A sensor system for a dual bottle accumulator utilized with a subsea blowout preventer that monitors piston position with a position sensor in the hydraulic bottle, the gas pressure in the associated gas bottle with one or more pressure sensors, and sensors and remote actuators for associated valves.

A fluidic control system (1) for controlling a vehicle, which includes a controller (2) and a closed fluidic circuit. The circuit includes a pump (3) for pressurizing fluid in the circuit, valve means (40, 50, 60), an actuator (4, 5, 6) and a precharge accumulator (7). The valve means (40, 50, 60) is fluidly connected to the inlet and outlet of the pump (3) and the actuator (4, 6) is fluidly connected to the valve means (40, 50, 60) for selectively receiving pressurized fluid therefrom. The precharge accumulator (7) includes a movable member (73, FIG. 2) that describes a variable volume (71) fluidly connected to the circuit between the valve means (40, 50, 60) and the inlet of the pump (3). The system (1) also includes a sensor (70) for determining the position of the movable member (73) for estimating the quantity of fluid and/or detecting an abnormal pressure variation within the circuit.

A fluidic control system (1) for controlling a vehicle, which includes a controller (2) and a closed fluidic circuit. The circuit includes a pump (3) for pressurizing fluid in the circuit, valve means (40, 50, 60), an actuator (4, 5, 6) and a precharge accumulator (7). The valve means (40, 50, 60) is fluidly connected to the inlet and outlet of the pump (3) and the actuator (4, 6) is fluidly connected to the valve means (40, 50, 60) for selectively receiving pressurized fluid therefrom. The precharge accumulator (7) includes a movable member (73, FIG. 2) that describes a variable volume (71) fluidly connected to the circuit between the valve means (40, 50, 60) and the inlet of the pump (3). The system (1) also includes a sensor (70) for determining the position of the movable member (73) for estimating the quantity of fluid and/or detecting an abnormal pressure variation within the circuit.

A system filled with a fluid, designed for underwater applications, in which the interior of a housing and/or tank forms a fluid region which is sealed with respect to the surrounding seawater region, includes at least one hydraulic pressure compensation device, which at least raises the pressure level of the fluid region to the ambient pressure prevailing in the seawater region. The pressure compensation device is constructed in two stages in such a way that at least one store having a flexible wall region and at least one piston store having a displaceable piston are arranged in series. The use of the pressure compensation device to pressurize at least one housing filled with fluid for a hydraulic actuating shaft is also proposed.

A self-contained pressure compensation system and a control method thereof are provided, wherein the self-contained pressure compensation system comprises an oil supply device, a pressure compensation device, a power unit associated with the pressure compensation device, and a switch control device, the pressure compensation device supplies oil to the power unit and detects a change in a chamber pressure of itself in real time, the switch control device triggers the oil supply device to supply oil to the pressure compensation device if the chamber pressure is less than a predetermined first threshold and triggers the oil supply device to stop supplying oil to the pressure compensation device if the chamber pressure is greater than a predetermined second threshold. The invention can detect a chamber pressure of the pressure compensation device in real-time and can achieve automatic oil refilling, and can provide pressure compensation for the power unit effectively.

A hydraulic system includes: a high-pressure line; a pump configured to supply pressurized hydraulic fluid to the high-pressure line; a variable displacement hydraulic machine connected by a fluid connection to the high-pressure line for rotationally driving the rotatable load; an electronic control unit; an energy storing device connected to the high-pressure line and configured to communicate with the high-pressure line by receiving energy from the high-pressure line and/or supplying energy to the high-pressure line; and a first detector configured to detect the amount of energy stored in the energy storing device and to transmit a signal indicating said amount of energy stored to the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to control the volume flow intake of the variable displacement hydraulic machine dependent on a target output of the variable displacement hydraulic machine and on the detected amount of energy stored in the energy storing device.

A pressure accumulator includes an accumulator housing having first and second ports for receiving first and second pressure mediums, respectively, a movable separating element subdividing an interior of the accumulator housing into at least first and second working spaces, the first working space accommodating the first pressure medium and the second working space accommodating the second pressure medium, wherein the first port is in fluid communication with the first working space and the second port in fluid communication with the second working space. At least one sensor is operatively coupled to the first working space for measuring at least one characteristic of the first working space, and a gas generator is operative to generate a gas from ambient air, the gas generator including an outlet for outputting the generated gas, the outlet in fluid communication with the first port. A controller is operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the gas generator, the controller configured to calculate an amount of gas in the first working space based on the at least one characteristic and upon the calculated amount of gas in the first working space being below a first threshold level, generate a command to introduce gas from the gas generator into the first working space.

A device for maintaining a hydraulic supply of a utility vehicle includes a hydraulic pump, which is adjustable in terms of its delivery volume via a pressure control inlet, for feeding hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic circuit, a pressure accumulator that can be charged from the hydraulic circuit via a check valve, a pressure connection between the hydraulic circuit and the pressure control inlet of the hydraulic pump being producible via a sensor line by means of a charging valve, and a supply connection between the pressure accumulator and the hydraulic circuit being producible by means of a discharging valve, by virtue of the check valve being bypassed.

A pressure vessel arrangement includes a pressure vessel and an optical sensor arrangement. The pressure vessel includes: a cylinder construction having a cylinder wall extending from a cylinder wall first end to a cylinder wall second end, and having an internal surface forming an interior region; a first end cap closing the cylinder wall first end and having an optical window located therein to permit passage of light therethough and into the interior region; a second end cap closing the cylinder wall second end; and a piston constructed to slide within the cylinder construction interior region along a direction between the cylinder all first end and the cylinder wall second end and along the cylinder construction internal surface to separate the interior region into a first end interior region and a second end interior region. The pressure vessel is constructed to withstand a fatigue test of one million cycles at 5,000 psi without failure. The optical sensor arrangement is located outside of the optical window and includes an emitter for emitting light through the optical window and into the interior region and receiving for receiving light reflected from the piston. Also included is a method for providing a piston position feedback in a pressure vessel.

A pressure accumulator includes an accumulator housing having first and second ports for receiving first and second pressure mediums, respectively, a movable separating element subdividing an interior of the accumulator housing into at least first and second working spaces, the first working space accommodating the first pressure medium and the second working space accommodating the second pressure medium, wherein the first port is in fluid communication with the first working space and the second port in fluid communication with the second working space. At least one sensor is operatively coupled to the first working space for measuring at least one characteristic of the first working space, and a gas generator is operative to generate a gas from ambient air, the gas generator including an outlet for outputting the generated gas, the outlet in fluid communication with the first port. A controller is operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the gas generator, the controller configured to calculate an amount of gas in the first working space based on the at least one characteristic and upon the calculated amount of gas in the first working space being below a first threshold level, generate a command to introduce gas from the gas generator into the first working space.