Heterogeneous submarine cable joint assembly and method of producing a joint assembly

Abstract

The application provides a joint assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables and a production method of the joint assembly. The joint assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables comprises a first joint cable and a second joint cable and a transition structure. The first joint cable and the second joint cable each comprise a conductor and a first end and a second end arranged oppositely along the axial direction of the first joint cable and the second joint cable. The transition structure comprises a transition joint and a plurality of recovery layers arranged in sequence from inside to outside along the radial direction. The second end of the first joint cable is connected to the first end of the transition joint through the conductor, the first end of the second joint cable is connected to the second end of the transition joint through the conductor, and each recovery layer is arranged on the outer periphery of the second end of the first joint cable and the outer periphery of the first end of the second joint cable. The technical scheme of the application can adopt different specifications of submarine cables that can meet the requirements in different laying sections according to the different laying environments of the submarine cables, thereby reducing the production cost of the submarine cables.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of submarine cable joint technology, and more specifically, to a joint assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables and a method for producing the joint assembly. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of offshore wind power, future submarine cable products will develop towards lower cost, longer length, and deeper offshore applications. The entire submarine cable laying loop includes the seabed section, J-tube section, landing section, and land cable conduit section. Compared with the J-tube section, landing section, and land cable conduit section, the seabed section has the best heat dissipation conditions, and therefore has the lowest requirements for submarine cables.

[0003] Currently, in existing technologies, submarine cables of the same specification (i.e., the same material and cross-sectional area) are used throughout the entire submarine cable laying loop. Due to the harsh environment of the landing section, copper-core submarine cables are required to meet the performance requirements of the landing section. To meet the requirements of the landing section, the entire submarine cable laying loop needs to use copper-core submarine cables of the same specification. However, the requirements for submarine cables in the seabed section are lower, and it is not necessary to use high-performance and expensive copper-core submarine cables in the seabed section. Furthermore, since the seabed section is the longest in the entire submarine cable laying loop, using copper-core submarine cables in the seabed section would increase the production cost of the submarine cable. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables and a method for producing the connector assembly, so as to solve the problem of increased production cost of submarine cables due to the use of submarine cables of the same specification in the laying loop of submarine cables in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, a splice assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables is provided, comprising a first splice cable and a second splice cable, and a transition structure for connecting the first splice cable and the second splice cable, wherein both the first splice cable and the second splice cable include conductors of different materials, and along the axial direction of the first splice cable and the second splice cable, both the first splice cable and the second splice cable include a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other; the transition structure includes a transition joint and multiple recovery layers arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction, the second end of the first splice cable being connected to the first end of the transition joint through a conductor, the first end of the second splice cable being connected to the second end of the transition joint through a conductor, and each recovery layer being disposed on the outer periphery of the second end of the first splice cable and the outer periphery of the first end of the second splice cable, so as to restore the first splice cable and the second splice cable layer by layer.

[0006] Furthermore, both the first splice cable and the second splice cable include a first recovery cable segment, a second recovery cable segment, a third recovery cable segment, and a fourth recovery cable segment arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The first recovery cable segment is a conductor, and the outer diameters of the first recovery cable segment, the second recovery cable segment, the third recovery cable segment, and the fourth recovery cable segment increase sequentially. The first recovery cable segment, the second recovery cable segment, the third recovery cable segment, and the fourth recovery cable segment are arranged corresponding to the multi-layer recovery layer.

[0007] Furthermore, the multi-layer recovery layer includes a conductor shielding recovery layer disposed on the outer periphery of the transition joint and the two first recovery cable segments, with the transition joint located between the two first recovery cable segments.

[0008] Furthermore, the second recovery cable segment includes a conductor and a conductor shielding layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The multi-layer recovery layer also includes an insulation recovery layer, which is disposed on the outer periphery of the conductor shielding recovery layer and the conductor shielding layers of the two second recovery cable segments.

[0009] Furthermore, the third recovery cable segment includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, and an insulation layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The multi-layer recovery layer also includes an insulation shielding recovery layer disposed on the outer periphery of the insulation recovery layer, with the opposite ends of the insulation shielding recovery layer respectively disposed on the outer periphery of the insulation layers of the two third recovery cable segments.

[0010] Furthermore, the fourth recovery cable segment includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer, and an insulation shielding layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The multi-layer recovery layer also includes a sheath recovery layer, which is disposed on the outer periphery of the insulation shielding recovery layer and the insulation shielding layers of the two fourth recovery cable segments.

[0011] Furthermore, both the first splice cable and / or the second splice cable include a fifth recovery cable segment and a cabling segment. The cabling segment includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer, an insulation shielding layer, and a sheath layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The fifth recovery cable segment includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer, an insulation shielding layer, and a sheath layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. In the axial direction, the fifth recovery cable segment is located between the fourth recovery cable segment and the cabling segment. The multi-layer recovery layer also includes an armored recovery layer, which is disposed on the outer periphery of the sheath recovery layer and the sheath layers of the two fifth recovery cable segments.

[0012] Furthermore, along the axial direction of the transition joint, the outer diameter of the transition joint gradually increases or gradually decreases.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a connector assembly is provided. The method is used to manufacture the above-mentioned connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables. The method includes: a transition connector preparation step for preparing a transition connector; a welding step for welding the conductor of a first splice cable to a first end of the transition connector and welding the conductor of a second splice cable to a second end of the transition connector; and a layer-by-layer recovery step for sequentially covering multiple recovery layers around the periphery of the integral structure formed by the first splice cable, the second splice cable and the transition connector.

[0014] Furthermore, the first splice cable is made of aluminum, the second splice cable is made of copper, and the transition joint is manufactured using any one of the following processes: copper-aluminum liquid manufacturing process, copper-aluminum solid manufacturing process, and copper-aluminum solid-liquid manufacturing process.

[0015] Furthermore, the copper-aluminum solid manufacturing process includes: grinding the copper rod and the aluminum rod so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the copper rod is the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor of the second splicing cable, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the aluminum rod is the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor of the first splicing cable; inserting the copper rod into the second end of the mold and inserting the aluminum rod into the first end of the mold; heating the copper rod, the aluminum rod and the mold at a preset temperature and a preset time; and removing the mold.

[0016] Furthermore, the welding process employs friction welding or argon arc welding.

[0017] Furthermore, in addition to the welding step, the production method also includes a cooling step for cooling the joint assembly, wherein the cooling step adopts an air-cooling method.

[0018] Furthermore, the first splice cable and / or the second splice cable also include an armor layer, and the manufacturing method further includes an armor layer peeling step before the welding step.

[0019] Furthermore, in the armor layer peeling step, the steel wires of the armor layer are divided into multiple peeling groups, each peeling group consisting of 5 to 7 steel wires with a bending angle of less than 60°.

[0020] By applying the technical solution of this invention, connecting the conductor of the first splice cable to the first end of the transition joint and the conductor of the second splice cable to the second end of the transition joint, two conductors of different materials can be spliced, thereby splicing two heterogeneous submarine cables. This enables the laying of submarine cables with different cores in different laying sections. After connecting the conductors of the two splice cables to the transition joint, multiple restoration layers are sequentially wrapped to restore the structure of each layer of the two splice cables layer by layer. Forming a joint assembly between conductors of different materials solves the problem of connecting heterogeneous submarine cables, thereby meeting the current carrying capacity requirements of submarine cables under different laying conditions and reducing production costs. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables according to the present invention is shown (wherein the conductor cross-section of the first splice cable is larger than the conductor cross-section of the second splice cable);

[0023] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables (wherein the conductor cross-section of the first splice cable is equal to the conductor cross-section of the second splice cable);

[0024] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables (wherein the conductor cross-section of the first splice cable is smaller than that of the second splice cable);

[0025] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables according to the present invention is shown (wherein the conductor cross-section of the first splice cable is larger than the conductor cross-section of the second splice cable);

[0026] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables (wherein the conductor cross-section of the first splice cable is equal to the conductor cross-section of the second splice cable);

[0027] Figure 6 It shows Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables (wherein the conductor cross-section of the first splice cable is smaller than that of the second splice cable);

[0028] Figure 7 A process flow diagram of a method for manufacturing a connector assembly according to the present invention is shown;

[0029] Figure 8 It shows according to Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the cooling device for the production method of the connector assembly;

[0030] Figure 9 It shows Figure 8 A structural schematic diagram of the cooling device from another angle; and

[0031] Figure 10 It shows according to Figure 7 The diagram shows the peeling process during the stripping of the armor layer in the production method of the connector assembly.

[0032] The above figures include the following reference numerals:

[0033] 10. First splice cable; 11. First recovery cable segment; 12. Second recovery cable segment; 13. Third recovery cable segment; 131. Straight cable segment; 132. Variable diameter segment; 14. Fourth recovery cable segment; 15. Fifth recovery cable segment; 20. Second splice cable; 30. Transition structure; 31. Transition joint; 32. Conductor shielding recovery layer; 33. Insulation recovery layer; 34. Insulation shielding recovery layer; 35. Sheath recovery layer; 36. Armor recovery layer; 100. Cooling device; 101. First cooling shell; 102. Second cooling shell; 103. Third cooling shell. Detailed Implementation

[0034] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0035] It should be noted that in the submarine cable laying loop, the landing section has higher requirements for the performance of the submarine cable, requiring the use of copper core submarine cables, while the seabed section has lower requirements for the performance of the submarine cable. Moreover, the seabed section is the longest in the entire submarine cable laying loop. If the seabed section also uses submarine cables of the same specifications as the landing section (i.e., the same cable core material and the same cable core cross-sectional area), it will result in waste and increase costs.

[0036] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention proposes a novel concept: using different specifications of submarine cables in different sections of the submarine cable laying loop. Specifically, a high-performance copper-core submarine cable is used in the landing section, while a lower-cost aluminum-core submarine cable is used in the seabed section. This ensures that the submarine cable in each laying section meets the performance requirements of that section while avoiding the high cost associated with using the same specification of cable throughout the entire laying loop. Regarding the splicing problem of dissimilar submarine cables mentioned in this concept, this invention provides a splice assembly for dissimilar submarine cables and a method for manufacturing the splice assembly.

[0037] It should be noted that, on the one hand, in other technical fields (such as photovoltaics), there are already transition joints for connecting dissimilar materials. However, due to the unique structure of submarine cables, the transition joints in the prior art can only serve to connect dissimilar materials (i.e., the transition joints in the prior art can only be equivalent to the transition joint 31 in this application). The various layers of the submarine cable structure (such as conductor shielding layer, insulation layer, and insulation shielding layer) still need to be restored layer by layer, and the transition joints in the prior art cannot solve this technical problem. On the other hand, in the field of submarine cables, the prior art can only meet the splicing of submarine cables with the same conductor material and cannot splice submarine cables with dissimilar conductors.

[0038] In other words, existing transition joints cannot be directly applied to splicing heterogeneous submarine cables because they cannot overcome technical difficulties such as layer-by-layer restoration of the submarine cable structure.

[0039] Example 1

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a splice assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables. The splice assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables includes: a first splice cable 10 and a second splice cable 20, and a transition structure 30 for connecting the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20. Both the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20 include conductors of different materials. Along the axial direction of the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20, both the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20 include a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other. The transition structure 30 includes a transition joint 31 and multiple recovery layers arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The second end of the first splice cable 10 is connected to the first end of the transition joint 31 via a conductor, and the first end of the second splice cable 20 is connected to the second end of the transition joint 31 via a conductor. Each recovery layer is disposed on the outer periphery of the second end of the first splice cable 10 and the outer periphery of the first end of the second splice cable 20, to restore the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20 layer by layer.

[0041] In the above technical solution, the conductor of the first splice cable 10 is made of aluminum, and the conductor of the second splice cable 20 is made of copper. By connecting the conductor of the first splice cable 10 to the first end of the transition joint 31 and the conductor of the second splice cable 20 to the second end of the transition joint 31, two conductors of different materials can be spliced, thereby splicing two heterogeneous submarine cables. This achieves the effect of laying submarine cables with different core materials in different laying sections. After connecting the conductors of the two splice cables to the transition joint 31, multiple restoration layers are then sequentially wrapped to restore the structure of each layer of the two splice cables layer by layer.

[0042] By setting up the above-mentioned joint assembly between conductors of different materials, the problem of connecting heterogeneous submarine cables can be solved, thereby meeting the current carrying capacity requirements of submarine cables under different laying conditions and reducing production costs.

[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, in the embodiments of the present invention, both the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20 include a first recovery cable segment 11, a second recovery cable segment 12, a third recovery cable segment 13, and a fourth recovery cable segment 14 arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The first recovery cable segment 11 is a conductor, and the outer diameters of the first recovery cable segment 11, the second recovery cable segment 12, the third recovery cable segment 13, and the fourth recovery cable segment 14 increase sequentially. Furthermore, the first recovery cable segment 11, the second recovery cable segment 12, the third recovery cable segment 13, and the fourth recovery cable segment 14 are arranged corresponding to the multi-layer recovery layer.

[0044] It should be noted that both the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20 include a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer, an insulation shielding layer, a sheath layer, and an armor layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. Furthermore, the lengths of the conductor, conductor shielding layer, insulation layer, insulation shielding layer, sheath layer, and armor layer gradually decrease along the axial direction of the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20. In the first splice cable 10, the end faces of the first ends of each of the above-mentioned layers are flush; that is, the end faces of the second ends of each of the above-mentioned layers are spaced apart in the axial direction. In the first splice cable 10, a first recovery cable segment 11 is formed between the second end of the conductor and the second end of the conductor shielding layer; a second recovery cable segment 12 is formed between the second end of the conductor shielding layer and the second end of the insulation layer; a third recovery cable segment 13 is formed between the second end of the insulation layer and the second end of the insulation shielding layer; a fourth recovery cable segment 14 is formed between the second end of the insulation shielding layer and the second end of the sheath layer; and a fifth recovery cable segment 15 is formed between the second end of the sheath layer and the second end of the armor layer.

[0045] Similarly, in the second splice cable 20, the end faces of the second ends of each layer, including the conductor, conductor shield, insulation layer, insulation shield, sheath, and armor layer, are flush. That is, the end faces of the first ends of the aforementioned layers are arranged at intervals in the axial direction. Specifically, in the second splice cable 20, a first recovery cable segment 11 is formed between the first end of the conductor and the first end of the conductor shield; a second recovery cable segment 12 is formed between the first end of the conductor shield and the first end of the insulation layer; a third recovery cable segment 13 is formed between the first end of the insulation layer and the first end of the insulation shield; a fourth recovery cable segment 14 is formed between the first end of the insulation shield and the first end of the sheath layer; and a fifth recovery cable segment 15 is formed between the first end of the sheath layer and the first end of the armor layer.

[0046] The splicing process of the two heterogeneous submarine cables is described below with reference to the attached diagrams:

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, in the embodiments of the present invention, the first splice cable 10 and / or the second splice cable 20 both include a fifth recovery cable segment 15 and a cabling segment. The cabling segment includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer, an insulation shielding layer, a sheath layer, and an armor layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The fifth recovery cable segment 15 includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer, an insulation shielding layer, and a sheath layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. In the axial direction, the fifth recovery cable segment 15 is located between the fourth recovery cable segment 14 and the cabling segment. The multilayer recovery layer also includes an armor recovery layer 36, which is disposed on the outer periphery of the sheath recovery layer 35 and the sheath layers of the two fifth recovery cable segments 15.

[0048] In the above technical solution, when both the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20 are submarine cables, both the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20 include a fifth recovery cable segment 15 and a cable-forming segment. Thus, the armor recovery layer 36 can be used to restore the armor layer of the first splice cable 10 and the armor layer of the second splice cable 20.

[0049] like Figure 1 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the multilayer recovery layer includes a conductor shielding recovery layer 32, which is disposed on the outer periphery of the transition joint 31 and the two first recovery cable segments 11, and the transition joint 31 is located between the two first recovery cable segments 11.

[0050] In the above technical solution, the first end of the conductor shielding recovery layer 32 is the same as the outer diameter of the conductor shielding layer of the first splice cable 10, the second end of the conductor shielding recovery layer 32 is the same as the outer diameter of the conductor shielding layer of the second splice cable 20, the length of the conductor shielding recovery layer 32 is the distance between the second end face of the second recovery cable segment 12 of the first splice cable 10 and the first end face of the second recovery cable segment 12 of the second splice cable 20, and the material of the conductor shielding recovery layer 32 is the same as the material of the conductor shielding layer of the first splice cable 10 and the material of the conductor shielding layer of the second splice cable 20.

[0051] With the above configuration, the conductor shielding layer of the first splice cable 10 and the conductor shielding layer of the second splice cable 20 can be restored using the conductor shielding restoration layer 32.

[0052] like Figure 1 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the second recovery cable segment 12 includes a conductor and a conductor shielding layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The multilayer recovery layer also includes an insulation recovery layer 33, which is disposed on the outer periphery of the conductor shielding recovery layer 32 and the conductor shielding layers of the two second recovery cable segments 12.

[0053] In the above technical solution, the first end of the insulation recovery layer 33 is the same as the outer diameter of the insulation layer of the first splice cable 10, the second end of the insulation recovery layer 33 is the same as the outer diameter of the insulation layer of the second splice cable 20, and the material of the insulation recovery layer 33 is the same as the material of the insulation layer of the first splice cable 10 and the material of the insulation layer of the second splice cable 20.

[0054] With the above configuration, the insulation layer 33 can be used to restore the insulation layer of the first splice cable 10 and the insulation layer of the second splice cable 20.

[0055] like Figure 1As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the third recovery cable segment 13 includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer and an insulation layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The multilayer recovery layer also includes an insulation shielding recovery layer 34 disposed on the outer periphery of the insulation recovery layer 33. The opposite ends of the insulation shielding recovery layer 34 are respectively disposed on the outer periphery of the insulation layers of the two third recovery cable segments 13.

[0056] In the above technical solution, the first end of the insulation shielding recovery layer 34 has the same outer diameter as the insulation shielding layer of the first splice cable 10, the second end of the insulation shielding recovery layer 34 has the same outer diameter as the insulation shielding layer of the second splice cable 20, the length of the insulation shielding recovery layer 34 is the distance between the second end face of the fourth recovery cable segment 14 of the first splice cable 10 and the first end face of the fourth recovery cable segment 14 of the second splice cable 20, and the material of the insulation shielding recovery layer 34 is the same as the material of the insulation shielding layer of the first splice cable 10 and the material of the insulation shielding layer of the second splice cable 20.

[0057] With the above configuration, the insulation shielding layer of the first splice cable 10 and the insulation shielding layer of the second splice cable 20 can be restored using the insulation shielding restoration layer 34.

[0058] like Figure 1 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the third recovery cable segment 13 includes a straight cable segment 131 and a variable diameter segment 132 connected in sequence. The variable diameter segment 132 and the straight cable segment 131 are arranged in sequence from the second recovery cable segment 12 to the fourth recovery cable segment 14. At this time, the insulation recovery layer 33 also covers the outer periphery of the variable diameter segment 132 of the first splice cable 10 and the variable diameter segment 132 of the second splice cable 20.

[0059] By setting up the variable diameter section 132, the problem of electric field concentration in the third recovery cable section 13 can be avoided, thereby preventing insulation breakdown.

[0060] like Figure 1 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the fourth recovery cable segment 14 includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer and an insulation shielding layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The multilayer recovery layer also includes a sheath recovery layer 35, which is disposed on the outer periphery of the insulation shielding recovery layer 34 and the insulation shielding layers of the two fourth recovery cable segments 14.

[0061] In the above technical solution, the first end of the sheath recovery layer 35 has the same outer diameter as the sheath layer of the first splice cable 10, the second end of the sheath recovery layer 35 has the same outer diameter as the sheath layer of the second splice cable 20, the length of the sheath recovery layer 35 is the distance between the second end face of the fifth recovery cable segment 15 of the first splice cable 10 and the first end face of the fifth recovery cable segment 15 of the second splice cable 20, and the material of the sheath recovery layer 35 is the same as the material of the sheath layer of the first splice cable 10 and the material of the sheath layer of the second splice cable 20.

[0062] With the above settings, the sheath layer of the first splice cable 10 and the sheath layer of the second splice cable 20 can be restored using the sheath restoration layer 35.

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the first end of the armor recovery layer 36 is the same as the outer diameter of the armor layer of the first splice cable 10, the second end of the armor recovery layer 36 is the same as the outer diameter of the armor layer of the second splice cable 20, the length of the armor recovery layer 36 is the distance between the second end face of the cabling section of the first splice cable 10 and the first end face of the cabling section of the second splice cable 20, and the material of the armor recovery layer 36 is the same as the material of the armor layer of the first splice cable 10 and the material of the armor layer of the second splice cable 20.

[0064] With the above settings, the armor restoration layer 36 can restore the armor layer of the first splice cable 10 and the armor layer of the second splice cable 20.

[0065] In one embodiment of the present invention, after each layer is restored, the structure of the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20 and the corresponding restoration layer need to be polished smooth to ensure that the surface quality and size of the connector assembly meet the requirements.

[0066] like Figure 1 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, along the axial direction of the transition joint 31, from the first end to the second end, the outer diameter of the transition joint 31 gradually decreases.

[0067] With the above configuration, the outer diameter of the conductor connected to the first end of the transition joint 31 is larger than the outer diameter of the conductor connected to the second end of the transition joint 31, thereby achieving the effect of connecting submarine cables of different diameters. In this way, submarine cables of different diameters can be used in different laying sections of the submarine cable laying circuit according to actual needs, avoiding the problem of high production costs of submarine cables caused by using submarine cables of uniform specifications and sizes, thereby reducing the production cost of submarine cables.

[0068] For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the laying environment of the landing section is relatively harsh, requiring a larger size of submarine cable, while the submarine cable of the seabed section does not need to be larger to meet the laying requirements. In this way, a submarine cable with a larger specification can be used in the landing section and a submarine cable with a smaller specification can be used in the seabed section. The heterogeneous submarine cable connector assembly of the present invention is used to connect the submarine cables with different diameters and materials at both ends, thereby reducing costs.

[0069] like Figure 2 As shown, in another embodiment of the present invention, when the conductor cross-section of the first splice cable 10 is equal to the conductor cross-section of the second splice cable 20, the outer diameter of the transition joint 31 can also remain unchanged.

[0070] like Figure 3 As shown, in another embodiment of the present invention, when the conductor cross-section of the first splicing cable 10 is smaller than the conductor cross-section of the second splicing cable 20, the outer diameter of the transition joint 31 can also gradually increase from the first end to the second end.

[0071] Example 2

[0072] The difference between Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 1 is that at least one of the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20 is a land cable, that is, it does not include the armor layer.

[0073] like Figures 4 to 6 As shown, in Embodiment 2 of the present invention, the first splice cable 10 is a copper core submarine cable, and the second splice cable 20 is an aluminum core land cable.

[0074] In the above technical solution, the structure of the first splice cable 10 is the same as that of the first splice cable 10 in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The difference between the structure of the second splice cable 20 and that of the second splice cable 20 in Embodiment 1 of the present invention is that the second splice cable 20 in Embodiment 2 of the present invention does not include an armor layer. That is, the second splice cable 20 includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer, an insulation shielding layer, and a sheath layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. In other words, the second splice cable 20 does not include the fifth recovery cable segment 15. The cabling segment of the second splice cable 20 includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer, an insulation shielding layer, and a sheath layer. Correspondingly, the difference between the connector assembly in Embodiment 2 and the connector assembly in Embodiment 1 is that the connector assembly does not include the armor recovery layer 36.

[0075] With the above-described configuration, the heterogeneous submarine cable connector assembly of the present invention can also be applied to the connection of submarine cables and land cables.

[0076] In one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 4 As shown, the connector assembly is used to connect a first splice cable 10 with a larger conductor outer diameter and a second splice cable 20 with a smaller conductor outer diameter, that is, the conductor outer diameter of the first splice cable 10 is larger than the conductor outer diameter of the second splice cable 20.

[0077] like Figure 5 As shown, in another embodiment of the invention, the connector assembly is used to connect a first splice cable 10 and a second splice cable 20 with the same conductor outer diameter.

[0078] like Figure 6 As shown, in another embodiment of the present invention, the connector assembly is used to connect a first splice cable 10 with a smaller conductor outer diameter and a second splice cable 20 with a larger conductor outer diameter, that is, the conductor outer diameter of the first splice cable 10 is smaller than the conductor outer diameter of the second splice cable 20.

[0079] It should be noted that the heterogeneous submarine cable connector assembly of the present invention is mainly used for connecting submarine cables of different materials. Since the connector assembly not only has good flow performance but also tensile strength, in another embodiment of the present invention, the heterogeneous submarine cable connector assembly of the present invention can also be used to increase the length of the finished section of the submarine cable, reduce the number of laying operations, and thus reduce costs.

[0080] like Figure 7 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention also provides a method for producing a connector assembly. The method is used to produce the above-mentioned connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables. The method includes: a transition connector preparation step for preparing a transition connector 31; a welding step for welding the conductor of the first splice cable 10 to the first end of the transition connector 31 and welding the conductor of the second splice cable 20 to the second end of the transition connector 31; and a layer-by-layer recovery step for sequentially covering multiple recovery layers around the outer periphery of the integral structure formed by the first splice cable 10, the second splice cable 20 and the transition connector 31.

[0081] With the above configuration, the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20 can be connected via a connector assembly. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first splice cable 10 is made of aluminum, the second splice cable 20 is made of copper, and the transition connector is manufactured using any one of the following processes: copper-aluminum liquid manufacturing process, copper-aluminum solid manufacturing process, and copper-aluminum solid-liquid manufacturing process.

[0082] In the above technical solution, the transition joint preparation step also includes a mold preparation process for preparing a transition joint mold, wherein the cross-sectional area of ​​the cavity at the first end of the mold is set to be the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor of the first connecting cable 10, the cross-sectional area of ​​the cavity at the second end of the mold is set to be the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor of the second connecting cable 20, and the length of the mold is set to be the same as the length of the required transition joint 31.

[0083] It should be noted that the "same cross-sectional area" mentioned above refers to relative sameness, that is, the cross-sectional areas of the two can have an error range of ±5%.

[0084] In an embodiment of the present invention, the copper-aluminum solid manufacturing process includes: grinding the copper rod and the aluminum rod so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the copper rod is the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the cavity at the second end of the mold, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the aluminum rod is the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the cavity at the first end of the mold; inserting the copper rod into the cavity at the second end of the mold, and inserting the aluminum rod into the cavity at the first end of the mold; heating the copper rod, the aluminum rod and the mold at a preset temperature and a preset time; and removing the mold.

[0085] It should be noted that, depending on the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor, the preset temperature range is 400℃ to 600℃, and the preset time range is 0.5h to 2.5h.

[0086] In the above technical solution, the required length of the transition joint 31 is L. An aluminum rod and a copper rod of length L / 2 are selected, both with cross-sections not less than the maximum cross-sectional area of ​​the mold. The aluminum and copper rods are ground according to the mold dimensions to ensure they fit snugly against the mold cavity wall. Depending on the cross-sections of the aluminum and copper rods, a suitable temperature is selected within the range of 300℃ to 650℃ and held for at least 2 hours to equalize the heat distribution of the copper and aluminum rods. Subsequently, different rates and pressures are applied to the copper and aluminum rods respectively, based on their cross-sections, to complete the solid copper-aluminum metal fabrication. After the copper-aluminum composite metal is prepared, the mold is removed, and the surface of the resulting transition joint 31 is polished smooth.

[0087] In an embodiment of the present invention, the copper-aluminum liquid manufacturing process includes: mixing pure copper liquid and pure aluminum liquid in a 1:1 ratio and pouring the mixture into the mold of the transition joint 31; immersing the mold along with the mixed metal liquid in water for cooling; removing the mold after the mixed metal liquid has cooled and solidified; and polishing the surface of the copper-aluminum joint smooth.

[0088] It should be noted that in the above process, the cooling temperature range is 0℃ to 10℃, and the cooling time ranges from 0.5h to 2h.

[0089] In an embodiment of the present invention, the copper-aluminum solid-liquid manufacturing process includes: inserting a copper rod into the second end of a mold and pouring molten aluminum into the first end of the mold; cooling the mold containing the molten aluminum and the copper rod; and removing the mold.

[0090] In the above technical solution, a copper rod of length L is taken, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the copper rod is not greater than the minimum cross-section of the mold cavity. The copper rod is placed in the mold, and pure aluminum liquid is poured into the mold cavity of the pre-made copper rod. The mold, along with the copper rod and the pure aluminum liquid, is placed in water for cooling. After the copper-aluminum joint has cooled and formed, the mold is removed, and the surface of the copper-aluminum joint is polished smooth.

[0091] In embodiments of the present invention, the welding step employs friction welding or argon arc welding.

[0092] Compared with the existing technology that uses filler solder, the welding method of this application produces cables with better bending performance, which can solve the problem of cable damage after circulation.

[0093] In an embodiment of the present invention, the production method further includes a cooling step for cooling the joint assembly in addition to the welding step, wherein the cooling step adopts an air-cooled cooling method.

[0094] In the above technical solution, the welding temperature is relatively high during conductor welding. Since copper and aluminum have good thermal conductivity, air cooling with nitrogen as the cooling medium is used to prevent heat damage to the submarine cables at both ends. Compared to the water cooling method used in existing technologies, air cooling is more efficient and effective, preventing heat damage to the cables.

[0095] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, a cooling device 100 is used for cooling in the cooling step. The cooling device 100 is a modular assembly type, including a first cooling shell 101, a second cooling shell 102, and a third cooling shell 103 connected in sequence. The lower ends of the first cooling shell 101 and the third cooling shell 103 are provided with semi-circular clearance holes. The second cooling shell 102 includes a horizontal section and two vertical sections at both ends of the horizontal section. The upper end face of each of the two vertical sections is provided with a semi-circular clearance hole. An air inlet is provided at the upper end of the first cooling shell 101, and an air outlet is provided at the upper end of the third cooling shell 103. Cool air enters the first cooling shell 101 through the air inlet, passes through the second cooling shell 102 into the third cooling shell 103, and is then discharged through the air outlet.

[0096] With the above configuration, the clearance hole on the first cooling shell 101 can cooperate with the clearance hole at one end of the second cooling shell 102 to form a first circular hole, and the clearance hole on the third cooling shell 103 can cooperate with the clearance hole at the other end of the second cooling shell 102 to form a second circular hole. The first circular hole is for the copper rod to pass through, and the second circular hole is for the aluminum rod to pass through. In this way, when the cold air passes through the first circular hole, it can cool the copper rod located in the first circular hole, and when the cold air flows in the cooling device 100 and passes through the second circular hole, it can cool the aluminum rod located in the second circular hole. The inner diameter of the first circular hole is set to be the same as the outer diameter of the copper conductor, and the inner diameter of the second circular hole is set to be the same as the outer diameter of the aluminum conductor, so that the copper conductor and the inner wall of the first circular hole are in close contact with each other, and the aluminum conductor and the inner wall of the second circular hole are in close contact with each other, thereby improving the cooling effect.

[0097] It should be noted that the splice assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables of the present invention can also be applied to on-site emergency repairs. Currently, most submarine cable splice assemblies are manufactured by completing the splice production after the sheath production and before the armor production. The peeling and restoration of the armor layer is a difficult problem restricting the on-site emergency repair of submarine cable splices. The submarine cable splice of the present invention solves this problem by improving the armor layer peeling and restoration methods.

[0098] In an embodiment of the present invention, the first splice cable 10 and / or the second splice cable 20 further include an armor layer, and the manufacturing method further includes an armor layer peeling step before the welding step.

[0099] In the above technical solutions, such as Figure 10 As shown, the finished cable core on one side of the fault point forms the first splice cable 10, and the finished cable core on the other side of the fault point forms the second splice cable 20. During the on-site emergency repair of the armor layer, the armor layer of the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20 is first stripped. Based on the characteristics of the cable pitch and the bending and torsion bearing capacity of the core, the stripping length is at least twice the armor pitch on both sides of the joint center point (i.e., the second end of the first splice cable 10 or the first end of the second splice cable 20). A total of at least four times the armor pitch length of steel wire is stripped. The armor steel wire is broken at least one pitch away from both sides of the center point to facilitate the subsequent fabrication of the submarine cable joint.

[0100] In an embodiment of the present invention, in the armor layer peeling step, the steel wires of the armor layer are divided into multiple peeling groups, each peeling group including 5 to 7 steel wires, and the bending angle of the steel wires is less than 60°.

[0101] In the above technical solution, the stripping process of the armor restoration layer 36 of the submarine cable joint uses a group stripping method, that is, 5 to 7 steel wires are grouped together and bundled, and the bending angle of the armor steel wires is less than 60° to prevent the armor steel wires from undergoing large deformations that could lead to irreversible damage. Before the steel wires are restored, the asphalt on the surface of the steel wires is removed using an oxy-acetylene flame and stearic acid to ensure easy restoration and a tight structure. After the armor steel wires at both ends are spirally restored, the main body is butt-welded to ensure the tensile strength of the armor steel wires.

[0102] In an embodiment of the present invention, after the welding step, the production method further includes the steps of performing a winding test and a tension bending test on the integral structure formed by the first splice cable 10, the second splice cable 20 and the transition joint 31.

[0103] In the above technical solution, during the winding test, the integrated structure formed by the transition joint 31, the first splice cable 10, and the second splice cable 20 is wound in a ground cage. The transition joint 31 should show no visible cracks or direct breakage. The radius of the ground cage should be less than or equal to 25 times the conductor diameter (here, the conductor diameter refers to the smaller of the conductor diameter of the first splice cable 10 and the conductor diameter of the second splice cable 20). During the tension bending test, the integrated structure formed by the transition joint 31, the first splice cable 10, and the second splice cable 20 is subjected to a tension bending test on a turntable. The tension force experienced by the submarine cable at a corresponding water depth is set. The transition joint 31 should show no visible cracks or direct breakage. The radius of the turntable should be less than or equal to 25 times the conductor diameter.

[0104] In an embodiment of the present invention, prior to the welding step, the production method further includes the step of removing water-blocking material from the conductors of the first splice cable 10 and the second splice cable 20 at least 20 cm from the welding point, respectively, to avoid the water-blocking material affecting the welding performance.

[0105] From the above description, it can be seen that the embodiments of the present invention achieve the following technical effects: By connecting the conductor of the first splicing cable to the first end of the transition joint and the conductor of the second splicing cable to the second end of the transition joint, two conductors of different materials can be spliced, thereby splicing two heterogeneous submarine cables and achieving the effect of laying submarine cables with different cores in different laying sections. After connecting the conductors of the two splicing cables to the transition joint, multiple recovery layers are then sequentially wrapped to restore the structure of each layer of the two splicing cables layer by layer. Forming a joint assembly between conductors of different materials can solve the problem of connecting heterogeneous submarine cables, thereby meeting the current carrying capacity requirements of submarine cables under different laying conditions and reducing production costs. Using air cooling is more efficient and has a better cooling effect, which can avoid heat damage to the cable. Using friction welding or argon arc welding, the welded cable has better bending performance, which can solve the problem of cable damage after circulation.

[0106] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables, characterized in that, It includes a first splice cable (10) and a second splice cable (20), and a transition structure (30) for connecting the first splice cable (10) and the second splice cable (20), wherein, Both the first splice cable (10) and the second splice cable (20) include conductors and the conductors of the first splice cable (10) and the second splice cable (20) are made of different materials. Along the axial direction of the first splice cable (10) and the second splice cable (20), both the first splice cable (10) and the second splice cable (20) include a first end and a second end that are disposed opposite to each other. The transition structure (30) includes a transition connector (31) and multiple recovery layers arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The second end of the first splice cable (10) is connected to the first end of the transition connector (31) through a conductor. The first end of the second splice cable (20) is connected to the second end of the transition connector (31) through a conductor. Each recovery layer is provided on the outer periphery of the second end of the first splice cable (10) and the outer periphery of the first end of the second splice cable (20) to restore the first splice cable (10) and the second splice cable (20) layer by layer. Both the first splice cable (10) and the second splice cable (20) include a first recovery cable segment (11), a second recovery cable segment (12), a third recovery cable segment (13), and a fourth recovery cable segment (14) arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The first recovery cable segment (11) is a conductor. The outer diameters of the first recovery cable segment (11), the second recovery cable segment (12), the third recovery cable segment (13), and the fourth recovery cable segment (14) increase sequentially. The first recovery cable segment (11), the second recovery cable segment (12), the third recovery cable segment (13), and the fourth recovery cable segment (14) are arranged correspondingly to the multi-layer recovery layer, so that the multi-layer recovery layer sequentially covers the outer periphery of the overall structure formed by the first splice cable (10), the second splice cable (20), and the transition joint (31). The transition joint (31) is made of copper and aluminum. The multi-layer recovery layer includes a conductor shielding recovery layer (32) and an insulation recovery layer (33). The conductor shielding recovery layer (32) is disposed on the outer periphery of the transition joint (31) and the two first recovery cable segments (11). The second recovery cable segment (12) includes a conductor and a conductor shielding layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The insulation recovery layer (33) is disposed on the outer periphery of the conductor shielding recovery layer (32) and the conductor shielding layers of the two second recovery cable segments (12). The third recovery cable segment (13) includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer and an insulation layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The multi-layer recovery layer also includes an insulation shielding recovery layer (34) disposed on the outer periphery of the insulation recovery layer (33). The opposite ends of the insulation shielding recovery layer (34) are respectively disposed on the outer periphery of the insulation layers of the two third recovery cable segments (13).

2. The connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transition joint (31) is located between the two first recovery cable segments (11).

3. The connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fourth recovery cable segment (14) includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer and an insulation shielding layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The multi-layer recovery layer also includes a sheath recovery layer (35), which is disposed on the outer periphery of the insulation shielding recovery layer (34) and the insulation shielding layers of the two fourth recovery cable segments (14).

4. The connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first splice cable (10) and / or the second splice cable (20) both include a fifth recovery cable segment (15) and a cabling segment. The cabling segment includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer, an insulation shielding layer and a sheath layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The fifth recovery cable segment (15) includes a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer, an insulation shielding layer and a sheath layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. Along the axial direction, the fifth recovery cable segment (15) is located between the fourth recovery cable segment (14) and the cabling segment. The multi-layer recovery layer also includes an armored recovery layer (36), which is disposed on the outer periphery of the sheath layer of the sheath layer of the sheath layer of the sheath layer of the sheath layer of the sheath layer of the two fifth recovery cable segments (15).

5. The connector assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Along the axial direction of the transition joint (31), the outer diameter of the transition joint (31) gradually increases or gradually decreases.

6. A method for producing a connector assembly, characterized in that, The production method is used to produce a joint assembly for heterogeneous submarine cables according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the production method comprising: The steps for preparing the transition joint (31); The welding steps of welding the conductor of the first splice cable (10) to the first end of the transition joint (31) and welding the conductor of the second splice cable (20) to the second end of the transition joint (31); and In the layer-by-layer restoration step, multiple restoration layers are sequentially wrapped around the outer periphery of the overall structure formed by the first splice cable (10), the second splice cable (20), and the transition joint (31).

7. The method for producing the connector assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first splice cable (10) is made of aluminum, and the second splice cable (20) is made of copper. The transition joint preparation step is made using any one of the following processes: copper-aluminum liquid manufacturing process, copper-aluminum solid manufacturing process, and copper-aluminum solid-liquid manufacturing process.

8. The method for producing the connector assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The copper-aluminum solid manufacturing process includes: The steps of polishing the copper rod and the aluminum rod are to make the cross-sectional area of ​​the copper rod the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor of the second splicing cable (20) and to make the cross-sectional area of ​​the aluminum rod the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor of the first splicing cable (10). The copper rod is inserted into the second end of the mold, and the aluminum rod is inserted into the first end of the mold; The copper rod, the aluminum rod, and the mold are heated according to a preset temperature and a preset time; and Remove the mold.

9. A method for producing a connector assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The welding steps employ friction welding or argon arc welding.

10. A method for producing a connector assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, In addition to the welding step, the production method also includes a cooling step for cooling the joint assembly, wherein the cooling step employs an air-cooling method.

11. A method for producing a connector assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The first splice cable (10) and / or the second splice cable (20) further include an armor layer, and prior to the welding step, the manufacturing method further includes an armor layer stripping step for stripping the armor layer.

12. The method for producing a connector assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that, In the armor layer peeling step, the steel wires of the armor layer are divided into multiple peeling groups, each peeling group comprising 5 to 7 steel wires, the bending angle of the steel wires being less than 60°.

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