Submarine Power Cable Compression Partitions for Water Ingress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current submarine power cables face challenges in maintaining watertightness, as existing methods for preventing water penetration are not effective under varying pressures, leading to potential electrical disruptions and the need for longer replacement sections when damage occurs.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a submarine power cable with stranded conductors that are made watertight through compression at regular intervals, forming multiple watertight partitions along the cable length, rather than relying on filling materials, allowing for localized repair of water ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If filling materials are used to make the conductor watertight, then the conductor is protected against water penetration, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the filling material from the conductor structure entirely. Instead of inserting compounds between strands, the conductor relies on its own compressed geometry to achieve watertightness, thereby simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining protection against water penetration
Solution Approach 2:
The conductor structure itself provides the watertight function through compression. By deforming the stranded configuration into a substantially solid configuration, the conductor becomes self-sufficient for water protection without requiring additional filling materials or complex encapsulation systems
2Reliability
If filling materials are used over the entire length, then water penetration is prevented, but the quantity of material and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the conductor into multiple compressed sections along its length, creating a series of watertight partitions. This segmentation allows water protection to be achieved at discrete intervals rather than requiring continuous filling material throughout the entire conductor length, thereby reducing material quantity while maintaining effective water barrier protection
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying watertight protection continuously along the entire conductor length, the invention applies compression at specific intervals or sections. This partial action is sufficient to prevent water penetration between partitions while significantly reducing the quantity of material and processing required compared to full-length treatment
3Reliability
If the conductor is compressed to form watertight partitions, then water intrusion is limited to sections between partitions, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state and geometry of the conductor by applying compression force. This parameter change transforms the stranded configuration into a substantially solid configuration, creating watertight partitions. The compression process and resulting geometric transformation provide clear, measurable criteria for quality control, making it easier to verify that watertightness has been achieved without requiring excessively tight tolerances
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
This solution limits water intrusion to sections between adjacent partitions, enabling shorter replacement lengths and enhancing the cable's robustness and simplicity, reducing the risk of electrical disruptions and facilitating easier maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
each of the stranded conductors, at given intervals of the submarine power cable, is compressed across an area to form a plurality of watertight partitions along the length of the submarine power cable
Data Source
AI summary
A submarine power cable is provided having stranded conductor(s) and an insulation system, each individual stranded conductor, at given intervals, being compressed across an area to form a plurality of watertight partitions along a length of the of the submarine power cable. A method provides a plurality of watertight partitions along a length of the submarine power cable. The method includes, at a given point, arranging a compression tool around an outer circumference of the stranded conductor, using the compression tool to compress the stranded conductor, releasing the compression tool from the stranded conductor, and repeating the compression at a number of different points and using the compression tool to compress the stranded conductor at each of these points, thereby forming a plurality of watertight partitions along the length of the submarine power cable.