Ceramic Induction Interface for Subsea Wireless Power Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Inductive connections in subsea environments suffer from water migration through polymer interfaces, leading to corrosion and reduced lifetime, necessitating costly and time-consuming repairs.
Innovation Solution
An induction interface using a glass, glass-ceramic, or ceramic layer with a support material, such as ferrite or curable materials, to enhance durability and prevent fluid diffusion, combined with a resilient compression mechanism and flexible sealing to provide additional support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a polymer-based interface is used for inductive connections, then flexibility and resilience are improved, but water migration occurs leading to corrosion and reduced lifetime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the single-material polymer interface with a composite structure consisting of a porous layer (for flexibility and resilience) combined with a hydrophobic barrier layer (for water protection). This composite approach allows the system to simultaneously achieve the mechanical properties of polymers and the water-blocking properties of hydrophobic materials, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and water resistance.
2Ease of manufacture
If a polymer-based interface is used for inductive connections, then ease of manufacture is improved, but water migration through the interface occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the interface into multiple functional layers: a porous layer that provides mechanical compliance and a separate hydrophobic barrier layer that prevents water migration. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining ease of manufacture through modular construction, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and water protection.
3Reliability
If the induction interface is made more robust to prevent water migration, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite interface structure with a porous layer and a hydrophobic barrier layer, where each layer is relatively simple in itself but together they provide robust water protection. This composite approach achieves high reliability without excessive complexity, as the layers can be integrated into the existing manufacturing process with minimal additional complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Significantly increases the apparatus' lifetime in high-pressure environments by reducing fluid diffusion and preventing breakage, ensuring reliable wireless power and data transmission.
Implementation Method 1
the diffusion rate of fluids becomes significantly lower than for polymetric, or plastic based induction interfaces
Implementation Method 2
at least one primary induction coil arranged inside the internal region
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is for wireless communications in a high-pressure environment having a housing, wherein the housing includes an induction interface, a base portion, a wall section and an internal region, wherein the wall section connects the induction interface and the base portion, and at least one primary induction coil arranged inside the internal region, wherein the induction interface includes a layer of any one of a glass material, a glass-ceramic material and a ceramic material.