Submarine Cable Joint Enclosure Merging Conductive and Reinforcement Functions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing submarine cable joints are bulky and complex, requiring separate casings for mechanical strength and current conduction, which complicates assembly and increases size, while prior art fails to efficiently integrate these functions into a compact design.
Innovation Solution
A tubular enclosure with a current-carrying part integrated into a reinforcement part made of lower electrical conductivity material, which also provides mechanical strength, eliminating the need for separate casings and facilitating assembly by forming a single unit that conducts current and withstands hydrostatic pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate casings are used for mechanical strength and current conduction, then each function can be optimized independently, but the device becomes bulky and complex with difficult assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the mechanical reinforcement function and current conduction function into a single integrated enclosure structure. The enclosure is made of a composite material that simultaneously provides both mechanical strength and electrical conductivity, eliminating the need for separate casings and simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining functional reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical reinforcement to withstand hydrostatic pressure, conducts electrical current from the cable armouring, and forms a watertight barrier. This multi-functional design reduces the number of components and simplifies assembly while ensuring reliable operation
2Reliability
If separate casings are used for mechanical strength and current conduction, then each component can be optimized for its specific function, but the overall size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mechanical reinforcement casing and current-conducting elements into a single integrated enclosure. This consolidation eliminates the volume occupied by multiple separate components and their interfaces, resulting in a more compact joint design while maintaining the functional performance of both mechanical strength and electrical conduction
3Reliability
If multiple separate components are used in the joint enclosure, then each component can be optimized for its specific function, but the assembly process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into a single enclosure component that can be installed as one unit. This eliminates the need for complex multi-step assembly processes involving separate mechanical casings and conducting elements, significantly improving assembly speed and productivity while maintaining functional reliability through the use of composite materials
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 solution results in a more compact and easily assembled submarine cable joint that maintains functionality, with improved watertightness and conductivity, reducing the risk of galvanic corrosion and enhancing mechanical strength.
Implementation Method 1
a current-carrying part arranged so as to be able of conducting at least a part of a current conducted by the armouring of the cables
Implementation Method 2
a reinforcement part provided in order to provide sufficient mechanical strength to the joint enclosure and made of a material of lower electrical conductivity than the material of the current-carrying part
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a joint arrangement (1) for a submarine cable, in which armoured submarine cables are joined together, said joint arrangement comprising a tubular enclosure (5) into which two submarine cables to be joined are to extend and inside which conductors of the two submarine cables are joined, wherein said enclosure (5) comprises a current-carrying part (11) arranged so as to be able of conducting at least a part of a current conducted by the armouring (10) of the cables, and a reinforcement part (12) provided to provide sufficient mechanical strength to said enclosure (5) and made of a material of lower electrical conductivity than the material of the current-carrying part (11). The current-carrying part (11) is integrated in said reinforcement part (12) and forms a single unit therewith.