Variators Ltd, distributor of the Webtool™ range, are please to announce the Webtool™ HP690 intensifier panel has been nominated for the Subsea UK Innovation for Safety Award.
Our HP690 addresses the main safety concerns that were being expressed with regards to the use of high pressure hydraulics and ROV hydraulic intensifier panels.
The main safety issue with standard pressure intensifiers is that they do not contain a check valve. Failure to reverse pressure manually or in the event of an HPU or ROV breakdown causing the inability to reverse pressure, will result in a high pressure circuit at approximately 700Bar (10,000psi) this will remain energized whilst the ROV resurfaces.
The Webtool™ intensifier panel (HP690) safeguards the user with automatic protection from the possibility of locked in high pressure hydraulic fluid. The intensifier used in the HP690 contains a proportional valve rather than a check valve. The output pressure is proportional to the input pressure, so when the supply pressure drops, so does the output pressure. There is no longer any need for the user to manually reverse the pressure to make the hydraulic system safe, this will happen automatically. In addition to this, the input pressure will be automatically compensated for depth via the ROV’s own HPU, so as the ROV surfaces, the high pressure side of the circuit also compensates. These features also allow any pressure build up due to temperature variation to be vented back to the ROV’s pressure tank.
The user has the ability to set the input pressure using the pressure release valve, so the maximum pressure output can be set to match the requirements of the tooling prior to the launch of the ROV. There is also an additional relief valve in the output of the intensifier panel so that if the input pressure is accidentally set too high there is no possibility of damaging the panel or the high pressure connection hoses.
A further safety feature is the addition of two sub-sea pressure gauges, one monitors the input pressure and the second monitors the output pressure. This allows the user to verify that the circuit is no longer pressurized before attempting to disconnect or service the tooling.
The Webtool™ HP690 is designed and manufactured to be a better, more reliable and safer product motivated by industry concerns and reports concerning the dangers of high pressure hydraulic sub-sea systems.
Variators Ltd .
For further information contact – James Grant, VP Sales and Marketing – 416.234.8671