Subsea Support Buoy Autonomous Power and Service Umbilical
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Solution Overview
Problem
Deploying and maintaining subsea equipment in remote offshore locations is expensive and dangerous, requiring a full ship-based support crew and self-sufficient equipment for extended periods, especially in harsh conditions.
Innovation Solution
A support buoy with a generator unit, utilities array, accelerometers, and an umbilical cable that provides power and services to subsea equipment, allowing remote operation and automatic shutdown during rough conditions, and can be relocated without retrieving the equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If subsea equipment is deployed in remote offshore locations with extended operation periods, then data collection capability is improved, but operational cost and safety risk increase due to requiring ship-based support crew
Solution Approach 1:
The support buoy is equipped with a self-contained generator unit that provides autonomous power generation, eliminating the need for external ship-based support. The buoy can independently supply electrical power, compressed air, and hydraulic fluid to subsea equipment for extended periods without requiring periodic ship visits for refueling or maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The support buoy integrates multiple utility functions into a single platform, including power generation, data transmission, equipment deployment/retrieval, and environmental monitoring. This multi-functional design consolidates what would otherwise require separate support systems into one unified buoy system.
2Reliability
If generator unit operates continuously to provide power to subsea equipment, then energy supply reliability is improved, but fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The generator unit operates periodically rather than continuously, cycling between active and standby states. The microprocessor controller monitors power demands and activates the generator only when electrical power is required by subsea equipment, allowing the fuel-powered generator to conserve fuel during periods of low or no demand while maintaining reliable power supply when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers and stores electrical energy in battery banks during periods when the generator is running, then discards the need for continuous generator operation by using stored energy during low-demand periods. This allows the generator to run at optimal capacity intervals rather than continuously, reducing overall fuel consumption.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If generator unit operates in rough offshore conditions, then power supply continuity is improved, but risk of damage to equipment increases
Solution Approach 1:
Accelerometers mounted on the buoy provide real-time feedback about motion and vibration levels to the microprocessor controller. When rough sea conditions are detected exceeding predetermined thresholds, the controller automatically shuts down the generator unit to prevent damage, then can restart it when conditions improve, maintaining power supply continuity while protecting against environmental harm.
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes preliminary protective action by monitoring environmental conditions through accelerometers and proactively shutting down the generator before damage can occur. This preventive approach allows the system to withstand rough conditions by pausing operation temporarily, then resuming power supply once conditions stabilize, rather than risking catastrophic failure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If support buoy is equipped with complete utilities array including generator and battery banks, then operational autonomy is improved, but buoy complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The utilities array is segmented into distinct functional modules: a fuel-powered generator unit, battery banks for energy storage, a microprocessor controller, and various utility systems. This modular segmentation allows each component to be independently managed, maintained, and replaced, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining full operational autonomy.
Data Source
AI summary
A support buoy for supporting subsea equipment, the buoy comprising:a hull;a generator unit contained within the hull;a utilities array contained within the hull; andan umbilical,wherein the umbilical is adapted to provide services from the generator unit and the utilities array to the subsea equipment.