# US 10,122,167 B2 · Subsea power distribution system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,167 B2 - Document ID: US10122167B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/111,520 - Filed: 2015-05-07 - Published: 2017-04-13 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-27 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Ove Boe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122167B2 ## CPC - H02J 3/00: Circuit arrangements for AC mains or AC distribution networks - E21B 41/00: Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 - H02K 5/132: Submersible electric motors (H02K5/128 takes precedence) - H02M 5/40: with intermediate conversion into DC - H02P 27/06: using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence) - E21B 33/0355: {Control systems, e.g. hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, acoustic, for submerged well heads} - E21B 43/128: {Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives} - H02J 2105/12: supplying households or buildings - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS ## Abstract A subsea power distribution system is provided. The subsea power distribution system includes a power input for receiving electrical power at a first voltage level and an input transformer coupled to the power input and adapted to transform received electrical power to a second voltage level which is lower than the first voltage level. A distribution circuit distributes received electrical power to two or more power distribution paths. At least one rectifier unit receives transformed electrical power from the input transformer and outputs rectified electrical power. The two or more power distribution paths each have an inverter configured to receive rectified electrical power from the rectifier unit and to output AC electrical power at a third voltage level, and a distribution path transformer coupled to the respective inverter and configured to transform the output AC electric power to a fourth voltage level which is higher than the third voltage level. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A subsea power distribution system, comprising: a power input to receive electrical power at a first voltage level; an input transformer coupled to the power input and adapted to transform received electrical power to a second voltage level which is relatively lower than the first voltage level; a distribution circuit to distribute received electrical power to two or more power distribution paths; and at least one rectifier unit to receive transformed electrical power from the input transformer and output rectified electrical power, wherein each of the two or more power distribution paths includes an inverter configured to receive rectified electrical power from the rectifier unit and to output AC electrical power at a third voltage level, a distribution path transformer coupled to the respective inverter and configured to transform the output AC electrical power to a fourth voltage level which is relatively higher than the third voltage level, a separate breaker or switch, a cable, a load, and a power output to provide the transformed AC electrical power to a subsea load. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The subsea power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the power input, the input transformer, the distribution circuit and the at least one rectifier unit form part of a subsea power distribution unit, and wherein each of the two or more power distribution paths includes a subsea drive unit including the respective inverter, distribution path transformer and power output, the subsea power distribution unit and the subsea drive unit being connected via wet-mateable subsea connectors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The subsea power distribution system of claim 2, wherein each of the two or more power distribution paths includes an intermediate power output provided at the subsea power distribution unit, an intermediate power input at the subsea drive unit, and a subsea cable connection between the intermediate power output and the intermediate power input for transmitting electrical power, wherein the subsea power distribution unit and the two or more subsea drive units each include a separate subsea enclosure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The subsea power distribution system of claim 2, wherein the subsea power distribution system is configured to distribute electrical power to subsea well equipment located at different subsea wellheads, wherein the two or more subsea drive units include a first subsea drive unit located in proximity to a first wellhead and a second subsea drive unit located in proximity to a different second wellhead. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The subsea power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the rectifier unit is connected between an output of the input transformer and the distribution circuit, the distribution circuit being a DC distribution circuit, each of the two or more power distribution paths being supplied with rectified electrical power from said rectifier unit via the DC distribution circuit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The subsea power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the power distribution system comprises a rectifier unit for each of the two or more power distribution paths. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The subsea power distribution system of claim 6, wherein the rectifier unit and the inverter of a respective one of the two or more power distribution paths form a frequency converter unit, in particular a variable speed drive. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The subsea power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the first voltage level is a medium voltage level. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The subsea power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the second voltage level and the third voltage level each is within a range of about 200 V to about 5,000 V. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The subsea power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the fourth voltage level is within a range of about 1,000 V to about 10,000 V. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The subsea power distribution system of claim 1, wherein each of the two or more power distribution paths includes a semiconductor switch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The subsea power distribution system of claim 11, wherein the semiconductor switch is controllable to control the output electrical power provided at the power output of a respective one of the two or more power distribution paths. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The subsea power distribution system of claim 1, further comprising a controller adapted to control at least the inverters of the two or more power distribution paths. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The subsea power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the distribution circuit is a DC distribution circuit, wherein the first voltage level is a medium or high voltage level, wherein the DC distribution occurs at a low voltage level, and wherein the fourth voltage level, at which the electric power is provided to the load, is a medium voltage level. ### Claim 15 (depends on 4) The subsea power distribution system of claim 4, wherein the subsea power distribution system is configured to distribute electrical power to electric submersible pumps. ### Claim 16 (depends on 3) The subsea power distribution system of claim 3, wherein the subsea power distribution system is configured to distribute electrical power to subsea well equipment located at different subsea wellheads, wherein the two or more subsea drive units include a first subsea drive unit located in proximity to a first wellhead and a second subsea drive unit located in proximity to a different second wellhead. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The subsea power distribution system of claim 16, wherein the subsea power distribution system is configured to distribute electrical power to electric submersible pumps. ### Claim 18 (depends on 7) The subsea power distribution system of claim 7, wherein the frequency converter unit is a variable speed drive. ### Claim 19 (depends on 8) The subsea power distribution system of claim 8, wherein the first voltage level is a voltage level between about 1,000 V and about 80,000 Volt. ### Claim 20 (depends on 9) The subsea power distribution system of claim 9, wherein the second voltage level and the third voltage level each is within a range of about 500 V to about 4,000 V. ### Claim 21 (depends on 10) The subsea power distribution system of claim 10, wherein the fourth voltage level is within a range of about 1,500 V to about 6,000 V. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The subsea power distribution system of claim 19, wherein the second voltage level and the third voltage level each is within a range of about 200 V to about 5,000 V. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The subsea power distribution system of claim 22, wherein the fourth voltage level is within a range of about 1,000 V to about 10,000 V. ### Claim 24 (depends on 11) The subsea power distribution system of claim 11, wherein each of the two or more power distribution paths further includes a mechanical switch. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The subsea power distribution system of claim 24, wherein the mechanical switch is a contactor. ### Claim 26 A method of operating a subsea power distribution system, the method comprising: receiving input electrical power at a first voltage level on a power input; transforming received electrical power to a second voltage level which is relatively lower than the first voltage level via a distribution transformer; distributing received electrical power to two or more power distribution paths via a distribution circuit; rectifying transformed electrical power given out by the input transformer via a rectifier unit which gives out rectified electrical power; and for each of the two or more power distribution paths, performing the following: receiving electrical power at a separate breaker or switch, outputting the received electrical power to a cable, inverting the rectified electrical power given out by the rectifier unit to obtain AC electrical power at a third voltage level via an inverter, transforming the AC electrical power to a fourth voltage level which is relatively higher than the third voltage level via a distribution path transformer, and providing the transformed AC electrical power to a subsea load via a power output.