Plugging device and plugging method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of oil-filled cable repair, and discloses a plugging device and a plugging method. The shell part is assembled on a leakage section of the submarine cable, an isolation bin is formed outside the leakage section, and a male joint A and a male joint B are arranged outside the shell part; a leak repairing part; the leakage repairing part is assembled on the shell part through a male joint A and a male joint B, a leakage repairing medium is injected into the isolation bin, and seawater and insulating oil in the isolation bin are discharged through pressure until the isolation bin is filled with the leakage repairing medium to form plugging; according to the method, in-situ repair can be directly carried out on the leakage section underwater, the cable does not need to be salvaged, complex procedures such as cable salvage, cutting off and welding are omitted, the construction period is shortened, the equipment and labor cost is reduced, and meanwhile extra damage to the cable in the salvage process is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of oil-filled cable repair technology, and in particular to a sealing device and sealing method. Background Technology

[0002] Submarine oil-filled cables are mostly self-contained oil-filled cables, which are high-voltage power transmission cables laid on the seabed and filled with low-viscosity insulating oil under oil pressure. When the lead sheath and anti-corrosion layer of an oil-filled submarine cable are fatigued and develop micro-cracks, the insulating oil will leak from the cracks and eventually form an insulating oil leakage point in the armor layer. The leakage of insulating oil will affect the normal operation of the oil-filled submarine cable and the marine environment. Problems with traditional techniques: oil-filled submarine cables need to be salvaged and transferred to a repair vessel for cutting and repair; the underwater repair process of constructing sealing rings on both sides of the insulating oil leak point is complex and difficult for divers to operate. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the problems existing in the above-mentioned sealing devices and sealing methods, the present invention is proposed.

[0004] The above-mentioned technical problems are solved by the following technical solution: This invention proposes a sealing device, comprising, Casing portion; The shell portion is assembled to the leaking section of the submarine cable, forming an isolation chamber outside the leaking section, and the shell portion is provided with male connector A and male connector B on the outside. The missing parts; The leak repair component is assembled onto the housing via male connectors A and B. By injecting a leak repair medium into the isolation chamber, the seawater and insulating oil in the isolation chamber are expelled by pressure until the leak repair medium fills the isolation chamber and forms a seal.

[0005] In a preferred embodiment of the sealing device of the present invention: the housing portion includes an upper housing and a lower housing; The upper and lower housings are fixed together by fasteners.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment of the sealing device of the present invention: both ends of the inner side of the upper shell and the lower shell are provided with inner arc grooves, and a sealing ring is provided in the inner arc groove; The sealing ring is divided into two parts, which are formed by merging two semi-annular rubber strips. The two semi-annular rubber strips are respectively assembled into the inner arc grooves of the upper and lower shells by bolts.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the sealing device of the present invention: the cross section of the sealing ring is a trapezoid, and the upper / lower bottom edge of the trapezoid can form a surface contact seal with the inner arc groove and the submarine cable armor layer, respectively. The waist edge undergoes elastic deformation with the extrusion stress, which can offset part of the radial pressure through the inclined component force of the trapezoidal structure, thereby reducing the risk of wear on the sealing surface.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the sealing device of the present invention: the leak repair part has two forms, respectively targeting submarine cables that generate different temperature differences during operation; The first type is suitable for submarine cables with temperature differences of <100 ℃; the second type is suitable for submarine cables with temperature differences of >100 ℃ and <250 ℃.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the sealing device of the present invention: in the first form, the leak repair part includes a primary injection / drainage connector and a secondary injection / drainage connector; The primary injection / drainage connector and the secondary injection / drainage connector are respectively installed on male connector A and male connector B. Both have injection and drainage functions, and seawater and insulating oil can be drained by injecting the leak repair medium twice.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the sealing device of the present invention: in the first embodiment, the leak-sealing medium is polyurethane sealant.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the sealing device of the present invention: in the second form, the leak repair part includes a discharge connector and an injection connector; The discharge connector and injection connector are respectively installed on male connector A and male connector B, and seawater and insulating oil are discharged by injecting the leak repair medium in a single injection.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the sealing device of the present invention: in the second embodiment, the leak-sealing medium is fluorosilicone gel sealant.

[0013] To address the aforementioned problems, a sealing method is proposed for use with the aforementioned sealing device, comprising the following steps: Identify the location of the leak; The outer shell is assembled to the outside of the leaking section of the submarine cable, forming an isolation chamber outside the leaking section; Inspect the temperature difference changes during the operation of the submarine cable, and select the appropriate type of leak repair section based on different temperature difference changes; The leak repair part is assembled onto the housing part using male connector A and male connector B; The leak-sealing medium is injected into the isolation chamber through the leak-sealing section until the seawater and insulating oil in the isolation chamber are completely squeezed out, the leak-sealing medium completely fills the isolation chamber, and the leak repair is completed after solidification.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention can directly repair the leaking section underwater without the need to retrieve the cable, thus eliminating the complex procedures of cable retrieval, cutting, and welding, shortening the construction cycle, reducing equipment and labor costs, and avoiding additional damage to the cable during the retrieval process. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Wherein: Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the sealing device is shown; Figure 2 A structural diagram of the housing portion of the sealing device is shown; Figure 3 The diagram shows the structure of the primary injection / drainage connector in the first configuration of the leak-sealing device. Figure 4 The diagram shows the structure of the secondary injection / drainage joint in the first configuration of the leak-sealing device. Figure 5 A second-form structural diagram of the leak-sealing component in the sealing device is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0017] The terminology used in this invention is that which is currently widely used in the art in consideration of the function of the invention; however, these terms may vary according to the intent of those skilled in the art, precedent, or new technology in the art. Furthermore, specific terms may be chosen by the applicant, and in such cases, their detailed meanings will be described in the detailed description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in this specification should not be construed as simple names, but rather based on their meanings and the overall description of the invention.

[0018] It should be noted that fatigue damage to the lead sheath and anti-corrosion layer of oil-filled submarine cables can cause micro-cracks, which can lead to leakage of insulating oil from the cracks and eventually form leakage points in the armor layer. This leakage of insulating oil can affect the normal operation of oil-filled submarine cables and the marine environment. Problems with traditional techniques: oil-filled submarine cables need to be salvaged and transferred to a repair vessel for cutting and repair; the underwater repair process of constructing sealing rings on both sides of the insulating oil leak point is complex and difficult for divers to operate.

[0019] Reference Figures 1-2 This embodiment provides a sealing device, including, Shell section 1 is assembled into the leaking section of the submarine cable, forming an isolation chamber outside the leaking section. Specifically, the shell part 1 includes an upper shell 11 and a lower shell 12. The upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12 are fixed together by a fastener 13. A sealing gasket is provided on the mating surface between the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12 to achieve a sealing effect. During assembly, the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12 are symmetrically placed outside the submarine cable, and then the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12 are fixed together by the fastener 13 to form a ring that fits around the outside of the submarine cable. The fastener 13 is a bolt, which has the advantages of simple structure and easy assembly, making it easy for divers to quickly assemble the shell part 1 onto the leaking section of the submarine cable. Both ends of the inner side of the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12 are provided with inner arc grooves 14, and sealing rings 15 are provided in the inner arc grooves 14. After assembly, the sealing rings 15 are attached to the outside of the armor layer of the submarine cable to form an end seal, thereby making the isolation chamber between the shell part 1 and the submarine cable have a sealing function, which facilitates subsequent repair and leak repair. The sealing ring 15 is divided into two parts, which are composed of two semi-annular rubber strips. The two semi-annular rubber strips are respectively assembled into the inner arc grooves 14 of the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 12 by bolts. They can be pre-assembled on the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 12 respectively, which facilitates subsequent assembly.

[0020] The cross-section of the sealing ring 15 is a trapezoid. The upper and lower bottom edges of the trapezoid can form a surface contact seal with the inner arc groove 14 and the submarine cable armor layer, respectively. The waist edge undergoes elastic deformation under the extrusion stress, which can offset part of the radial pressure through the inclined component of the trapezoidal structure, reducing the risk of wear on the sealing surface.

[0021] The exterior of housing part 1 is provided with male connector A2 and male connector B3; The leak repair part 4 is assembled onto the housing part 1 via male connectors A2 and B3. By injecting the leak repair medium into the isolation chamber, the seawater and insulating oil in the isolation chamber are discharged by pressure until the leak repair medium fills the isolation chamber and forms a seal.

[0022] Operating procedure: In advance, the split sealing ring 15 is assembled into the inner arc groove 14 of the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 12 respectively by bolts to complete the pre-assembly; Divers symmetrically attach the upper shell 11 and lower shell 12, pre-assembled with sealing rings 15, to the outside of the leaking section of the submarine cable, adjust the position so that shell part 1 completely covers the leaking area, and then fasten the upper shell 11 and lower shell 12 with fasteners 13 to form an isolation chamber fitted to the outside of the cable. Connect the leak repair part 4 to the shell part 1 through male connector A2 and male connector B3, check the sealing of the connection interface, and avoid media leakage during subsequent liquid injection. The leak-sealing medium is injected into the isolation chamber through the leak-sealing section 4. The pressure generated by the injection of the leak-sealing medium gradually drains the seawater and leaking insulating oil from the isolation chamber. The leak-sealing medium is continuously injected until the isolation chamber is completely filled, forming a complete coverage and seal of the leak point.

[0023] This design eliminates the need to retrieve cables, allowing for in-situ repair of leaking sections underwater. This eliminates complex procedures such as cable retrieval, cutting, and welding, shortens the construction period, reduces equipment and labor costs, and avoids additional damage to cables during the retrieval process.

[0024] As an optional embodiment: Reference Figures 3-5 In one embodiment provided in this application, the leak repair part 4 has two forms, which are respectively designed for submarine cables that generate different temperature differences during operation. The first type is suitable for submarine cables with temperature differences of <100 ℃. The leak repair medium is polyurethane sealant, which has a density of about 0.96 g / cm3. It should be noted that the density of seawater is 1.0 g / cm3, while the density of insulating oil is 0.895 g / cm3. Therefore, stratification will occur, and sealant needs to be injected twice to drain the seawater and insulating oil from the isolation chamber.

[0025] In the first configuration, the leak repair part 4 includes a primary injection / drainage connector 41 and a secondary injection / drainage connector 42; The primary injection / drainage connector 41 and the secondary injection / drainage connector 42 are respectively installed on male connector A2 and male connector B3. Both have injection and drainage functions, and seawater and insulating oil can be drained by injecting the leak-proof medium twice.

[0026] Specifically, the primary injection / discharge connector 41 includes a first four-way pipe 411, the four ends of which are respectively connected to a first female connector A412, a first insulating oil discharge ball valve 413, a first glue injection ball valve 414 and a first pressure sensor 415. The first female connector A412 and the male connector A2 are snapped together to form a passage. The secondary injection / drainage connector 42 includes a second four-way pipe 421. The four ends of the second four-way pipe 421 are respectively connected to a second female connector B422, a second insulating oil discharge ball valve 423, a second glue injection ball valve 424 and a second pressure sensor 425. The second female connector B422 and the male connector B3 are snapped together to form a passage. In use, close the first insulating oil discharge ball valve 413, the second insulating oil discharge ball valve 423, and the second glue injection ball valve 424. Install a glue gun on the first glue injection ball valve 414. When injecting glue, open the first glue injection ball valve 414 and use the glue gun to inject the leak-repairing medium into the isolation chamber. During the injection, you need to pay attention to the value on the pressure sensor 415. When the pressure value displayed by the first pressure sensor 415 is 0.1 MPa greater than the insulating oil pressure, open the first insulating oil discharge ball valve 413 and the second insulating oil discharge ball valve 423. The seawater at the bottom will be discharged along the second insulating oil discharge ball valve 423 until the leak-repairing medium is discharged from the second insulating oil discharge ball valve 423, which proves that the seawater in the isolation chamber has been completely drained. Then close the first glue injection ball valve 414 and the second insulating oil discharge ball valve 423. At this time, there is only the insulating oil floating on the top layer and the newly injected repair medium in the isolation chamber. Remove the glue gun and install it on the second glue injection ball valve 424. Start injecting glue from bottom to top. Observe the value on the second pressure sensor 425 at all times when injecting glue. When the displayed value is 0.1MPa greater than the insulating oil pressure, open the first insulating oil discharge ball valve 413. The upper layer of insulating oil will be discharged along the first insulating oil discharge ball valve 413 until the repair medium is discharged from the first insulating oil discharge ball valve 413. This proves that the insulating oil in the isolation chamber has been completely drained. Close the second glue injection ball valve 424 and the first insulating oil discharge ball valve 413. Finally, the primary injection / extraction connector 41 and the secondary injection / extraction connector 42 were removed to complete the repair. Male connectors A2 and B3 have a self-sealing function, and a passage will only be formed when the first female connector A412 and the second female connector B422 are connected.

[0027] This design utilizes the stratification characteristics of seawater and insulating oil to discharge them in batches, avoiding the problem of incomplete evacuation caused by the mixing of different media. The entire operation process does not require disassembling the shell part 1, which has the advantage of simple operation and solves the problem of sealing failure caused by the inability to completely evacuate due to media stratification.

[0028] The second type is suitable for submarine cables with temperature differences >100 ℃ and <250 ℃. The leak repair medium is fluorosilicone gel sealant, which has a density of about 1.24 g / cm3. In the second configuration, the leak repair section 4 includes a discharge connector 43 and an injection connector 44. The discharge connector 43 and the injection connector 44 are respectively installed on male connector A2 and male connector B3, and seawater and insulating oil are discharged by injecting the leak repair medium in a single injection.

[0029] Specifically, the discharge connector 43 includes a third female connector A431 and a third insulating oil discharge ball valve 432, which is assembled to the male connector A2 via the third female connector A431. The injection connector 44 includes a three-way pipe 441, and the three ports of the three-way pipe 441 are respectively equipped with a third female connector B442, a third pressure sensor B443 and a third injection ball valve B444. In use: Close the third glue injection ball valve B444 and the third insulating oil discharge ball valve 432. At the same time, install a glue gun on the third glue injection ball valve B444, open the third glue injection ball valve B444 and inject fluorosilicone gel sealant into the isolation chamber. When injecting the sealant, pay attention to the pressure value on the third pressure sensor B443. When the pressure value is 0.1MPa higher than the insulating oil pressure, open the third insulating oil discharge ball valve 432. As the fluorosilicone gel sealant is continuously injected, the upper seawater and insulating oil will be discharged from the third insulating oil discharge ball valve 432 until the fluorosilicone gel sealant is discharged from the third insulating oil discharge ball valve 432. Then close the third glue injection ball valve B444 and the third insulating oil discharge ball valve 432, and remove the leak repair part 4 to complete the leak repair. This design utilizes the fact that the density of fluorosilicone gel sealant is greater than that of insulating oil and seawater. By injecting it from bottom to top, it can completely squeeze out the layered insulating oil and seawater in the isolation chamber. This allows for the one-time emptying of multiple media with a single injection, eliminating the need for step-by-step operations. It can completely remove seawater and insulating oil from the isolation chamber, preventing residual media from affecting the sealing effect.

[0030] As an optional embodiment: In one embodiment provided in this application, a blocking method using the above-described blocking device includes the following steps: Identify the location of the leak; The shell part 1 is assembled to the outside of the leaking section of the submarine cable, forming an isolation chamber outside the leaking section; Check the temperature difference changes during the operation of the submarine cable, and select the appropriate leak repair part type 4 according to different temperature difference changes; The leak repair part 4 is assembled onto the housing part 1 via male connector A2 and male connector B3; The leak-sealing medium is injected into the isolation chamber through the leak-sealing section 4 until the seawater and insulating oil in the isolation chamber are completely squeezed out, the leak-sealing medium completely fills the isolation chamber, and the leak repair is completed after solidification.

[0031] Finally, it should be noted that the methods and devices described in detail above are merely embodiments, and those skilled in the art can modify these embodiments in different ways as long as they do not depart from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sealing device, characterized in that: include, Shell part (1); The shell part (1) is assembled to the leakage section of the submarine cable, forming an isolation chamber outside the leakage section, and the shell part (1) is provided with male connector A (2) and male connector B (3) on the outside. Repair part (4); The leak repair part (4) is assembled onto the shell part (1) through male connector A (2) and male connector B (3). By injecting the leak repair medium into the isolation chamber, the seawater and insulating oil in the isolation chamber are discharged by pressure until the leak repair medium fills the isolation chamber and forms a seal.

2. The sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing part (1) includes an upper housing (11) and a lower housing (12). The upper shell (11) and the lower shell (12) are fixed together by a fastener (13).

3. The sealing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: Both ends of the inner side of the upper shell (11) and the lower shell (12) are provided with inner arc grooves (14), and a sealing ring (15) is provided in the inner arc grooves (14). The sealing ring (15) is divided into two parts, which are formed by merging two semi-annular rubber strips. The two semi-annular rubber strips are respectively assembled into the inner arc groove (14) of the upper shell (11) and the lower shell (12) by bolts.

4. The sealing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cross section of the sealing ring (15) is a trapezoid. The upper and lower bottom edges of the trapezoid can form a surface contact seal with the inner arc groove (14) and the submarine cable armor layer, respectively. The waist edge undergoes elastic deformation with the extrusion stress, which can offset part of the radial pressure through the inclined surface component of the trapezoidal structure, thereby reducing the risk of wear on the sealing surface.

5. The sealing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The leak repair part (4) has two forms, which are respectively designed for submarine cables that generate different temperature differences during operation; The first type is suitable for submarine cables with temperature differences of <100 ℃; The second type is suitable for submarine cables with temperature differences >100 ℃ and <250 ℃.

6. The sealing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: In the first configuration, the leak repair part (4) includes a primary injection / drainage connector (41) and a secondary injection / drainage connector (42). The primary injection / discharge connector (41) and the secondary injection / discharge connector (42) are respectively installed on male connector A (2) and male connector B (3). Both have injection and discharge functions, and seawater and insulating oil can be discharged by injecting the leak-proof medium twice.

7. The sealing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: In the first scenario, the leak-sealing medium is polyurethane sealant.

8. The sealing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: In the second configuration, the leak repair part (4) includes a discharge connector (43) and an injection connector (44). The discharge connector (43) and injection connector (44) are respectively installed on male connector A (2) and male connector B (3) to discharge seawater and insulating oil through a single injection of the leak repair medium.

9. The sealing device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The leak-sealing medium in the second configuration is fluorosilicone gel sealant.

10. A sealing method, applied to the sealing device according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: Identify the location of the leak; The shell part (1) is assembled to the outside of the leaking section of the submarine cable to form an isolation chamber outside the leaking section; Check the temperature difference changes during the operation of the submarine cable, and select the appropriate leak repair part (4) shape according to different temperature difference changes; The leak repair part (4) is assembled onto the housing part (1) via male connector A (2) and male connector B (3); The leak repair medium is injected into the isolation chamber through the leak repair section (4) until the seawater and insulating oil in the isolation chamber are completely squeezed out, the leak repair medium completely fills the isolation chamber, and the leak repair is completed after solidification.

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