Subsea Plug With Movable Cartridge for Corrosion Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Subsea electrical connections are prone to corrosion and signal interruption due to exposed connector pins, leading to costly downtime and inefficiencies in underwater power and data transmission.
Innovation Solution
A plug with a movable connection cartridge that can be remotely operated to switch between various electrical configurations, including insulation and connection arrangements, to prevent corrosion and ensure reliable underwater electrical connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If exposed connector pins are used for underwater electrical connections, then electrical connection functionality is achieved, but corrosion and electrical insulation reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into separate functional components: exposed connector pins for electrical connection and a separate protective coating system for corrosion protection. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the pins maintain their electrical functionality while the coating provides dedicated corrosion protection, resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A composite protective coating system is applied to the connector pins, combining multiple materials with different properties. The coating includes a primer layer for adhesion, a intermediate layer for corrosion resistance, and a top layer for environmental protection. This composite structure provides comprehensive corrosion protection while maintaining the electrical conductivity of the underlying metal pins, thus improving reliability without significantly increasing complexity.
2Reliability
If connector pins are protected from corrosion, then connection reliability improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating is applied to the connector pins during the manufacturing process, before the pins are installed in the underwater connector assembly. This preliminary action ensures that the corrosion protection is built-in from the start, eliminating the need for separate protection steps later. The coating process is integrated into the existing manufacturing workflow, minimizing additional manufacturing complexity while ensuring reliable corrosion protection.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple connector design is used, then manufacturing ease improves, but corrosion protection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating system is designed to be self-contained and self-sufficient, providing all necessary corrosion protection functions without requiring external maintenance or additional components. The multi-layer coating structure inherently provides adhesion, corrosion resistance, and environmental protection, allowing the connector to protect itself against corrosion in the harsh underwater environment. This self-service approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while effectively addressing corrosion resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
A plug includes a housing defining an inner space that is sealably separated from the underwater environment, a first contact disposed within the inner space and including a first conducting region, a second contact disposed within the inner space and including a second conducting region, a third contact disposed within the inner space and including a third conducting region, and a connection cartridge selectively movable between three discrete positions without disconnecting the plug from the receptacle. A first position provides an electrical connection between the first conducting region and the second conducting region and insulates the third conducting region, a second position in which the first conducting region, the second conducting region, and the third conducting region are electrically connected to one another, and a third position in which the first conducting region, the second conducting region, and the third conducting region are electrically insulated from one another.