Hot Stab Electrical Connection With Scraper for Underwater Cathodic Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing underwater electrical connection systems face challenges when connecting non-tubular subsea metallic entities and suffer from excessive electrical resistance due to marine deposits, which hinders effective cathodic protection.
Innovation Solution
A 'hot stab' type electrical connection system featuring a scraper with a jagged surface, mounted using a compliant element, that engages and scrapes the contact surface to create a low-resistance conductive pathway, even in the presence of marine deposits, allowing for mechanical and electrical coupling without seals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional underwater electrical connection system is used, then mechanical coupling can be achieved, but electrical resistance becomes excessive due to marine deposits
Solution Approach 1:
The scraper is pre-installed on the connector assembly before deployment. When the connector is inserted into the receptacle, the scraper automatically engages and scrapes the contact surface, removing marine deposits in advance of the electrical connection being made. This preliminary cleaning action ensures low electrical resistance from the moment of connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The scraper acts as an intermediary element between the connector and the receptacle contact surface. It mediates the interaction by physically removing harmful marine deposits, allowing direct metal-to-metal contact and ensuring reliable electrical coupling without being affected by the corrosive underwater environment.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a sealed connection system is used to protect against marine deposits, then protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the seals from the connection system entirely. Instead of using seals to protect against marine deposits, the design relies on the scraper to actively remove deposits and create a direct metal-to-metal contact. This extraction of seals simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining protection against marine environmental effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system is self-servicing through the automatic scraping action. When the connector is inserted, the scraper automatically engages and cleans the contact surface without requiring any additional protective mechanisms. The system serves itself by actively removing harmful deposits rather than passively protecting against them with complex sealing arrangements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a non-tubular subsea metallic entity is connected, then versatility is improved, but connection reliability decreases due to surface deposits
Solution Approach 1:
The connector assembly with the scraper is designed to be universal and can connect to various types of subsea metallic entities, not just tubular structures. The scraper ensures reliable electrical coupling across different surface types by actively removing marine deposits, making the connection system versatile while maintaining reliability across diverse applications.
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
The system effectively maintains a low electrical resistance and enables cathodic protection by cutting through marine deposits, ensuring reliable connections in underwater environments, even in the absence of seals, and supports multiple connect/disconnect cycles by a diver or ROV.
Implementation Method 1
The jagged surface may engage and scrape the contact surface of the second conductive body. Thus, an electrically conductive pathway may be created between the first connector assembly and the second connector assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
An electro-mechanical connection is of the type of a “hot stab” connection. The connection also includes a jagged surface in the form of a scraper, which is capable of cutting through a deposit that could otherwise excessively increase the electrical resistance across the connection. The connection can be used underwater and installed by a diver or ROV, for example, for connecting cathodic protection to a subsea structure.