US 12,650,058 B2Granted

Subsea actuator and associated methods

AssigneeOnesubsea, LLC

InventorsØystein Møgedal, Dmitri Volkov, Henrik Dishington Haldorsen, Geir Tandberg, Kent Havstein, Bård Meling Eriksen, Harald Nyhus, Emil Haugen

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Abstract

This invention relates to a subsea actuator with visual position indicators and associated methods for subsea energy infrastructure, such as in the oil and gas industry. The actuator may include a housing with a window, an actuation member, and a drive mechanism that moves the actuation member between at least two positions. The invention also relates to a method that involves providing a housing with a window, connecting the actuation member to a drive mechanism, and indicating the position of the actuation member through the window. This visual inspection can be performed directly or via a camera, even in the event of a power failure, using a passive, unpowered indicator. The indication can be displayed on an ROV panel, ensuring reliable remote monitoring and operation of the subsea actuator.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A subsea actuator comprising:

a housing having a sidewall disposed about a central axis;
an actuation assembly comprising a rotational portion and an axial portion, wherein the rotational portion is coupled to the axial portion in the housing, and wherein the actuation assembly is configured to convert between a rotational motion of the rotational portion about the central axis and an axial motion of the axial portion along the central axis;
a drive connected to the rotational portion of the actuation assembly, wherein the drive is configured to drive the rotational motion of the rotational portion to cause the axial motion of the axial portion between at least two positions;
a window in the sidewall of the housing, wherein the window axially overlaps an area having the actuation assembly, and wherein an opening of the window defines an anti-rotation guide channel extending in an axial direction along the central axis;
and
a position indicator coupled to the axial portion, wherein the position indicator is disposed inside the housing in the area having the window, wherein the position indicator is configured to provide, through the window, an indication of a position of the axial portion, wherein the position indicator is configured to move with the axial motion of the axial portion in the axial direction along the anti-rotation guide channel of the window, and wherein the position indicator is configured to interact with the anti-rotation guide channel of the window to block rotation of the axial portion, assisting in a conversion of the rotational motion of the rotational portion into the axial motion of the axial portion.

3 more elements

A method of indicating a position of a subsea actuator, the method comprising:

providing a window in a sidewall of a housing of the subsea actuator, wherein the sidewall is disposed about a central axis, and wherein an opening of the window defines an anti-rotation guide channel extending in an axial direction along the central axis;
connecting an actuation assembly within the housing to a drive, wherein the actuation assembly comprises a rotational portion and an axial portion, wherein the rotational portion is coupled to the axial portion in the housing, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to convert between a rotational motion of the rotational portion about the central axis and an axial motion of the axial portion along the central axis, and wherein the actuation assembly is movable between at least two positions;
and
providing an indication of a position of the axial portion via a position indicator coupled to the axial portion and viewable through the window, wherein the window axially overlaps an area having the actuation assembly in the housing, wherein the position indicator is configured to move with the axial motion of the axial portion in the axial direction along the anti-rotation guide channel of the window, and wherein the position indicator is configured to interact with the anti-rotation guide channel of the window to block rotation of the axial portion, assisting in a conversion between the rotational motion of the rotational portion and the axial motion of the axial portion.

1 more element

A system, comprising:

an actuator, comprising:
a housing having a sidewall disposed about a central axis;
an actuation assembly comprising a rotational portion and an axial portion, wherein the rotational portion is coupled to the axial portion in the housing, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to convert between a rotational motion of the rotational portion about the central axis and an axial motion of the axial portion along the central axis, and wherein the actuation assembly comprises a screw assembly having the rotational portion threaded to the axial portion;
a window in the sidewall of the housing, wherein the window axially overlaps an area having the actuation assembly, and wherein the window comprises an anti-rotation guide channel extending in an axial direction along the central axis;
and
a position indicator coupled to the axial portion, wherein the position indicator is disposed inside the housing in the area having the window, wherein the position indicator is configured to provide, through the window, an indication of a position of the axial portion, wherein the position indicator is configured to move with the axial motion of the axial portion in the axial direction along the anti-rotation guide channel of the window, and wherein an interface of the position indicator in the anti-rotation guide channel blocks rotation of the axial portion, assisting in a conversion between the rotational motion of the rotational portion and the axial motion of the axial portion.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.