System and method for direct current power transmission

US10916947B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• GE OIL & GAS UK LTD · GB

Inventors

• Jie Shen · New Berlin, US
• Zhihui Yuan · Garching bei München, DE
• Christof Martin Sihler · Hallbergmoos, DE
• Stefan Schroeder · Garching bei München, DE
• Mark Aaron Chan Chan · Bad Abbach, DE
• Fei Xu · Shanghai, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 27, 2015
• Grant date: Feb 9, 2021
• Expiry date: Mar 27, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E60/60
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A modular substation (10) for subsea applications includes a plurality of modular DC/AC converters (32) configured for converting DC electrical power transmitted along a DC transmission link (24) into AC electrical power for supplying to a plurality of subsea loads (56). The plurality of modular DC/AC converters (32) is configured to couple in series to the DC transmission link (24) and couple in parallel to an AC distribution network (52). At least a first modular DC/AC converter (32) is configured to be selectively electrically and mechanically disconnected from the DC transmission link (24) and the AC distribution network (52) to facilitate maintenance of the first modular DC/AC converters (32) while the AC distribution network (52) continues to supply AC electrical power to at least one of the plurality of subsea loads (56). The modular substation (10) also comprises protection and bypass circuits (26) intended to isolate faulty DC/AC converters (32) and to facilitate safe maintenance and repair.