Undersea Cable Dual-Structure for Impermeability and Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Undersea cables face challenges in achieving perfect impermeability, especially in deep water conditions, where existing impermeable layers struggle to maintain both flexibility and high impermeability performance.
Innovation Solution
The use of a dual-cable structure, where one cable with a lead sheath provides high impermeability for seabed sections and another cable with a tape-shaped component offers flexibility for floating sections, each optimized for its respective environment to ensure both impermeability and flexibility are met.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal layer is used to form the impermeable layer, then high impermeability is achieved, but the cable cannot follow repetitive deformation and the metal layer may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid metal layer with a flexible resin layer that can accommodate repetitive bending and deformation. The resin layer maintains the impermeable function while providing the necessary flexibility to follow cable deformation without damage, directly resolving the contradiction between impermeability and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to resin, fundamentally altering the mechanical properties of the impermeable layer. This material substitution transforms the layer from rigid and brittle to flexible and deformable, enabling it to withstand repetitive bending while maintaining water blocking capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the impermeable layer is made flexible to follow deformation, then adaptability improves, but impermeability performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The resin layer serves as both the flexible structure and the impermeable barrier simultaneously. Unlike traditional designs where flexibility and impermeability are separate functions, the resin material inherently provides both properties, eliminating the need to compromise one for the other.
3Reliability
If a lead sheath is used for high impermeability, then reliability improves, but the cable becomes less flexible and more difficult to install
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material from lead to resin, fundamentally altering the mechanical characteristics. The resin material provides sufficient impermeability for undersea application while offering superior flexibility and ease of installation compared to traditional lead sheaths.
Data Source
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AI summary
Ocean floating installations (1) are disposed on the ocean. The ocean floating installations (1) float on the ocean with the lower part of the ocean floating installations (1) being fixed to the seabed by mooring ropes (11). Each of the ocean floating installations (1) is connected at a connection part (5a) to a cable (3), which is a first cable. Each of the cables (3) is connected at a connection part (5b) to a cable (7), which is a second cable. In other words, the ocean floating installations (1) are connected to each other by the cables (3) and the cable (7). A connection is established with the cables (7) at the connection parts (5b) located on the seabed. In other words, the cables (7) are installed on the seabed.