Monitoring squeeze pressure of track tensioners
AssigneeSubsea 7 do Brasil Servicos Ltda
InventorsLuiz Carlos De Lemos Junior, Marcelo Aguiar Camara, Flavio Lage Bormann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tensioner system holds back elongate products such as subsea pipelines being laid into water. The system comprises at least one endless circulatory track and an array of rollers supporting the track. Each of the rollers of the array is mounted for rotation around a respective shaft. At least one of the shafts comprises a load pin that is arranged to sense loads applied to the surrounding roller in directions normal to an axis of rotation of that roller.
Claims17
A tensioner system for holding-back elongate products being laid into water, the system comprising:
- at least one endless circulatory track;
- and
- an array of rollers supporting the or each track, each of the rollers of the array being mounted for rotation on a respective shaft;
- wherein:
- two or more of the shafts each comprise a respective load pin that is arranged to sense loads applied to a surrounding roller of the array in directions normal to an axis of rotation of that roller;
- the load pins feed respective load signals to a processor;
- the shafts are supported by a chassis structure;
- the chassis structure is supported by a frame;
- and
- the shafts and each load pin are fixed relative to the chassis structure and the frame.
A method of monitoring a tensioner system when holding-back elongate products being laid into water, the method comprising:
- sensing individual loads applied to an array of multiple rollers that supports and extends along an endless circulatory track, the loads being applied in directions normal to an axis of rotation of that roller, wherein the loads are sensed and a respective load signal is produced by a load pin on which each roller is mounted for rotation;
- and
- advancing the track while each roller rotates and each load pin remains in fixed relation to a supporting chassis structure and a frame supporting the chassis structure.
A tensioner system for holding-back elongate products being laid into water, the system comprising:
- at least one endless circulatory track;
- and
- an array of rollers supporting the or each track, each of the rollers of the array being mounted for rotation on a respective shaft;
- wherein:
- two or more of the shafts each comprise a respective load pin that is arranged to sense loads applied to a surrounding roller of the array in directions normal to an axis of rotation of that roller;
- the load pins feed respective load signals to a processor;
- the shafts are supported by a chassis structure;
- each load pin is fixed relative to the chassis structure;
- the chassis structure is supported by a frame;
- and
- the frame incorporates one or more additional load pins arranged to act between the frame and the chassis structure to sense loads applied to the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.