Offshore wind farm subsea cable fault repair device
The offshore wind power submarine cable fault repair device, which is carried by a manned submersible with a dry working chamber, solves the problem of the complexity and time-consuming nature of traditional repair methods, realizes the direct repair of submarine cable fault points, reduces costs and improves operational adaptability and safety.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHANGHAI DONGHAI WIND POWER CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-05-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-05
AI Technical Summary
Traditional submarine cable fault repair processes are complex and time-consuming, leading to prolonged shutdowns of offshore wind farms, high costs, and significant susceptibility to weather and sea conditions.
A fault repair device for submarine cables in offshore wind power is designed. A manned submersible is used to carry a dry working chamber. Through end and bottom sealing mechanisms, a waterless and atmospheric pressure dry working environment is constructed on the seabed to achieve direct repair of submarine cable fault points.
It shortens the repair cycle, reduces maintenance costs, improves operational adaptability and safety, is suitable for the repair of submarine cables in near-shore areas, and reduces reliance on large engineering vessels and weather windows.
Smart Images
Figure CN122159096A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of offshore wind power technology, specifically relating to a fault repair device for offshore wind power submarine cables. Background Technology
[0002] With the rapid development of the marine economy and the increasing demand for clean energy, offshore wind power, as an important renewable energy utilization method, has been widely applied and promoted. Offshore wind farms typically transmit electricity to the onshore power grid via submarine cables (hereinafter referred to as "submarine cables"). Therefore, the safe and stable operation of submarine cables is directly related to the reliability and economy of the entire offshore wind power system.
[0003] However, submarine cables, laid in complex marine environments for extended periods, face significant challenges. The causes of damage to submarine cables are varied, primarily including: (1) Human-caused damage: This is one of the main causes of submarine cable failure, especially in sea areas with frequent ship activity. For example, the anchoring and anchoring operations of passing ships, as well as fishing nets, chains and other equipment used in fishing activities, may cause damage to submarine cables by hitting, dragging or even cutting them directly, resulting in serious deformation or damage.
[0004] (2) Impact of the natural environment: The long-term scouring effect of ocean currents may cause local scour pits to form on the seabed, leaving the submarine cable suspended and thus damaged by fatigue vibration. In addition, the corrosive effect of seawater (including salt, dissolved oxygen and marine organisms) will gradually erode the outer sheath and metal armor layer of the submarine cable, leading to a decrease in insulation performance and eventually causing a failure.
[0005] (3) Internal electrical faults: Due to manufacturing defects, insulation aging or partial discharge, low resistance (short circuit) or high resistance faults may occur inside the submarine cable, affecting power transmission.
[0006] When a submarine cable fails, the traditional repair process is typically extremely complex and time-consuming. First, the fault point must be precisely located using traveling wave positioning methods or detection equipment. Then, a specialized engineering vessel must be dispatched to retrieve the faulty section of cable from the water and carry out repairs on board. This process often takes weeks or even longer, causing prolonged downtime for wind farms and resulting in significant economic losses. Furthermore, the dispatching costs of specialized repair vessels are high, and they are greatly affected by uncontrollable factors such as weather and sea conditions.
[0007] Therefore, in view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, there is an urgent need to design a submarine cable fault repair device that can perform underwater in-situ repair, so as to shorten the repair cycle, reduce maintenance costs, and ensure the stable operation of offshore wind farms. Summary of the Invention
[0008] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a fault repair device for submarine cables used in offshore wind power. This fault repair device uses a manned submersible to carry a dry working chamber and utilizes end sealing and bottom sealing mechanisms to create a partially waterless, atmospheric pressure dry working chamber environment on the seabed. This allows maintenance personnel to perform direct and precise repair work on the fault points of the submarine cable as if they were on land, without having to retrieve the submarine cable to a surface engineering vessel.
[0009] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solutions: A fault repair device for submarine cables in offshore wind power projects is disclosed. The device includes a manned submersible. The manned submersible's hull consists of a manned cabin, a tool cabin, and a dry work cabin, arranged from top to bottom. Lifting grippers are provided at both ends of the manned submersible for gripping and lifting submarine cables. End sealing mechanisms are provided at both longitudinal ends of the dry work cabin, and a bottom sealing mechanism is provided between the two end sealing mechanisms to achieve bottom sealing of the dry work cabin. The end sealing mechanism includes end plates located on both sides of the end, with a space between the end plates to allow the submarine cable to enter. An end clamping block is slidably mounted in the cavity of the end plate, and the clamping surface of the end clamping block is a semi-circular arc groove adapted to the outer wall of the submarine cable. A first transverse hydraulic jack is provided on the back of the end clamping block to drive the end clamping block to slide towards the submarine cable for clamping and wrapping, thereby achieving end sealing of the dry working compartment. The bottom sealing mechanism includes a left bottom plate, a right bottom plate, a sliding bottom plate, and two laterally sliding, closely fitted water-squeezing sections. The left bottom plate and the right bottom plate are located on both sides of the bottom of the dry working chamber. The sliding bottom plate is slidably assembled in the cavity of the left bottom plate or the right bottom plate. The sliding bottom plate is driven to slide by a scissor telescopic mechanism to seal the gap area between the left bottom plate and the right bottom plate, forming the closed bottom plate of the dry working chamber. The water-squeezing contact surface of the closely fitted water-squeezing section is a semi-circular arc groove adapted to the outer wall of the submarine cable. A second lateral hydraulic jack is provided on the back of the closely fitted water-squeezing section to provide sliding force.
[0010] The manned submersible is equipped with a tracked running mechanism at the bottom that moves on the seabed, and a propeller propulsion mechanism at the top of the manned submersible to provide power during descent.
[0011] An escalator passage is provided between the manned cabin and the tool cabin, and a sliding door is provided on the partition between the tool cabin and the dry work cabin.
[0012] The clamping contact surface of the end clamping block is provided with a first rubber pad layer with serrations.
[0013] The bottom end face of the end plate is sealed to the end faces of the left and right base plates. Rubber protrusions are provided on both ends of the sliding base plate. When the sliding base plate slides out of the cavity of the left or right base plate, the compressed rubber protrusions spring back outward and fit tightly against the bottom end face of the end clamping block.
[0014] The lifting clamping jaw includes a fixed base, a vertical lifting cylinder, a U-shaped block, a rotating component, a hinged connecting rod, a sliding block, a clamping jaw, and a rotating component drive cylinder. The fixed base is fixed to the end wall of the tool compartment. One end of the vertical lifting cylinder is fixed to the fixed base, and the other end of the vertical lifting cylinder is connected to the upper end of the U-shaped block and drives the U-shaped block to perform vertical lifting and lowering movements. The rotating component is hinged to the vertical part of the U-shaped block, and two sliding blocks are slidably mounted on the bottom of the horizontal part of the U-shaped block. The upper part of the sliding block has an upwardly extending vertical rod, and the two ends of the rotating member are respectively provided with hinged connecting rods, and the other end of the hinged connecting rod is hinged to the top of the vertical rod on the sliding block. The lower part of the sliding block is provided with the clamping claw. The rotating member driving cylinder is provided on the ⊥ block and drives the rotating member to rotate. When rotating, the rotating member drives the sliding block to slide horizontally at the bottom of the ⊥ block through the hinged connecting rod. The clamping contact surface of the clamping claw is a semi-circular arc groove adapted to the submarine cable.
[0015] The scissor-type telescopic mechanism includes an X-shaped cross assembly, a transmission screw, and a motor. There are two sets of X-shaped cross assemblies arranged in series. One of the two cross hinge points between the X-shaped cross assemblies is equipped with a bearing support, and the other with a ball nut. The transmission screw passes through the bearing support and the ball nut. The motor drives the end of the transmission screw to rotate, and the interaction between the transmission screw and the ball nut drives the change in the cross angle of the X-shaped cross assembly. One hinge point between the X-shaped cross assembly and the sliding base plate is a fixed hinge, and the other is a sliding hinge. Similarly, one hinge point between the X-shaped cross assembly and the left base plate is a fixed hinge, and the other is a sliding hinge.
[0016] The advantages of this invention are: (1) Achieve in-situ underwater repair of submarine cables: By using a manned submersible to carry a dry work cabin, and by using end sealing mechanism and bottom sealing mechanism to construct a local waterless and atmospheric pressure working environment on the seabed, namely a dry work cabin, maintenance personnel can carry out direct and precise repair work on submarine cable fault points as if on land, without having to retrieve the submarine cable to the surface engineering vessel, which is suitable for submarine cables in near-shore areas; (2) Significantly shorten the repair cycle and reduce maintenance costs: It avoids the cumbersome links such as submarine cable salvage, transportation, repair and re-laying in the traditional repair method, and also reduces the dependence on large engineering vessels and good weather windows, thereby significantly shortening the downtime of offshore wind farms and reducing the total life cycle maintenance costs. (3) Strong adaptability to operation: The device is equipped with a tracked running mechanism and a propeller, which has good underwater mobility and can adapt to different seabed topography; at the same time, the multi-stage sealing and self-adaptive clamping structure can be compatible with submarine cables of different specifications, which improves the versatility of the device. (4) High operational safety and reliability: The manned design allows maintenance personnel to directly monitor and operate the equipment inside the cabin. Combined with a sophisticated hydraulic and mechanical transmission system, it ensures the controllability and safety of the underwater operation process. Attached Figure Description
[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the offshore wind power submarine cable fault repair device of the present invention; Figure 2 For the present invention Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of aa when the mid-lifting clamping claw is not holding the submarine cable; Figure 3 For the present invention Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of aa when the submarine cable is held by the hoisting claws; Figure 4 For the present invention Figure 1 BB cross-section diagram; Figure 5 For the present invention Figure 1 CC cross-section view of the mid-end clamping block without clamping the submarine cable; Figure 6 For the present invention Figure 1 CC cross-section view of the submarine cable held by the mid-end clamping block; Figure 7 For the present invention Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the medium-density dewatering section and the sliding bottom plate under shrinkage conditions; Figure 8 For the present invention Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the dd section when the medium-dense water-squeezing section is closely attached to the submarine cable and the sliding bottom plate is in a contracted state; Figure 9 For the present invention Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the dd section when the tightly attached submarine cable is removed from the medium-density water-squeezing section and the sliding bottom plate is extended and closed. Figure 10 For the present invention Figure 8 ee cross-section diagram; like Figure 1-10The markings in the diagram are as follows: 1. Submarine cable; 2. Manned submersible; 21. Manned cabin; 22. Tool compartment; 23. Dry work compartment; 3. Propeller propulsion mechanism; 4. Tracked traveling mechanism; 5. Lifting clamp; 51. Fixed base; 52. Vertical lifting cylinder; 53. U-shaped block; 54. Sliding guide rail; 55. Sliding block; 56. Hinge connecting rod; 57. Rotating component; 58. Clamping claw; 59. Rotating component drive cylinder; 6. End sealing mechanism; 61. First mounting base; 62. First lateral hydraulic cylinder. 62. Jack, 63. End clamping block, 64. First rubber pad, 7. Bottom sealing mechanism, 71. Second mounting base, 72. Second transverse hydraulic jack, 73. Close-fitting squeezing part, 74. Second rubber pad, 75. Right base plate, 76. Scissor telescopic mechanism, 761. X-type cross assembly, 762. Transmission screw, 763. First sliding groove, 764. Bearing support, 765. Ball nut, 766. Motor, 767. Second sliding groove, 77. Sliding base plate, 78. Left base plate. Detailed Implementation
[0018] The features and other related features of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, so as to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art: Example: Figure 1-10 As shown, this embodiment specifically relates to a fault repair device for offshore wind power submarine cables. The core of this fault repair device is that it can construct a waterless dry working environment in situ underwater, so that maintenance personnel can directly repair the fault points of the submarine cable (hereinafter referred to as "submarine cable 1").
[0019] like Figure 1 As shown, the fault repair device in this embodiment mainly includes a manned submersible 2. The manned submersible 2 has a three-layer structure, consisting of a manned cabin 21, a tool compartment 22, and a dry work compartment 23 from top to bottom. The manned cabin 21 is used to accommodate operators and monitoring equipment; the tool compartment 22 is used to store maintenance tools, spare parts, and hydraulic power units; the dry work compartment 23 is the final waterless work space constructed for submarine cable repair. To facilitate underwater maneuverability, a propeller propulsion mechanism 3 is installed on the top of the manned submersible 2 to provide power for diving, surfacing, and attitude adjustment; a tracked walking mechanism 4 is installed on its bottom for stable walking and precise positioning on the seabed, so as to move to the damaged location of the submarine cable 1.
[0020] like Figure 1-10As shown, the manned submersible 2 is equipped with lifting grippers 5 at both ends (longitudinal ends) for grabbing and lifting the submarine cable 1 from the seabed. The dry work compartment 23 is equipped with end sealing mechanisms 6 at both longitudinal ends to seal both ends of the dry work compartment 23. Between the two end sealing mechanisms 6, a bottom sealing mechanism 7 is provided to seal the bottom of the dry work compartment 23. To facilitate personnel movement between compartments, a ladder passage (not shown) is provided between the manned compartment 21 and the tool compartment 22. A sliding sealing door (not shown) is provided on the partition between the tool compartment 22 and the dry work compartment 23. Normally, this sealing door is closed to maintain the airtightness of the dry work compartment 23 during construction. Once the working environment is established, maintenance personnel can open the sealing door to enter the dry work compartment 23 for maintenance work.
[0021] like Figure 1-4 As shown, the lifting clamp 5 is used to lift the submarine cable 1 from the seabed surface into the dry work compartment 23. Specifically, it includes: a fixed base 51, a vertical lifting cylinder 52, a ⊥ block 53, a rotating component 57, a hinged connecting rod 56, a sliding block 55, a clamping claw 58, and a rotating component drive cylinder 59. The fixed base 51 is fixed to the end wall of the tool compartment 22. The cylinder end of the vertical lifting cylinder 52 is fixed to the fixed base 51, and its piston rod end is connected to the upper end of the ⊥ block 53 to drive the entire ⊥ block 53 to perform vertical lifting and lowering movements. The ⊥ block 53 consists of a vertical part and a horizontal part. The rotating component 57 is hinged to the vertical part of the ⊥ block 53. A sliding guide rail 54 is provided at the bottom end of the horizontal part of the ⊥ block 53, on which two sliding blocks 55 are slidably mounted. Each sliding block 55 has an upwardly extending vertical rod at its upper part and a clamping claw 58 fixed at its lower part. The lower part of the clamping claw 58 is wedge-shaped to facilitate digging down into the seabed and lowering it to the installation position of the submarine cable 1. A hinged connecting rod 56 is hinged to each end of the rotating component 57, and the other end of each hinged connecting rod 56 is hinged to the top of the vertical rod on the corresponding sliding block 55. A rotating component drive cylinder 59 is located on the other side of the ⊥-shaped block 53 and is used to drive the rotating component 57 to rotate. During operation, the rotating component drive cylinder 59 pushes the rotating component 57 to rotate. The rotating component 57, through the hinged connecting rods 56 at both ends, drives the two sliding blocks 55 to slide horizontally along the sliding guide rail 54 towards or away from each other, thereby achieving the clamping claw 58 clamping or releasing the submarine cable 1. To increase clamping stability, the clamping contact surface of the clamping claw 58 is designed as a semi-circular arc groove that adapts to the outer wall surface of the submarine cable 1. The vertical lifting cylinder 52 is used to lift the submarine cable 1 as a whole into the dry working cabin 23 after clamping the submarine cable 1.
[0022] like Figure 1 , 5As shown in Figure 6, the end sealing mechanism 6 is located at both longitudinal ends of the dry working chamber 23 to achieve end sealing after wrapping the submarine cable 1. Each end sealing mechanism 6 includes end plates (not individually labeled in the figure) located on both sides of the end, with a gap between the two end plates to allow the submarine cable 1 to be lifted to a designated position and pass longitudinally. An end clamping block 63 is slidably mounted in the internal cavity of each end plate. The clamping surface of the end clamping block 63 is designed as a semi-circular arc groove adapted to the outer wall surface of the submarine cable 1, and preferably has a first rubber pad 64 with serrations on the clamping contact surface to enhance the sealing effect. A first transverse hydraulic jack 62 is connected to the back side of the end clamping block 63 (i.e., the side away from the submarine cable 1), and the first transverse hydraulic jack 62 is fixed to the inner wall surface of the end plate cavity by a first mounting base 61. After the submarine cable 1 is hoisted to the predetermined position by the hoisting clamp 5, the first horizontal hydraulic jack 62 is activated to drive the end clamping block 63 to slide towards the center of the submarine cable 1 until the two opposite end clamping blocks 63 completely wrap and press the submarine cable 1, thereby achieving a seal on the end of the dry work cabin 23.
[0023] like Figure 1 , 7 As shown in Figures 8, 9, and 10, the bottom sealing mechanism 7 is used to seal the bottom of the dry work chamber 23, and together with the end sealing mechanism 6, forms a sealed box structure with the bottom and both ends closed and the top connected to the tool compartment 22. The bottom sealing mechanism 7 includes a left bottom plate 78, a right bottom plate 75, a sliding bottom plate 77, and two horizontally sliding, close-fitting water-squeezing parts 73. The left bottom plate 78 and the right bottom plate 75 are respectively fixed to the left and right sides of the bottom of the dry work chamber 23. In the initial state, the sliding bottom plate 77 is slidably assembled in the cavity of the left bottom plate 78 (or the right bottom plate 75). In this embodiment, it is actually assembled in the left bottom plate 78. Driven by the scissor telescopic mechanism 76, the sliding bottom plate 77 can slide out from the cavity of the left bottom plate 78 and cross over to the cavity of the right bottom plate 75 on the other side, thereby sealing the gap area between the left bottom plate 78 and the right bottom plate 75, forming a complete closed bottom plate. To achieve a seal between the base plate and the end plate, rubber protrusions are provided on both ends of the sliding base plate 77. When the sliding base plate 77 slides out of the cavity of the left base plate 78, the originally compressed rubber protrusions rebound outward and press tightly against the bottom of the end face of the end clamping block 63, forming an effective watertight seal. Two close-fitting water-squeezing parts 73 are located on the left and right sides (or front and back, perpendicular to the sliding direction) of the sliding base plate 77, respectively. Their water-squeezing contact surfaces are semi-circular arc grooves adapted to the outer wall surface of the submarine cable 1, and are provided with a second rubber pad 74. The compressibility of the second rubber pad 74 can further discharge water. A second transverse hydraulic jack 72 is connected to the back of each close-fitting water-squeezing part 73. The second transverse hydraulic jack 72 is fixed in the corresponding position by the second mounting base 71.
[0024] like Figure 10 As shown, the scissor-type telescopic mechanism 76 comprises two sets of X-shaped cross components 761 arranged in series, a transmission screw 762, and a motor 766. At one of the two cross hinge points between the two sets of X-shaped cross components 761, a bearing support 764 (serving only for support and guidance) is provided, and a ball nut 765 (threadedly engaged with the transmission screw 762) is provided at the other point. The transmission screw 762 passes through both the bearing support 764 and the ball nut 765. The motor 766 drives the transmission screw 762 to rotate, converting the rotational motion into linear motion through the ball nut 765, thereby changing the cross angle of the X-shaped cross components 761 and achieving telescopic movement. One hinge point between the X-shaped cross assembly 761 and the sliding base plate 77 is a fixed hinge, while the other hinge point is a sliding hinge (which can slide within the second sliding groove 767). Similarly, one hinge point between the X-shaped cross assembly 761 and the inner wall of the cavity of the left base plate 78 is a fixed hinge, while the other hinge point is a sliding hinge (which can slide within the first sliding groove 763). This hinge method ensures the smoothness and certainty of the extension and retraction process.
[0025] like Figure 1-10 As shown, the working method of the offshore wind power submarine cable fault repair device in this embodiment includes the following steps: (Step S1) Descent and Positioning: The manned submersible 2, carrying maintenance personnel and tools, descends from the mother ship to the seabed using a propeller propulsion mechanism 3. Upon reaching the seabed, it switches to a tracked traction mechanism 4 and moves to the vicinity of the fault point on the submarine cable 1. The fault point is precisely located through an observation window or underwater camera equipment.
[0026] (Step S2) Clamping and lifting of submarine cable 1: The operator controls the lifting grippers 5 at both ends of the manned submersible 2. First, the vertical lifting cylinder 52 drives the U-shaped block 53 to descend, positioning the grippers 58 on both sides of the submarine cable 1 below the seabed. Then, the rotating component drives the cylinder 59, which, through the hinged connecting rod 56 and the sliding block 55, drives the two grippers 58 to move towards each other, firmly clamping the sections of the submarine cable 1 on both sides of the fault point. Afterward, the vertical lifting cylinder 52 reverses its movement, raising the submarine cable 1 to a certain height, detaching it from the seabed and placing it inside the dry work compartment 23.
[0027] (Step S3) End sealing: The end sealing mechanism 6 is activated. Multiple first transverse hydraulic jacks 62 located at both ends of the dry working compartment 23 extend synchronously, pushing the end clamping blocks 63 toward the center of the submarine cable 1. The semi-circular grooves and the first rubber pads 64 on the end clamping blocks 63 tightly wrap around and press the submarine cable 1, completing the initial sealing of both ends of the working compartment.
[0028] (Step S4) Bottom sealing and water squeezing: At this point, the bottom of the dry work chamber 23 is open, and the interior is filled with seawater. The bottom sealing mechanism 7 is activated, completing the bottom sealing in two steps: First, the second horizontal hydraulic jack 72 is activated, driving the two closely fitting water-squeezing parts 73 to slide towards the center of the submarine cable 1 until its semi-circular groove-shaped second rubber pad 74 tightly adheres to the outer wall of the submarine cable 1, enclosing the submarine cable 1 and thus draining the seawater.
[0029] Then, the motor of the scissor telescopic mechanism 76 is activated, driving the transmission screw 762 to rotate, causing the X-shaped cross assembly 761 to extend and push the sliding base plate 77 smoothly out of the cavity of the left base plate 78 until its end aligns with the right base plate 75. The rubber protrusions at both ends of the sliding base plate 77 spring back, tightly adhering to the bottom of the end clamping block 63, forming a complete watertight base plate.
[0030] (S5) Drainage and the formation of a dry environment: After the end and bottom sealing is completed, the second transverse hydraulic jack 72 is activated to drive the two closely fitted water squeezing parts 73 to slide away from the submarine cable 1, thereby forming a local waterless, atmospheric pressure dry working environment, namely the dry working chamber 23, without the need for pump drainage. Of course, in order to ensure the safety of the working chamber, a miniature drainage pump can be installed in the chamber to reduce water accumulation.
[0031] (S6) Personnel entry and repair operations: Maintenance personnel open the sliding door between the tool compartment 22 and the dry work compartment 23, and enter the dry work compartment 23 through the ladder passage with their tools. Since there is no water inside the compartment and it is at normal pressure, maintenance personnel can perform delicate repair work such as cutting, stripping, splicing, and insulation restoration on the exposed fault points of the submarine cable 1, just as they would on land.
[0032] (S7) Evacuation and Recovery: After repairs are completed, maintenance personnel withdraw from tool compartment 22 and close the sliding door. Water is injected into the dry work compartment 23 in reverse to balance the internal and external pressures. Then, the operations are performed in reverse order: the scissor telescopic mechanism 76 retracts, causing the sliding base plate 77 to retract into the cavity of the left base plate 78; the second lateral hydraulic jack 72 retracts, causing the close-fitting water-squeezing section 73 to detach from the submarine cable 1; the first lateral hydraulic jack 62 retracts, causing the end clamping block 63 to detach from the submarine cable 1. Finally, the hoisting clamping claw 5 lowers the repaired submarine cable 1 back onto the seabed. The manned submersible 2 returns to the surface mother ship using the tracked running mechanism 4 and the propeller propulsion mechanism 3.
[0033] The beneficial effects of this embodiment are: (1) Achieve in-situ underwater repair of submarine cables: By using a manned submersible to carry a dry work cabin, and by using end sealing mechanism and bottom sealing mechanism to construct a local waterless and atmospheric pressure working environment on the seabed, namely a dry work cabin, maintenance personnel can carry out direct and precise repair work on submarine cable fault points as if on land, without having to retrieve the submarine cable to the surface engineering vessel, which is suitable for submarine cables in near-shore areas; (2) Significantly shorten the repair cycle and reduce maintenance costs: It avoids the cumbersome links such as submarine cable salvage, transportation, repair and re-laying in the traditional repair method, and also reduces the dependence on large engineering vessels and good weather windows, thereby significantly shortening the downtime of offshore wind farms and reducing the total life cycle maintenance costs. (3) Strong adaptability to operation: The device is equipped with a tracked running mechanism and a propeller, which has good underwater mobility and can adapt to different seabed topography; at the same time, the multi-stage sealing and self-adaptive clamping structure can be compatible with submarine cables of different specifications, which improves the versatility of the device. (4) High operational safety and reliability: The manned design allows maintenance personnel to directly monitor and operate the equipment inside the cabin. Combined with a sophisticated hydraulic and mechanical transmission system, it ensures the controllability and safety of the underwater operation process.
Claims
1. A fault repair device for offshore wind power submarine cables, characterized in that... The fault repair device includes a manned submersible. The manned submersible's hull consists of a manned cabin, a tool cabin, and a dry work cabin from top to bottom. The manned submersible is equipped with lifting grippers at both ends for gripping and lifting submarine cables. The dry work cabin is equipped with end sealing mechanisms at both longitudinal ends, and a bottom sealing mechanism is provided between the two end sealing mechanisms to seal the bottom of the dry work cabin. The end sealing mechanism includes end plates located on both sides of the end, with a space between the end plates to allow the submarine cable to enter. An end clamping block is slidably mounted in the cavity of the end plate, and the clamping surface of the end clamping block is a semi-circular arc groove adapted to the outer wall of the submarine cable. A first transverse hydraulic jack is provided on the back of the end clamping block to drive the end clamping block to slide towards the submarine cable for clamping and wrapping, thereby achieving end sealing of the dry working compartment. The bottom sealing mechanism includes a left bottom plate, a right bottom plate, a sliding bottom plate, and two laterally sliding, closely fitted water-squeezing sections. The left bottom plate and the right bottom plate are located on both sides of the bottom of the dry working chamber. The sliding bottom plate is slidably assembled in the cavity of the left bottom plate or the right bottom plate. The sliding bottom plate is driven to slide by a scissor telescopic mechanism to seal the gap area between the left bottom plate and the right bottom plate, forming the closed bottom plate of the dry working chamber. The water-squeezing contact surface of the closely fitted water-squeezing section is a semi-circular arc groove adapted to the outer wall of the submarine cable. A second lateral hydraulic jack is provided on the back of the closely fitted water-squeezing section to provide sliding force.
2. The offshore wind power submarine cable fault repair device according to claim 1, characterized in that... The manned submersible is equipped with a tracked running mechanism at the bottom that moves on the seabed, and a propeller propulsion mechanism at the top of the manned submersible to provide power during descent.
3. The offshore wind power submarine cable fault repair device according to claim 1, characterized in that... An escalator passage is provided between the manned cabin and the tool cabin, and a sliding door is provided on the partition between the tool cabin and the dry work cabin.
4. The offshore wind power submarine cable fault repair device according to claim 1, characterized in that... The clamping contact surface of the end clamping block is provided with a first rubber pad layer with serrations.
5. The offshore wind power submarine cable fault repair device according to claim 1, characterized in that... The bottom end face of the end plate is sealed to the end faces of the left and right base plates. Rubber protrusions are provided on both ends of the sliding base plate. When the sliding base plate slides out of the cavity of the left or right base plate, the compressed rubber protrusions spring back outward and fit tightly against the bottom end face of the end clamping block.
6. The offshore wind power submarine cable fault repair device according to claim 1, characterized in that... The lifting clamping jaw includes a fixed base, a vertical lifting cylinder, a U-shaped block, a rotating component, a hinged connecting rod, a sliding block, a clamping jaw, and a rotating component drive cylinder. The fixed base is fixed to the end wall of the tool compartment. One end of the vertical lifting cylinder is fixed to the fixed base, and the other end of the vertical lifting cylinder is connected to the upper end of the U-shaped block and drives the U-shaped block to perform vertical lifting and lowering movements. The rotating component is hinged to the vertical part of the U-shaped block, and two sliding blocks are slidably mounted on the bottom of the horizontal part of the U-shaped block. The upper part of the sliding block has an upwardly extending vertical rod, and the two ends of the rotating member are respectively provided with hinged connecting rods, and the other end of the hinged connecting rod is hinged to the top of the vertical rod on the sliding block. The lower part of the sliding block is provided with the clamping claw. The rotating member driving cylinder is provided on the ⊥ block and drives the rotating member to rotate. When rotating, the rotating member drives the sliding block to slide horizontally at the bottom of the ⊥ block through the hinged connecting rod. The clamping contact surface of the clamping claw is a semi-circular arc groove adapted to the submarine cable.
7. The offshore wind power submarine cable fault repair device according to claim 1, characterized in that... The scissor-type telescopic mechanism includes an X-shaped cross assembly, a transmission screw, and a motor. There are two sets of X-shaped cross assemblies arranged in series. One of the two cross hinge points between the X-shaped cross assemblies is equipped with a bearing support, and the other with a ball nut. The transmission screw passes through the bearing support and the ball nut. The motor drives the end of the transmission screw to rotate, and the interaction between the transmission screw and the ball nut drives the change in the cross angle of the X-shaped cross assembly. One hinge point between the X-shaped cross assembly and the sliding base plate is a fixed hinge, and the other is a sliding hinge. Similarly, one hinge point between the X-shaped cross assembly and the left base plate is a fixed hinge, and the other is a sliding hinge.