# US 12,224,572 B2 · Power collection system for subsea transfer of power from offshore power generation units

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- Number: US 12,224,572 B2
- Document ID: US12224572B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/551,420
- Filed: 2022-03-25
- Published: 2024-10-03
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-03-25
- Assignees: ABB Schweiz AG
- Applicants: ABB Schweiz AG
- Inventors: Oistein Martinsen; Harald Fretheim; Vitor Moritsugu; Stian Ingebrigtsen; Tor-Eivind Moen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224572B2

## CPC

- F03D 9/257: {the wind motor being part of a wind farm}
- H02G 9/00: Installations of electric cables or lines in or on the ground or water
- F03D 13/25: specially adapted for offshore installation
- F03D 80/85: {Cabling}
- H02J 3/38: Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel
- B63B 2035/446: {for converting wind energy into electric energy}
- F03D 7/0284: {in relation to the state of the electric grid}
- F03D 7/048: {controlling wind farms}
- F03D 13/256: {on a floating support, i.e. floating wind motors}
- F05B 2240/93: on a structure floating on a liquid surface
- F05B 2240/95: offshore
- H02J 2101/28: Wind energy
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06)
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a power collection system for subsea collection of power from offshore power generation units, the system including: a set of power extender modules being independently arrangeable subsea in a local grid and each being connectable with a respective one of a set of offshore power generation units to collect electrical power from the respective offshore power generation units, the set of power extender modules being configured to be electrically series connected in the local grid being connectable with a power consumer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A power collection system for subsea collection of power from offshore power generation units, the system comprising:
a set of power extender modules configured to be independently arranged subsea on a seabed in a subsea local grid during operation, each power extender module including:
switching circuitry, and
a waterproof enclosure accommodating the switching circuitry for subsea operation, the waterproof enclosure being configured to prevent water surrounding the waterproof enclosure from reaching the switching circuitry disposed inside the waterproof enclosure,
wherein each power extender module is connectable with a respective one of a set of offshore power generation units to collect electrical power from the respective offshore power generation unit,
wherein the switching circuitry of each power extender module is configured to controllably connect the respective offshore power generation unit to the local grid, and
wherein the set of power extender modules are configured to be electrically connected in series via at least one subsea cable to provide the electrical power to a power consumer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The power collection system according claim 1, wherein the waterproof enclosure of each power extender module comprises electrical connections positioned on a wet side of the waterproof enclosure to connect the power extender modules to each other via the at least one subsea cable.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The power collection system according to claim 2, wherein the enclosures are:
oil-filled,
adapted to retain a fixed pressure,
adapted to retain a pressure of 1 atm or adapted to retain vacuum,
nitrogen-filled, oil-filled and pressure compensated, or
non-pressure-compensated.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The power collection system according to claim 2, wherein each power extender module comprises an input connection for connecting with the respective offshore power generation unit,
wherein each power extender module includes a T-type busbar connection configured to connect the input connection to the local grid.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The power collection system according to claim 2, wherein each power extender module comprises communication circuitry and control circuit, which control the switching circuitry to connect the respective offshort power generation unit to the local grid and to disconnect the respective offshore power generation unit from the local grid.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The power collection system according to claim 2, further comprising a power hub configured to be connected to the local grid of the subsea power extender modules for collecting the electrical power from the local grid.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The power collection system according to claim 2, wherein the power extender modules each comprise a further switch for breaking the series connection to neighboring power extenders.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The power collection system according to claim 1, wherein the waterproof enclosures are:
oil-filled,
adapted to retain a fixed pressure,
adapted to retain a pressure of 1 atm or adapted to retain vacuum,
nitrogen-filled, oil-filled and pressure compensated, or
non-pressure-compensated.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The power collection system according to claim 1, wherein each power extender module comprises an input connection for connecting with the respective offshore power generation unit,
wherein each power extender module includes a T-type busbar connection configured to connect the input connection to the local grid.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The power collection system according to claim 1, wherein each power extender module comprises communication circuitry and control circuit, which control the switching circuitry to connect the respective offshore power generation unit to the local grid and to disconnect respective offshore power generation unit from the local grid.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The power collection system according to claim 1, further comprising a power hub configured to be connected to the local grid of the subsea power extender modules for collecting the electrical power from the local grid.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The power collection system according to claim 11, wherein the power hub comprises a power transformer that converts the electrical power received from the offshore power generation units and provides the converted power to the power consumer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The power collection system according to claim 1, wherein the power extender modules each comprise a further switch for breaking the series connection to neighboring power extenders.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The power collection system according to claim 1, wherein the power extender modules are connectable in a radial topology or a ring topology.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The power collection system according to claim 1, wherein each power extender module comprises a dry-mateable connection or a wet-mateable connection for connecting to the respective offshore power generation unit.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The power collection system according to claim 1, wherein the power extender modules are configured to be arranged on the seabed.

### Claim 17

A power extender module electrically connectable with a single offshore power generation unit to collect electrical power from the power generation unit, the power extender module is configured to be independently arranged subsea during operation and to be electrically connected in series in a subsea local grid of multiple power extender modules, the power extender module comprising:
switching circuitry configured to controllably connect the power generation unit to the local grid, and
a waterproof enclosure accommodating the switching circuitry for subsea operation, the waterproof enclosure being configured to prevent water surrounding the waterproof enclosure from reaching the switching circuitry disposed inside the waterproof enclosure.