Method and device for testing submarine optical cable, storage medium and electronic equipment

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of submarine cable testing method and device, storage medium and electronic equipment, wherein, including: in the N sealed cavities where N section optical cable in submarine cable is placed, different N water pressures are applied, wherein each section optical cable in N section optical cable is located in the corresponding one of N sealed cavities, one water pressure of N water pressures applied in each of N sealed cavities is applied, and the water pressure applied in each sealed cavity is different, and submarine cable penetrates target sealed container;By target connector, target voltage is applied to submarine cable, wherein the target voltage is the voltage required to maintain submarine cable working at target water depth within a predetermined time period;In the case where submarine cable is not punctured within a predetermined time period, it is determined that submarine cable is allowed to work at target water depth.The above technical solution solves the problem that the reliability of submarine cable in actual application environment cannot be verified in related art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of submarine optical cable technology, and more specifically, to a testing method and apparatus, storage medium and electronic equipment for submarine optical cables. Background Technology

[0002] Submarine optical cables, as a crucial means of communication technology, handle nearly 95% of communication traffic and are the primary carrier of global information communication. Related technologies for long-distance transoceanic submarine optical cable communication systems typically employ repeater systems. However, with the increasing communication distance and capacity of submarine optical cables, the voltage levels operating on them are becoming increasingly higher, for example, reaching 15kV or even 20kV. Simultaneously, the operating depth of submarine optical cables has reached ultra-deep waters of 8000m. Submarine optical cables need to operate stably under these conditions for 25 years, placing extremely stringent requirements on their reliability. A failure would render the entire system inoperable and incur enormous maintenance costs. Therefore, verifying the reliability of submarine optical cables is of paramount importance.

[0003] In related technologies, the reliability verification of submarine optical cables is typically conducted using tests specified in relevant standards. Current standards such as GB / T 18480-2001, ITU-T G.976-2014, ITU-T G.978-2010, and YD / T 2283-2020 divide submarine optical cable tests into physical performance, mechanical performance, environmental performance, and electrical performance, with each test performed on a separate sample. However, in actual engineering applications, submarine optical cables must withstand the torsion, tension, and bending caused during manufacturing, cable delivery, and installation. They must also withstand the extremely high water pressure conditions in the deep-sea environment and endure long-term high-voltage power supply. Current standards cannot fully simulate the actual engineering application conditions of submarine optical cables and cannot verify their reliability under real-world usage environments.

[0004] Meanwhile, submarine optical cable lines generally contain submarine optical cable splice boxes and submarine optical cable factory joints. Current relevant standards do not include submarine optical cable splice boxes and submarine optical cable factory joints in the testing of submarine optical cables, which cannot fully simulate the submarine optical cable line conditions under actual engineering application conditions. This leads to the technical problem of not being able to verify the reliability of submarine optical cables in actual application environments.

[0005] There is currently no effective solution to the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention provides a testing method and apparatus for submarine optical cables, a storage medium, and an electronic device to at least solve the problem of being unable to verify the reliability of submarine optical cables in real-world application environments.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a testing method for a submarine optical cable is provided, comprising: applying N different water pressures to N sealed cavities containing N segments of the submarine optical cable, wherein the N sealed cavities are obtained by dividing the overall sealed cavity within a target sealed container, each segment of the N optical cable is located in a corresponding sealed cavity among the N sealed cavities, one of the N water pressures is applied to each sealed cavity among the N sealed cavities, and the water pressure applied to each sealed cavity is different, the submarine optical cable penetrates the target sealed container, the beginning and end of the submarine optical cable are placed outside the target sealed container, and the beginning and end are connected by a target connector, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; applying a target voltage to the submarine optical cable through the target connector, wherein the target voltage is the voltage required to maintain the operation of the submarine optical cable at a target water depth within a preset time period; and determining that the submarine optical cable is allowed to operate at the target water depth if the submarine optical cable is not broken down within the preset time period.

[0008] Optionally, the water pressure applied in each of the above N sealed cavities increases sequentially from the head end to the tail end, or sequentially from the tail end to the head end.

[0009] Optionally, applying different N water pressures to the N sealed cavities containing the N segments of the submarine optical cable includes: when the j-th sealed cavity and the (j+1)-th sealed cavity are configured with the j-th sealing ring, applying the j-th water pressure out of the N water pressures to the j-th sealed cavity, and applying the (j+1)-th water pressure out of the N water pressures to the (j+1)-th sealed cavity, where j is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than N, and the maximum pressure that the j-th sealing ring can withstand is greater than the pressure generated by the (j+1)-th water pressure and the j-th water pressure.

[0010] Optionally, before applying different N water pressures to the N sealed cavities containing the N segments of the submarine optical cable, the method further includes: determining the pressure generated by the (j+1)th water pressure and the jth water pressure based on the diameter of the candidate sealing ring, the (j+1)th water pressure, and the jth water pressure; and determining the candidate sealing ring as the jth sealing ring if the maximum pressure that the candidate sealing ring can withstand is greater than the pressure generated by the (j+1)th water pressure and the jth water pressure.

[0011] Optionally, after applying the target voltage to the submarine optical cable through the target connector, the method further includes: obtaining the attenuation index of the optical fiber in the N segments of the optical cable within a preset time period; and determining that the submarine optical cable is allowed to operate at the target water depth if the attenuation index is less than or equal to a preset threshold.

[0012] Optionally, before applying different N water pressures to the N sealed cavities containing the N segments of the submarine optical cable, the method further includes: determining, based on the target water depth, to apply different N water pressures to the N sealed cavities.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, a testing apparatus for a submarine optical cable is provided, comprising: a target sealed container, a submarine optical cable, and a target connector; wherein N segments of the submarine optical cable are placed in N sealed cavities within the target sealed container, and the beginning and end ends of the submarine optical cable are connected by the target connector; the overall sealed cavity within the target sealed container is divided into N sealed cavities, the submarine optical cable comprises N segments, and each segment of the N segments is located in a corresponding sealed cavity among the N sealed cavities; the submarine optical cable penetrates the target sealed container, and the beginning and end ends of the submarine optical cable are placed within the target sealed container. In addition, N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; the controller is used to apply N different water pressures to N sealed cavities containing N segments of the submarine optical cable, wherein one of the N water pressures is applied to each of the N sealed cavities, and the water pressure applied to each sealed cavity is different; a target voltage is applied to the submarine optical cable through the target connector, wherein the target voltage is the voltage required to maintain the submarine optical cable at the target water depth within a preset time period; if the submarine optical cable is not broken down within the preset time period, it is determined that the submarine optical cable is allowed to work at the target water depth.

[0014] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, wherein a computer program is stored in the computer program, which is configured to execute the above-described test method for submarine optical cables when running.

[0015] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a computer program product is also provided, including a computer program / instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the above-described method.

[0016] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, an electronic device is also provided, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the test method for the submarine optical cable through the computer program.

[0017] By applying different water pressures to N sealed cavities containing N segments of submarine optical cable and applying a target voltage to the submarine optical cable, the application environment of the submarine optical cable under test conditions is made closer to the actual engineering application environment. Based on whether the submarine optical cable under test conditions is broken down within a preset time period, it is determined whether the submarine optical cable is allowed to work at the target water depth. This solves the technical problem in related technologies that cannot verify the reliability of submarine optical cables in actual application environments, and achieves the technical effect of improving the reliability of test results. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with the description thereof, serve to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an optional testing method for submarine optical cables according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of an optional testing method for submarine optical cables according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an optional graded water pressure sealing cavity according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an optional conical sealing ring according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a test apparatus for tensile and torsional tests of an optional submarine optical cable according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an optional test apparatus for coiling and tension bending tests of submarine optical cables according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of an optional submarine optical cable sample for testing according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between different water pressures applied within an optional adjacent sealed cavity according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0029] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a testing method for submarine optical cables is provided, comprising:

[0030] N different water pressures are applied to N sealed cavities containing N segments of submarine optical cable. The N sealed cavities are obtained by dividing the overall sealed cavity of the target sealed container. Each segment of the N optical cable is located in one of the corresponding sealed cavities. A water pressure corresponding to one of the N water pressures is applied to each of the N sealed cavities, and the water pressure applied in each sealed cavity is different. The submarine optical cable passes through the target sealed container. The beginning and end of the submarine optical cable are placed outside the target sealed container and are connected by the target connector. N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2.

[0031] A target voltage is applied to the submarine optical cable through the target connector, wherein the target voltage is the voltage required to maintain the submarine optical cable at the target water depth within a preset time period.

[0032] If the submarine optical cable is not broken within a preset time period, it is determined that the submarine optical cable is allowed to operate at the target water depth.

[0033] In related technologies, when verifying the reliability of submarine optical cables in actual use environments, a required test water pressure P is usually applied to a sealed container containing the submarine optical cable. When the test water pressure P is large (generally greater than 20 MPa), the pressure difference between the two sides creates a lateral compressive force on the sealing ring because one side of the sealing ring is subjected to the test water pressure P and the other side is subjected to atmospheric pressure. This causes the sealing ring to deform. Since the sealing ring is installed in the sealing ring groove, the deformation is limited by the sealing ring groove. Its deformation can only longitudinally compress the insulation layer of the submarine optical cable, resulting in plastic deformation of the insulation. The outer diameter of the cable core at the seal becomes smaller, leading to poor sealing performance or even seal failure of the water pressure sealing device. At the same time, plastic deformation of the insulation also leads to a reduction in insulation performance, causing the working condition simulation test to fail. In addition, when the test water pressure P is too large, it is easy to cause stress concentration in the sealing ring, thereby causing irreversible damage to the sealing ring, which in turn leads to poor sealing performance or even seal failure of the water pressure sealing device.

[0034] To ensure the reliability of the water pressure seal during long-term working condition simulation tests, and to avoid insulation deformation and reduced insulation performance caused by water pressure sealing, this application proposes a deep water depth graded water pressure sealing method. This method involves applying progressively increasing graded water pressures into the multi-stage graded sealing cavity to perform multi-stage graded water pressure sealing, thereby ensuring the reliability of the long-term high water pressure seal.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, assuming the target sealed container is a high-pressure sealed container, and the high-pressure sealed container includes, but is not limited to, 6 graded sealed cavities, of which 3 graded sealed cavities are located near the beginning of the submarine optical cable, and the remaining 3 sealed cavities are located near the end of the submarine optical cable. The submarine optical cable passes through the 6 graded sealed cavities in the high-pressure sealed container in sequence. The following describes the test method of the above submarine optical cable using the 3 graded sealed cavities near the beginning of the submarine optical cable as an example.

[0036] Specific testing steps include:

[0037] S11, the submarine optical cable passes through the graded sealing cavities 1 to 3 in sequence. When passing through, it is sealed by a sealing ring. In order to ensure that the two sides of the sealing ring can withstand different water pressures at the same time, the graded sealing cavities are sealed by the sealing ring.

[0038] The schematic diagram of the graded water pressure seal is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, adjacent staged sealing cavities are sealed with a sealing ring. The sealing ring used can be, but is not limited to, the type shown. Figure 4 The conical sealing ring shown.

[0039] like Figure 4As shown, the diameter D of the first end of the conical sealing ring is larger than the diameter d of the second end. For adjacent graded seals, due to the different applied water pressures, in practical applications, the first end is usually installed in the graded sealing cavity with higher water pressure, and the second end is installed in the graded sealing cavity with lower water pressure.

[0040] S12, apply water pressure P3, P2, P1 sequentially to the graded sealing cavities 1 to 3;

[0041] Wherein, P is the test water pressure, in megapascals (MPa). P can be, but is not limited to, the water pressure corresponding to the maximum application water depth of the seaweed optical cable test system applied in the high-pressure sealed cavity. P can be, but is not limited to, calculated by the following formula (1):

[0042] P=k×98.0655×h×ρ (1)

[0043] Where k is the water pressure coefficient, a dimensionless parameter, and it is recommended that 1 ≤ k ≤ 1.3; h is the maximum applicable water depth for the submarine optical cable system, in meters (m); ρ is the seawater density, in grams per cubic centimeter (g / cm³). 3 ), usually taken as 1.028, and P is usually greater than 20 MPa.

[0044] As an alternative example, the water pressure applied in each of the N sealed cavities increases sequentially from the head to the tail, or sequentially from the tail to the head.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the water pressures P3, P2, and P1 applied sequentially to the graded sealing cavities 1-3 increase sequentially from the beginning to the end of the submarine optical cable. Similarly, the water pressures P3, P2, and P1 applied sequentially to the graded sealing cavities 4-6 increase sequentially from the end to the end of the submarine optical cable. That is, P3... <P2<P1<P。

[0046] S13, apply target voltage V to the submarine optical cable through the target connector;

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, it is assumed that the beginning and end of the submarine optical cable are connected by a clamp, wherein the clamp is conductive, a voltage V is applied to the submarine optical cable through a high voltage source, and a current I is applied to the submarine optical cable through a through-core transformer.

[0048] It should be noted that the target voltage V can be calculated, but is not limited to, by the following formula (2):

[0049]

[0050] Where V0 is the operating voltage in kilovolts (kV); n is the life index, a dimensionless parameter, which is recommended to be ≤5; t0 is the design life in days; and t is the test time in days.

[0051] S14, within a preset time period, maintain the target voltage V, test water pressure P, and water pressures P3, P2, and P1 applied to the graded sealed cavities 1 to 3 unchanged, and obtain the test results.

[0052] S15. Based on the test results, determine whether the submarine optical cable is permitted to operate at the target water depth.

[0053] For example, assuming that the submarine optical cable is not broken down within 30 days, and the target voltage V, test water pressure P, and water pressures P3, P2, and P1 applied to the graded sealed cavities 1 to 3 remain unchanged, then the submarine optical cable is allowed to work continuously at a water depth h corresponding to the test water pressure P for a preset time, for example, continuously at a water depth of 2500 meters corresponding to a test water pressure of 25 MPa for 25 years.

[0054] It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the application, the long-term operating voltage of the submarine optical cable is verified by applying a high voltage (greater than the operating voltage) to the submarine optical cable in a short period of time.

[0055] As another alternative implementation method, besides using the aforementioned method of determining whether a submarine optical cable is allowed to operate at the target water depth by checking if the cable has been penetrated, the following methods can also be used:

[0056] Obtain the attenuation index of optical fibers in N segments of optical cable within a preset time period;

[0057] If the attenuation index is less than or equal to a preset threshold, the submarine optical cable is allowed to operate at the target water depth.

[0058] Within a preset time period, while maintaining the target voltage V, test water pressure P, and water pressures P3, P2, and P1 applied to the graded sealed cavities 1 to 3 unchanged, it is possible to determine whether the submarine optical cable is allowed to operate at the target water depth by testing whether the optical fiber of the submarine cable is normal.

[0059] For example, under the above test conditions, if the attenuation change of the optical fiber in the submarine cable does not exceed 0.1dB, then the submarine cable is allowed to operate continuously for 25 years at a water depth of 2500 meters; otherwise, it is not allowed to operate continuously for 25 years at a water depth of 2500 meters.

[0060] Through the embodiments provided in this application, by applying different water pressures to N sealed cavities containing N segments of submarine optical cable and applying a target voltage to the submarine optical cable, the application environment of the submarine optical cable under test conditions is made closer to the actual engineering application environment. Based on whether the submarine optical cable under the test conditions is broken down within a preset time period, it is determined whether the submarine optical cable is allowed to work at the target water depth. This solves the technical problem in related technologies that cannot verify the reliability of submarine optical cables in actual application environments, and achieves the technical effect of improving the reliability of test results.

[0061] As an alternative example, N different water pressures are applied to N sealed cavities containing N segments of submarine optical cable, including:

[0062] When the j-th sealing ring is placed between the j-th sealing cavity and the (j+1)-th sealing cavity in N sealing cavities, the j-th water pressure out of N water pressures is applied in the j-th sealing cavity, and the (j+1)-th water pressure out of N water pressures is applied in the (j+1)-th sealing cavity, where j is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than N, and the maximum pressure that the j-th sealing ring can withstand is greater than the pressure generated by the (j+1)-th water pressure and the j-th water pressure.

[0063] like Figure 3 As shown, assuming a first sealing ring is placed between the first and second sealing cavities, the maximum pressure that the first sealing ring can withstand is P. 材料 Water pressure P3 is applied in the first stage sealing chamber, and water pressure P2 is applied in the second stage sealing chamber, wherein P3... <P2。

[0064] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the water pressure applied in any adjacent sealing cavity is different. Therefore, in the process of sealing adjacent sealing cavities with conical sealing rings, in order to avoid the sealing ring deforming due to excessive pressure difference on both sides of the conical sealing ring, it is necessary to select conical sealing rings with sufficient compressive strength to seal the above-mentioned graded sealing cavities.

[0065] As an optional example, specific methods for selecting the above-mentioned conical seal ring include:

[0066] Based on the diameter of the candidate sealing ring, the (j+1)th water pressure and the jth water pressure, determine the pressure generated by the (j+1)th water pressure and the jth water pressure;

[0067] If the maximum pressure that the candidate sealing ring can withstand is greater than the pressure generated by the (j+1)th water pressure and the jth water pressure, then the candidate sealing ring is determined as the jth sealing ring.

[0068] Specifically, the compressive strength P of the conical seal ring can be calculated, but is not limited to, according to the following formulas (3) and (4).密封圈 :

[0069]

[0070]

[0071] Among them, P 密封圈 is the actual pressure borne by the conical sealing ring, with the unit of megapascal (MPa); P 大 is the larger water pressure in the adjacent sealing cavity (for example, P2), with the unit of megapascal (MPa); P 小 is the smaller water pressure (P1) in the adjacent sealing cavity, with the unit of megapascal (MPa); D is the diameter of the large end (the first end) of the sealing ring, with the unit of millimeter (mm); d is the diameter of the small end (the second end) of the sealing ring, with the unit of millimeter (mm); d0 is the diameter of the middle hole of the conical sealing ring, with the unit of millimeter (mm); P 材料 is the compressive strength of the sealing ring material, with the unit of megapascal (MPa); P 绝缘 is the compressive strength of the insulating material of the submarine optical cable, with the unit of megapascal (MPa).

[0072] It should be noted that P 密封圈 should be less than the compressive strength P 材料 of the conical sealing ring material. If P 密封圈 is greater than P 材料 , then the pressure difference between P 小 and P 大 should be reduced; at the same time, P 密封圈 should be less than the maximum compressive strength P 绝缘 allowed to be borne by the insulating material of the submarine optical cable. If P 密封圈 is greater than P 绝缘 , then the pressure difference between P 小 and P 大 should be reduced.

[0073] For example, assuming that the water pressure P3 is applied in the first stage sealing cavity and the water pressure P2 is applied in the second stage sealing cavity, where P3 < P2, using the above formula (3) to calculate, the pressure generated by the applied water pressures P3 and P2 on the conical sealing ring 1 is P 密封圈 , and the maximum pressure allowed to be borne by the conical sealing ring 1 is P 材料 . Then only when P 密封圈 < P 材料 can it be ensured that the conical sealing ring 1 will not deform; otherwise, the pressure difference between P3 and P2 should be reduced until the pressure P 密封圈 < P 材料 generated by the reduced P3 and P2.

[0074] Similarly, assuming that a water pressure P3 is applied in the first graded seal cavity and a water pressure P2 is applied in the second graded seal cavity, where P3 < P2, using the above formula (4) to calculate, the pressure generated on the conical sealing ring 1 by the applied water pressures P3 and P2 is P 密封圈 , then only if P 密封圈 < P 绝缘 can it be ensured that the conical sealing ring 1 will not deform; otherwise, the pressure difference between P3 and P2 should be reduced until the pressure P 密封圈 < P 绝缘 .

[0075] Thus, it can be seen that only when P 密封圈 < P 材料 , and P 密封圈 < P 绝缘 can it be ensured that the above-mentioned conical sealing ring 1 and the insulating layer of the submarine optical cable will not deform and ensure good sealing performance.

[0076] By adopting the above method, by determining the pressures generated by two different water pressures according to the diameter of the candidate sealing ring and the two different water pressures applied in the adjacent seal cavities, comparing the pressures generated by the two different water pressures with the maximum pressure that the candidate sealing ring can withstand, and selecting the sealing ring that meets the requirements, it avoids the deformation of the sealing ring caused by the large difference in the water pressures applied in the adjacent seal cavities and ensures the reliability of the test conditions of the submarine optical cable.

[0077] As an optional example, before applying different N water pressures in the N seal cavities where N segments of the optical cable in the submarine optical cable are placed, the above method further includes:

[0078] Determining different N water pressures to be applied in the N seal cavities according to the target water depth.

[0079] As Figure 8 shown, assuming that the water pressures applied in two adjacent seal cavities are P1 and P2 respectively, and P1 is equal to the difference between P2 and P 水压差 , where P 水压差 is related to the parameters of the graded sealing ring, the material, and the compressive strength of the insulating material of the submarine optical cable. For example, assuming that the water pressure difference between adjacent seal cavities is determined to be 10 MPa according to the compressive strength of the conical sealing ring and the material, and P corresponds to the maximum water depth of 2500 meters, then the water pressure P3 applied in the first adjacent seal cavity = P - 10, the water pressure P2 applied in the second seal cavity = P'3 - 10, and the water pressure P1 applied in the third seal cavity = P2 - 10.

[0080] It should be noted that the water pressure P1 applied in the last seal cavity < 10, that is, the water pressure P1 applied in the last seal cavity should be less than P水压差 .

[0081] By applying progressively increasing water pressure to the multi-stage sealing cavity, multi-stage water pressure sealing is achieved, ensuring not only the reliability of long-term high water pressure but also making the testing environment of submarine optical cables closer to the actual use environment, thus improving the reliability of test results and providing a guarantee for the reliability of long-term application of submarine optical cable systems in deep-sea environments.

[0082] It should be noted that, in order to simulate the torsion, tension, and bending caused to submarine optical cables during manufacturing, delivery, and deployment, the submarine optical cables used in the tests in the above embodiments may be, but are not limited to, target optical cables that have undergone mechanical performance treatment. This mechanical performance treatment includes tensile test 21, torsion test 22, coiling test 23, and tension bending test 24. The following describes each of these tests in conjunction with specific embodiments:

[0083] (I) Tensile Test

[0084] Adopting such Figure 5 The test apparatus shown in (a) was used to conduct a tensile test on the submarine optical cable in the following manner:

[0085] The two ends of sample 1 (the submarine optical cable before mechanical property treatment) are fixed on the tensile testing machine using clamping devices. A tensile force F is applied to sample 1 by a traction device and held for a period of time T. During the test, the additional attenuation of the optical fiber and the strain of the optical fiber of sample 1 are monitored. The tensile force F (kN) of sample 1 is calculated by the following formula (5):

[0086] F=μ·(m·h+M) (5)

[0087] Where μ is the tensile coefficient, dimensionless; m is the weight per unit length of the submarine optical cable in seawater, in kilonewtons per meter (kN / m); h is the maximum applicable water depth of the submarine optical cable system, in meters (m); M is the weight of the submarine optical cable junction box 12 in seawater, in kilonewtons (kN); the loading speed of the tensile force F during the test is less than or equal to 5 kN / min.

[0088] The holding time T (min) can be calculated according to the following formula (6):

[0089]

[0090] Where h is the maximum applicable water depth of the submarine optical cable system, in meters (m); H is the hydrodynamic constant of the submarine optical cable, in meters per minute (m / min).

[0091] (II) Torsion Test

[0092] Adopting such Figure 5 The test apparatus shown in (b) is used to conduct a torsion test on the submarine optical cable in the following manner, the specific process of which includes:

[0093] One end of the specimen 1 after the tensile test 21 is connected to the clamping device, and the other end is fixed on the tensile testing machine by the torsion device. The tensile force F is applied to the specimen 1 by the traction device, and the torsion is applied to the specimen 1 by the torsion device. During the test, the fiber optic additional attenuation and fiber optic strain of the specimen 1 are monitored.

[0094] It should be noted that the following three points need to be ensured during the torsion test:

[0095] 1) The twisting direction is consistent with the twisting direction of the submarine optical cable wires;

[0096] 2) The torsion angle shall not be less than 360° per 5m, and shall be maintained for a period of time T;

[0097] 3) The loading speed of the tensile force F during the test shall not exceed 5 kN / min.

[0098] (III) Coiling Test

[0099] Adopting such Figure 6 The test apparatus shown in (a) is used to coil the sample 1, which has been treated by tensile test 21 and torsion test 22, in the cable storage pool through the test platform to simulate the coiling situation in the production and delivery of submarine optical cables.

[0100] The coiling diameter d is selected based on the bending diameter of the submarine optical cable 11 under no tension and the bending diameter of the submarine optical cable junction box 12 under no tension, taking the larger value, but not exceeding 3m; the coiling height H should not be too high or too low, 2d≤H≤2.5d; the coiling test is a coiling cycle consisting of one coiling and one unfolding, and the number of coiling cycles n is determined based on the number of times the submarine optical cable 11 needs to be coiled during the production and delivery of the cable guide, generally not less than 6 times.

[0101] (iv) Tension Bending Test

[0102] Adopting such Figure 6 The test apparatus shown in (b) is used to perform a tension bending test on a pulley by means of a clamping device on the sample 1 after the tensile test 21, torsion test 22 and coiling test 23, to simulate the stress bending situation during the construction and laying of submarine optical cables.

[0103] In the process of carrying out the above-mentioned tension bending test 24, one of the following conditions must be met:

[0104] 1) The pulley diameter D is selected based on the bending diameter of the submarine optical cable 11 under tension and the bending diameter of the submarine optical cable junction box 12 under tension, and the larger value is selected, but it cannot exceed 3m;

[0105] 2) The tension bending test consists of the submarine optical cable 11, the submarine optical cable junction box 12 and the submarine optical cable factory joint 13 passing through the pulley once and returning to the origin as a tension bending cycle, and the number of tension cycles shall not be less than 3.

[0106] 3) During the tension bending test, the speed of sample 1 passing through the pulley shall not exceed 1.5 m / s, and the loading speed of tensile force F during the test shall not exceed 5 kN / min.

[0107] Furthermore, it should be noted that submarine optical cable lines generally contain submarine optical cable splice boxes and submarine optical cable factory joints. Current relevant standards do not include submarine optical cable splice boxes and submarine optical cable factory joints in the testing of submarine optical cables, which cannot fully simulate the conditions of submarine optical cable lines under actual engineering application conditions, and cannot verify the reliability of submarine optical cable lines in actual use environments.

[0108] Therefore, in order to simulate the conditions of submarine optical cable lines, before performing the aforementioned mechanical property treatment on sample 1, it is necessary to first prepare a sample of the submarine optical cable, wherein sample 1 is as follows: Figure 7 As shown, the sample includes a submarine optical cable 11, a submarine optical cable splice cassette 12, and a submarine optical cable factory connector 13. The submarine optical cable 11 is used for sample preparation. To meet the mechanical performance requirements of the sample, the length of the submarine optical cable 11 is typically required to be no less than 25m. The specific fabrication process includes:

[0109] 1) Cut the submarine optical cable 11 and use the submarine optical cable splice box 12 to splice the cut submarine optical cable 11 to complete the fabrication of the submarine optical cable splice box 12.

[0110] 2) Fabricate submarine optical cable factory connector 13 at a distance of not less than 3m from submarine optical cable junction box 12, and complete the fabrication of submarine optical cable factory connector 13.

[0111] Among them, sample 1 contains at least one submarine optical cable splice box 12 and a submarine optical cable factory connector 13. When it contains multiple submarine optical cable splice boxes 12 and submarine optical cable factory connectors 13, the length L between adjacent submarine optical cable splice boxes 12 and submarine optical cable factory connectors 13 is not less than 3m.

[0112] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the foregoing method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the described order of actions, as some steps may be performed in other orders or simultaneously according to this application. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are preferred embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this application.

[0113] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a testing apparatus for submarine optical cables is also provided, the apparatus comprising:

[0114] The target sealed container, submarine optical cable, and target connector; wherein, N segments of the submarine optical cable are placed in N sealed cavities within the target sealed container, and the beginning and end of the submarine optical cable are connected by the target connector; the overall sealed cavity within the target sealed container is divided into N sealed cavities, and the submarine optical cable comprises N segments, each segment of which is located in one of the corresponding sealed cavities; the submarine optical cable penetrates the target sealed container, and the beginning and end of the submarine optical cable are located outside the target sealed container, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2;

[0115] The control device is used to apply N different water pressures to N sealed cavities containing N segments of submarine optical cable, wherein each of the N sealed cavities is filled with a specific water pressure, and the water pressure applied to each sealed cavity is different; to apply a target voltage to the submarine optical cable through a target connector, wherein the target voltage is the voltage required to maintain the submarine optical cable at a target water depth within a preset time period; and to determine that the submarine optical cable is allowed to operate at the target water depth if the submarine optical cable is not broken down within the preset time period.

[0116] Optionally, the aforementioned control device is also used to increase the water pressure applied in each of the N sealed cavities sequentially from the head end to the tail end, or sequentially from the tail end to the head end.

[0117] Optionally, the aforementioned control device is further configured to, when the j-th sealing ring is configured between the j-th sealing cavity and the (j+1)-th sealing cavity in N sealing cavities, apply the j-th water pressure out of N water pressures in the j-th sealing cavity and apply the (j+1)-th water pressure out of N water pressures in the (j+1)-th sealing cavity, where j is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than N, and the maximum pressure that the j-th sealing ring is allowed to withstand is greater than the pressure generated by the (j+1)-th water pressure and the j-th water pressure.

[0118] Optionally, the aforementioned control device is also used to perform the following operation before applying N different water pressures to the N sealed cavities containing the N segments of the submarine optical cable:

[0119] Based on the diameter of the candidate sealing ring, the (j+1)th water pressure and the jth water pressure, determine the pressure generated by the (j+1)th water pressure and the jth water pressure;

[0120] If the maximum pressure that the candidate sealing ring can withstand is greater than the pressure generated by the (j+1)th water pressure and the jth water pressure, then the candidate sealing ring is determined as the jth sealing ring.

[0121] Optionally, the aforementioned controller is also used to obtain the attenuation index of the optical fiber in N segments of the optical cable within a preset time period after applying a target voltage to the submarine optical cable through the target connector.

[0122] If the attenuation index is less than or equal to a preset threshold, the submarine optical cable is allowed to operate at the target water depth.

[0123] Optionally, the aforementioned control device is also used to determine, based on the target water depth, to apply N different water pressures within the N sealed cavities.

[0124] By applying the aforementioned device to N sealed cavities containing N segments of submarine optical cable and applying a target voltage to the submarine optical cable, the application environment of the submarine optical cable under test conditions is made closer to the actual engineering application environment. Based on whether the submarine optical cable under the test conditions is broken down within a preset time period, it is determined whether the submarine optical cable is allowed to work at the target water depth. This solves the technical problem in related technologies that cannot verify the reliability of submarine optical cables in actual application environments, and achieves the technical effect of improving the reliability of test results.

[0125] Specific examples in this embodiment can be found in the examples described in the above embodiments and exemplary implementations, and will not be repeated here.

[0126] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A testing method for submarine optical cables, characterized in that, include: N different water pressures are applied to N sealed cavities containing N segments of submarine optical cable. The N sealed cavities are obtained by dividing the overall sealed cavity within the target sealed container. Each segment of the N optical cable is located in one of the corresponding sealed cavities. A water pressure corresponding to one of the N water pressures is applied to each of the N sealed cavities, and the water pressure applied to each sealed cavity is different. The submarine optical cable passes through the target sealed container, and its head and tail ends are placed outside the target sealed container. The head and tail ends are connected by a target connector. The water pressure applied to each of the N sealed cavities increases sequentially from the head end to the tail end, or sequentially from the tail end to the head end. N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2. A target voltage is applied to the submarine optical cable through the target connector, wherein the target voltage is the voltage required to maintain the submarine optical cable at the target water depth within a preset time period; If the submarine optical cable is not broken within the preset time period, it is determined that the submarine optical cable is permitted to operate at the target water depth.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Applying N different water pressures to the N sealed cavities containing the N segments of submarine optical cable includes: When the j-th sealing ring is configured between the j-th sealing cavity and the (j+1)-th sealing cavity in the N sealing cavities, the j-th water pressure out of the N water pressures is applied in the j-th sealing cavity, and the (j+1)-th water pressure out of the N water pressures is applied in the (j+1)-th sealing cavity, where j is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than N, and the maximum pressure that the j-th sealing ring can withstand is greater than the pressure generated by the (j+1)-th water pressure and the j-th water pressure.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Before applying N different water pressures to the N sealed cavities containing the N segments of the submarine optical cable, the method further includes: Based on the diameter of the candidate sealing ring, the (j+1)th water pressure, and the jth water pressure, determine the pressure generated by the (j+1)th water pressure and the jth water pressure; If the maximum pressure that the candidate sealing ring can withstand is greater than the pressure generated by the (j+1)th water pressure and the jth water pressure, then the candidate sealing ring is determined as the jth sealing ring.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, After applying a target voltage to the submarine optical cable through the target connector, the method further includes: Obtain the attenuation index of the optical fiber in the N segments of the optical cable during the preset time period; If the attenuation index is less than or equal to a preset threshold, it is determined that the submarine optical cable is permitted to operate at the target water depth.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Before applying N different water pressures to the N sealed cavities containing the N segments of the submarine optical cable, the method further includes: Based on the target water depth, determine the N different water pressures to be applied in the N sealed cavities.

6. A testing device for submarine optical cables, characterized in that, include: The package includes a target sealed container, a submarine optical cable, and a target connector. N segments of the submarine optical cable are placed in N sealed cavities within the target sealed container. The beginning and end of the submarine optical cable are connected via the target connector. The overall sealed cavity within the target sealed container is divided into the N sealed cavities. The submarine optical cable comprises the N segments, each segment located in a corresponding sealed cavity within the N sealed cavities. The submarine optical cable penetrates the target sealed container, with its beginning and end positioned outside the container. Water pressure is applied in each of the N sealed cavities, increasing sequentially from the beginning to the end, or sequentially from the end to the beginning, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2. A control device is configured to apply N different water pressures to the N sealed cavities containing the N segments of the submarine optical cable, wherein a corresponding water pressure is applied to each of the N sealed cavities, and the water pressure applied to each sealed cavity is different; apply a target voltage to the submarine optical cable through the target connector, wherein the target voltage is the voltage required to maintain the operation of the submarine optical cable at a target water depth within a preset time period; and determine that the submarine optical cable is permitted to operate at the target water depth if the submarine optical cable is not broken down within the preset time period.

7. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium includes a stored program, wherein the program can be executed by a terminal device or computer at runtime as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer program / instructions, characterized in that, When the computer program / instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the steps of the method described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

9. An electronic device comprising a memory and a processor, characterized in that, The memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the method described in any one of claims 1 to 5 through the computer program.

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