Disconnector system for disconnecting a drive shaft

A disconnector system for disconnecting a drive shaft of a drive mechanism from rotating equipment, the drive shaft including a first shaft portion, a slidable coupler rotatably engaged with a drive coupler, and a second shaft portion, the drive mechanism including a housing, the disconnector system comprising:

• a disconnector mechanism including:
• a casing,
• a disconnector shaft partially disposed within the casing, the disconnector shaft moveable relative to the casing between a first position and a second position, the disconnector shaft having a first end, an opposing second end defining a cam surface, and an intermediate shaft portion extending between the first end and the second end, the intermediate shaft portion having an engagement surface;
• and
• a disconnector biasing element disposed between the casing and the disconnector shaft and arranged to bias the disconnector shaft toward the second position;
• an actuator having a body and a moveable member, the moveable member selectively moveable between a third position and a fourth position, the moveable member being engaged with the engagement surface when in the third position to restrain the disconnector shaft in the first position against the bias of the first biasing disconnect biasing element, the moveable member being disengaged from the engagement surface when in the fourth position;
• and
• a meltable element disposed between the housing and the actuator body, the meltable element being in thermal communication with the housing and positioned to prevent a movement of the actuator away from the disconnector mechanism;
• wherein, when the disconnector shaft is in the first position, the cam surface is radially spaced from the slidable coupler of the drive shaft,
• wherein, when the disconnector shaft is in the second position, the cam surface engages the slidable coupler to cause a movement of the slidable coupler to rotatably disengage the slidable coupler from the drive coupler;
• wherein the disconnector system further comprises a control system communicatively coupled to the actuator, the control system including a set of sensors communicatively coupled to a controller module, the set of sensors configured to provide a respective sensor signal indicative of a value of a sensed parameter, wherein the controller module is configured to selectively provide an actuation signal to the actuator to trigger the operation of the actuator based on the respective sensor signal;
• and
• wherein the drive mechanism further includes a shear coupler configured to shear at a predetermined torque threshold to define a first sheared portion and a second sheared portion, the shear coupler defining a cavity therein, the disconnector system further including a shear coupler biasing member disposed in the cavity and arranged to further separate the first and second sheared portions.