Pressure compensator
View Patent ↗A pressure compensator is configured to compensate for volume variations of an insulation medium or other liquid of a subsea installation. The pressure compensator includes a first bellows chamber having a first bellows part. The first bellows chamber is in flow connection with an insulation medium or liquid chamber of the subsea installation, and the walls of the first bellows chamber are configured to separate the insulating medium from surroundings. The first bellows chamber is surrounded by a second bellows chamber having an end wall, a side wall and a second bellows part formed by a diaphragm. The second bellows chamber is configured to form a closed intermediate space around the first bellows chamber. The walls of the second bellows chamber are configured to separate at least the bellows parts of the first bellows chamber from the surrounding water. The second bellows chamber is filled with an intermediate medium.
1. A pressure compensator configured to compensate for volume variations of an insulation medium or other liquid of a subsea installation, comprising:
a first bellows chamber including a first wall and a first bellows part, the first bellows chamber for being in flow connection with an insulation medium or liquid chamber of the subsea installation, the first wall of the first bellows chamber being configured to separate the insulating medium from surrounding sea water; and
a second bellows chamber surrounding the first bellows chamber, the second bellows chamber defined by an end wall, a side wall and a second bellows part formed by a diaphragm, the end wall, side wall and diaphragm forming a closed intermediate space around the first bellows chamber, the end and side walls of the second bellows chamber being configured to separate at least the first bellows parts of the first bellows chamber from the surrounding water, and the second bellows chamber being filled with an intermediate medium.
2. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein the second bellows part of the second bellows chamber is made of a material resistant to the surrounding water.
3. The pressure compensator of claim 2 , wherein the second bellows part is made of one of rubber, plastic material, and a mixture of the rubber and plastic material.
4. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein the second bellows part of the second bellows chamber is configured to compensate for volume changes of the intermediate medium.
5. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate medium is one of the same medium as the insulation medium of the subsea installation, and a medium mixable with the insulation medium of the subsea installation.
6. The pressure compensator of claim 3 , wherein the second bellows part comprises strengthening material or materials.
7. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate space comprises measuring elements configured to monitor eventual amount of surrounding water in the intermediate space.
8. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein the pressure compensator comprises a corrosion protecting means.
9. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein the subsea installation is a subsea transformer.
10. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein the insulation medium is transformer oil.
11. The pressure compensator of claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm is covered with an element comprising a bottom end wall and a side wall part, the element being provided with an orifice or orifices for surrounding water.