Submersible subsea load cells excel under pressure!

With over 20 years experience designing and manufacturing submersible and subsea load cells Applied Measurements have sensors functioning worldwide, from a few metres below the surface to 10 kilometres underwater (depth or pressure equivalencies). These submersible and subsea sensors operate precisely and reliably 24/7 in applications including underwater structure lifting systems, ROVs and offshore power generation.

Many of their load cell designs are based on standard products with modifications to allow operation in underwater environments; O-ring seals, welded housings and moulded subsea connector assemblies ensure high integrity even at great depths. The most common models are our CCD column type compression load cells; DBCL in-line tension and compression load cells (image shown), which cover higher capacities from 1 tonne up to 1000 tonnes+; and our DDEN load cells, which are suited to lower capacities from just 250N/25kg up to 20kN/2000kg. These modified subsea and submersible load cell designs have been used in subsea structure lifting systems, offshore power generation and ROV exploration.

They also offer their STALC3 submersible load cells, which feature pressure compensation to ensure that the environment has a minimal effect on load cell performance. These products are designed primarily for use inside tri-axial chambers used by geotechnical testing laboratories, however, they have also designed customised fixtures that allow their use in a wide range of underwater applications including ROV development and subsea component pressure testing.

All subsea load cells can include the ICA series of miniature analogue amplifiers or the DCell miniature signal digitiser. Their small and compact size allows them to be fitted inside the submersible transducer, providing a conditioned and calibrated output directly to match existing instrumentation.

Where Applied Measurements specialise in the design of customised sensors to suit specific applications, we have served many unusual requirements so we’re always keen to help with any enquiry and relish the challenge of technically complex measurement scenarios.