US 12,761,390 B2 · Subsea vehicle with flooded connector detection system

Abstract

Presence of water may be detected in internal circuitry of a subsea vehicle by measuring a change in resistance across two terminals to detect the presence of water using a interlock detection system comprising a plurality of voltage sources, connected to a ground, a predetermined set of connectors; an electrical conduit operatively connected to the predetermined set of connectors; an interlock detector comprising an analog circuit and an interlock electrical conduit as well as a first terminal and a second terminal; and a control system. Resistance is measured across the first and second terminals to detect presence of water proximate the first and second terminals, electrical faults, or lack of electrical faults where the measured resistance will equate to a predetermined voltage to be interpreted by the control system. A change in resistance measured across the first and second terminals aids in detection of the presence of water proximate the first and second terminals where the measured change in resistance may be used to detect a change in a state of the end device and the detected change used to effect controlling power to the end device.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An interlock detection system to detect presence of water in internal circuitry of a subsea vehicle, comprising:

a) a first voltage source operatively connected to a ground and to a first reference voltage;
b) a second voltage source operatively connected to the ground;
c) a predetermined set of connectors operatively connected to the second voltage source and the ground;
d) an electrical conduit operatively connected to the predetermined set of connectors;
e) an interlock detector operatively connected to the electrical conduit and to the first voltage source, the interlock detector comprising:
i) an analog circuit;
ii) an interlock electrical conduit operatively connected to the analog circuit and to the electrical conduit;
iii) a first terminal operatively connected to the analog circuit and to the ground and comprising a first predetermined resistance;
and
iv) a second terminal operatively connected to the second voltage source and to the ground and comprising a second predetermined resistance;
and
f) a control system operatively in communication with the interlock detector via an interlock signal conduit.

9 more elements

A method of detecting presence of water in internal circuitry of a subsea vehicle by measuring a change in resistance across two terminals to detect the presence of water, comprising:

a) installing an interlock detection system in a subsea vehicle, the system comprising:
i) a first voltage source operatively connected to a ground and to a first reference voltage;
ii) a second voltage source operatively connected to the ground;
iii) a predetermined set of connectors operatively connected to the second voltage source and the ground;
iv) an electrical conduit operatively connected to the predetermined set of connectors;
v) an interlock detector operatively connected to the electrical conduit and to the first voltage source, the interlock detector comprising:
(1) an analog circuit;
(2) an interlock electrical conduit operatively connected to the analog circuit and to the electrical conduit;
(3) a first terminal operatively connected to the analog circuit and to the ground and comprising a first predetermined resistance;
and
(4) a second terminal operatively connected to the second voltage source and to the ground and comprising a second predetermined resistance;
and
(5) a control system operatively in communication with the interlock detector via an interlock signal conduit;
b) measuring resistance across the first and second terminals to detect presence of water proximate the first and second terminals, electrical faults, or lack of electrical faults such that when an end device is plugged in with no other electrical faults, the measured resistance will equate to a predetermined voltage to be interpreted by the control system;
c) measuring a change in resistance across the first and second terminals to detect the presence of water proximate the first and second terminals;
d) using the measured change in resistance to detect a change in a state of the end device;
and
e) using the detected change to effect controlling power to the end device.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Subsea vehicle with flooded connector detection system

Life of this patent

Subsea vehicle with flooded connector detection system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16