tearing rope as the core, and a high-density polyethylene sheath is extruded outside. The tearing rope can improve the breaking strength of the filling core 23, thereby improving the overall breaking strength of the umbilical cable. In some other embodiments, the filling core 23 can also be replaced with other functional units.
[0066] Combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the transmission pipe member 1, electrical units 22, optical units 21, and filling cores 23 in the present application are formed into an integral cable core through cabling processing. The electrical units 22, optical units 21, and filling cores 23 are wound around the transmission pipe member 1 in the same direction and spirally according to the cabling process. Along the extension direction of the transmission pipe member 1, the winding pitch ratio is set within the range of 8 - 12. When the umbilical cable is subjected to a large tensile force, the transmission pipe member 1, electrical units 22, optical units 21, and filling cores 23 have strong tensile resistance and are not easily broken under the load.
[0067] Furthermore, when cabling, tapes can be wound around the surfaces of the transmission pipe member 1, electrical units 22, optical units 21, and filling cores 23 respectively to play a role in tightening the cable core. In the embodiments of the present application, the tape can be non-woven fabric, metal-plastic composite tape, foil, or other equivalent tape materials. In particular, when there is a water-blocking requirement between units, a water-blocking material, such as water-blocking glue, will be added during cabling to fill the gaps, playing a role in longitudinal water blocking.
[0068] Combined with Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown,Figure 3 Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic structural diagram of the electrical unit 22 in an embodiment of the present application. In the embodiment of the present application, the electrical unit 22 includes a wire 221 and an insulating layer 222 wrapped around the periphery of the wire 221. In some other embodiments, the electrical unit 22 may also be a bare copper wire or an aluminum wire.
[0069] Among them, the cross-section of the wire 221 can be selected according to the power consumption requirements of the terminal device. The insulating layer 222 is made of cross-linked polyethylene or other equivalent insulating materials with good mechanical properties and stable chemical properties and is extruded on the conductor, and the thickness meets the standard requirements. The electrical unit 22 provides power for underwater facilities or serves as a signal wire to provide remote control, data monitoring and transmission for underwater facilities.
[0070] Combined Figure 1 and Figure 4 as shown, Figure 4 Fig. Figure 4 shows a schematic structural diagram of the optical unit 21 in an embodiment of the present application. The optical unit 21 can be one or more of various forms such as a tight-buffered optical fiber 211, a loose-tube optical fiber 211, a steel-wire armored optical fiber 211 or a steel-tape armored optical fiber 211.
[0071] In the embodiment of the present application, the optical unit 21 includes an optical fiber 211, a metal sleeve 212 wrapped around the optical fiber 211, and a plastic layer 213 wrapped around the periphery of the metal sleeve 212. Among them, the type and quantity of the optical fiber 211 are not limited. All the optical fibers 211 include at least one temperature-measuring optical fiber, one bend-insensitive optical fiber and one pressure-sensing optical fiber. The specific type of the optical fiber 211 is determined by the user according to the data transmission and monitoring requirements of the underwater production system.
[0072] Specifically, the metal sleeve 212 is made of 304 or 316L stainless steel and is used to provide strength support for the optical fiber 211 so as to resist external pressure and mechanical bending. The inner diameter of the metal sleeve 212 is positively correlated with the number of optical fibers 211, and the inner diameter range is controlled between 0.8 - 2.1 mm, and the sleeve thickness is controlled between 0.1 - 0.2 mm.
[0073] In the embodiment of the present application, the metal sleeve 212 is filled with a special anti-hydrogen evolution ointment for the optical fiber 211. The optical fiber 211 is given a surplus length in the range of 2‰ - 7‰ in the metal sleeve 212. Even if the operating conditions of the umbilical cable become extremely harsh, causing the metal sleeve 212 to be stressed, the optical fiber 211 arranged inside the metal sleeve 212 is not easily affected and will not generate additional attenuation, and can ensure the normal transmission of signals.
[0074] In the embodiment of the present application, the plastic layer 213 is specifically a layer of high-density polyethylene plastic layer 213 extruded on the metal sleeve 212 through an extrusion process, which plays a role in buffering friction and preventing water and hydrogen, so that the optical unit 21 can achieve continuous production of large lengths and long-distance signal transmission.
[0075] Combined Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the tensile member 4 includes a winding layer 41, an isolation layer 43, and a braided layer 42. The winding layer 41, the isolation layer 43, and the braided layer 42 are sequentially coated around the above-mentioned optoelectronic composite member 2 and the transmission pipe member 1 from the inside to the outside of the umbilical cable, so as to enhance the overall tensile performance of the umbilical cable.
[0076] Specifically, the winding layer 41 includes a plurality of tensile units 411. All the tensile units 411 are spirally wound periodically along the direction of the central axis of the umbilical cable to form the winding layer 41, replacing the armored steel wire layer of the umbilical cable to provide sufficient tensile strength for the whole umbilical cable and bear the axial tension.
[0077] In the embodiment of the present application, the tensile unit 411 is specifically an aramid rope. The aramid material has good mechanical properties, thermal properties, electrical insulation properties, and wear resistance. In addition, compared with steel wire, the density of aramid is only 1.44 g / cm3, while the density of steel wire is 7.85 g / cm3. The tensile strength of aramid is 4400 - 5500 Mpa, which is 2 - 3 times that of steel wire. When bearing the same external tensile force of the same size and strength, the required weight of aramid is less than 10% of the required weight of steel wire, achieving the purpose of lightening the armored structure of the umbilical cable.
[0078] Furthermore, in some other embodiments, in order to further enhance the tensile capacity of the tensile member 4, multiple winding layers 41 can be provided in each umbilical cable. Particularly, to balance the instability of the spiral structure, the winding layers 41 are all even-layer winding structures, and the winding directions of the tensile units 411 in adjacent winding layers 41 are opposite, reaching a torsional balance state, that is, the umbilical cable will not generate torsion under the tensile load.
[0079] Continue to refer to Figure 1 As shown, the braided layer 42 is coated around the winding layer 41. The braided layer 42 includes at least two braiding units 421. The two braiding units 421 are specifically strands in two directions. In actual manufacturing, the braided layer 42 is a stable structure formed by interweaving the braiding units 421 in two directions. In the embodiment of the present application, the braiding density of the braided layer 42 is controlled between 30% - 70%. If the braiding density is too large, it will increase the bending stiffness of the whole umbilical cable.
[0080] The isolation layer 43 is formed by winding at least one wrapping tape. The isolation layer 43 is clamped between the adjacent braided layer 42 and the winding layer 41, or between two adjacent braided layers 42, so as to play a role in isolation. Each layer of the winding layer 41 is wrapped with a wrapping tape, which avoids the mutual friction between the fibers of adjacent layers. At the same time, the winding pitch ratio of the aramid rope is controlled within the range of 16-20, and the coverage rate is controlled within the range of 94%-98%. It is closely wound rather than sparsely wound, so as to play a role in radially tightening the aramid to compact the winding layer 41.
[0081] In the embodiment of the present application, the aramid rope is specifically formed by twisting multiple fine aramid fibers, so as to improve the tensile strength of the tensile unit 411 and the braiding unit 421. The twisting directions are divided into two types: S-type and Z-type. The winding directions of the aramid ropes twisted in the S-type are opposite. The Z-type is shown in the figure. The number of aramid ropes needs to meet all the tensile forces borne by the umbilical cable during operation. The aramid rope can be other high-strength fibers such as high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, carbon fibers or other equivalent non-metallic lightweight reinforcement materials.
[0082] Particularly, the wound aramid ropes and the braided strands must be continuous and have no joints, which avoids the situation of uneven structure in the structures of the winding layer 41 and the braided layer 42, and improves the overall stability of the product.
[0083] Combined Figures 1 to 4 As shown, during actual manufacturing, based on the design principle of the subsea bundle technology, the transmission pipe fitting 1 and the optoelectronic composite part 2 are combined on a composite cross-section, and functional units such as the optical unit 21 and the electrical unit 22 are spirally wound along the central axis direction of the transmission pipe fitting 1. An even number of winding layers 41 are spirally wound on the surface of the protective layer 3 to provide sufficient tensile strength and bear the axial tensile force. To balance the structural instability caused by the spiral structure, the winding directions of the adjacent tensile units 411 are opposite.
[0084] In addition, the spiral winding structure of the aramid rope makes the umbilical cable have better flexibility, but the overall bending stiffness is not large. At this time, an aramid braided structure, that is, the braided layer 42, is added outside the winding structure. The strands (braiding units 421) in two directions form a stable structure through mutual interweaving. The mutually interwoven braiding units 421 are embedded in the outer sheath 5 layer 13, which improves the overall performance of the umbilical cable and also increases a part of the bending stiffness of the umbilical cable, avoiding the problem that the umbilical cable is too soft and easy to bend. In summary, the umbilical cable shown in the present application has the advantages of light self-weight, good flexibility, moderate bending modulus and good fatigue resistance.
[0085] The technical features of the above-described embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of brevity of description, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, it should be considered as the scope recorded in this specification.
[0086] The embodiments described above merely represent several implementation manners of the present application. The description is relatively specific and detailed, but it should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of the patented application. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the concept of the present application, several modifications and improvements can still be made, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present application shall be subject to the appended claims.
Claims
1. A lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable, characterized in that, The umbilical cable includes: A transmission pipe fitting, which includes an inner lining layer and a reinforcing layer arranged in sequence from the inside to the outside. The reinforcing layer is attached to the periphery of the inner lining layer. The inner lining layer has a transmission channel inside, and the transmission channel is used to transmit the expected working medium; An optoelectronic composite part, which is arranged on the outside of the reinforcing layer and is used to transmit optoelectronic signals; and A protective layer, which is wrapped around the periphery of the transmission pipe fitting and the optoelectronic composite part to play a water-blocking role; Wherein, both the inner lining layer and the reinforcing layer are made of flexible materials. The strength of the reinforcing layer is greater than that of the inner lining layer. The inner lining layer is used to directly contact the expected working medium, and the material is compatible with the expected working medium.
2. The lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission pipe fitting further includes a sheath layer arranged around the periphery of the reinforcing layer. The sheath layer is made of flexible materials to block the influence of external acid-base substances and high temperature on the inner lining layer and the reinforcing layer.
3. The lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The umbilical cable further includes a tensile member, which is arranged around the periphery of the protective layer to bear the tensile force in the central axis direction of the transmission pipe fitting.
4. The lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable according to claim 3, wherein The tensile member includes a winding layer wrapped around the periphery of the protective layer. The winding layer includes a plurality of tensile units, and all the tensile units are periodically wound along the central axis direction of the transmission pipe fitting.
5. The lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable according to claim 3, wherein The tensile member includes an even number of winding layers wrapped around the periphery of the protective layer. The winding layer includes a plurality of tensile units, and all the tensile units are periodically wound along the central axis direction of the transmission pipe fitting. The winding directions of the tensile units of adjacent two winding layers are opposite.
6. The lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable according to any one of claims 4-5, characterized in that, The tensile member further includes a braided layer wrapped around the periphery of the winding layer. The braided layer includes at least two braided units, and all the braided units are intertwined with each other to form the braided layer.
7. The lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable according to claim 6, characterized in that, The tensile member further includes at least one isolation layer, which is clamped between the adjacent braided layer and the winding layer, or clamped between two adjacent braided layers.
8. The lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable according to claim 6, wherein, The umbilical cable further includes an outer sheath, which is arranged around the periphery of the braided layer to provide a water-blocking barrier for the tensile member, and at least part of the braided layer is embedded in the outer sheath.
9. The lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optoelectronic composite part includes at least one optical unit and at least one electrical unit, and the optical unit and the electrical unit are arranged at intervals one by one along the circumferential direction of the transmission pipe fitting.
10. The lightweight and high-strength fiber umbilical cable according to claim 9, characterized in that, The optoelectronic composite part further includes a filling core clamped between the transmission pipe fitting and the protective layer, and the filling core is arranged between the adjacent optical unit and electrical unit.