Subsea Connector Insulating Sleeve Ceramic Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Subsea electrical connectors face challenges with long-term exposure to seawater leading to corrosion and water permeation, which can cause electrical breakdown and failure, especially under high voltage conditions, due to electrophoresis and high electrical stresses.
Innovation Solution
A conductive ceramic coating is applied to the electrically insulating material of subsea electrical connector components, providing a physical barrier against seawater and acting as an earth shield to contain electrical fields, thereby preventing water permeation and reducing corrosion, while maintaining electrical integrity and simplicity in manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal or metalized coating is applied to the insulating sleeve, then water permeation is suppressed and electrical stresses are reduced, but corrosion resistance deteriorates due to long term subsea exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a composite coating structure consisting of an inner metal layer (e.g., nickel or copper) for electrical conductivity and stress distribution, combined with an outer ceramic layer (e.g., alumina or zirconia) for corrosion and chemical resistance. This multi-layer composite coating integrates the advantages of both materials: the metal provides electrical field management while the ceramic protects against seawater corrosion and chemical degradation in the subsea environment.
2Ease of manufacture
If the insulating sleeve is exposed to seawater, then manufacturing is simple, but water permeation and electrophoresis lead to insulation failure over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the surface properties of the insulating sleeve by applying a conductive ceramic coating that changes the electrical and chemical parameters of the surface. This coating creates a barrier that prevents water permeation and electrophoresis while maintaining the overall simplicity of the insulating sleeve structure and manufacturing process.
3Power
If high voltage is applied to the connector, then electrical performance is improved, but electrical stresses degrade the insulation material and cause breakdown
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive ceramic coating acts as an equipotential shield that redistributes electrical stresses uniformly across the insulating sleeve surface. By maintaining a relatively uniform potential distribution, the coating prevents localized high electric field concentrations that would otherwise cause insulation breakdown, thereby enabling high voltage operation while protecting the insulation material.
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 ceramic coating effectively prevents water ingress and corrosion, maintains electrical insulation integrity, and reduces electrical stresses, ensuring the subsea electrical connector's reliability and longevity by confining electrical fields within the insulation material.
Implementation Method 1
By means of the ceramic coating, a physical barrier to the sea water may be provided, so that the electrically insulating material is protected from such water permeation
Implementation Method 2
Furthermore, the protective coating may provide an earth shield, so that the electrical field may not leave the electrically insulating material, thereby preventing the attraction of sea water towards the high voltage source and thus into the electrically insulating material
Data Source
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AI summary
A component (20) of a subsea electrical connector (100, 101) is provided. The component (20) is made of an electrically insulating material. The component (20) includes a protective coating (21) applied to at least a portion of the electrically insulating material for preventing water permeation into the electrically insulating material. A method of manufacturing a component (20) of a subsea electrical connector (100, 01) is further provided.