Aker Solutions
Simulating and verifying deep-sea electrical enclosures
Aker Solutions needed to ensure their subsea electrical enclosures would perform flawlessly under extreme deep-sea conditions – with no option for service or repair. Consat Engineering created a full-scale test environment to verify FS Dynamics’ thermal models, laying the foundation for a billion-dollar offshore project.
The collaboration was defined by technical precision, speed, and a high level of detail. Consat took full responsibility for the test setup – from initial design through to practical execution – and delivered results that exceeded expectations.
Objective: To practically verify the thermal performance of compressor station enclosures in deep-sea environments – ensuring full functionality throughout their entire operational lifetime.
Verified performance in extreme conditions
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The challenge
Aker Solutions was developing advanced motor and control electronics for gas compressors to be installed on the seabed. The environment is extreme – cold, remote and entirely inaccessible. FS Dynamics provided theoretical models of the internal heat distribution. Consat’s task: to prove them right through hands-on testing.
The solution
Consat built a scaled-down but realistic test setup, featuring a custom-made stainless steel tank filled with dry air and aluminium cubes equipped with heating elements to simulate actual heat loads. Around the tank, a water jacket circulated ice-cold water to mimic the cold deep-sea conditions.
The result
FS Dynamics could confirm that their thermal model was accurate – enabling Aker Solutions to precisely dimension the enclosures with confidence in their long-term performance. At a final review with Chevron, the team was praised for delivering “the same quality as the enclosures going to the seabed.”
Value-driven innovations
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