Underwater Electrical Connector Earth Guide Member Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Underwater electrical connectors face challenges with high voltage applications, including electrical stress, material degradation, and overheating due to high electric field gradients and current flow, which affect efficiency and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a contact pin with an axially extending conductive core and annular insulation portion, featuring a larger rear end portion diameter for increased stiffness and contact area, along with a conductive sleeve and earth guide member to manage electrical stress and heat dissipation, and a termination assembly with a locking mechanism to prevent damage from vibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high voltage is used in underwater connectors, then electrical power transmission capability is improved, but electrical stress and material degradation increase
Solution Approach 1:
An earth guide member is introduced as an intermediary component between the conductive core and the surrounding environment. This earth guide member provides a controlled path for electrical stress distribution, acting as a mediator that protects the insulating materials and conductive core from direct exposure to high voltage stress, thereby maintaining reliability while enabling high power transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The diameter of the earth guide member is varied along its length (larger diameter portion and smaller diameter portion) to change the electrical stress distribution parameters. This parameter change allows optimization of the electric field gradient, reducing stress concentration at critical interfaces while maintaining high voltage capability
2Power
If high current is drawn through the connector, then power transmission is improved, but heating and hot spots increase
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surfaces at the front and rear ends of the conductive core are designed with larger areas compared to the intermediate portion. This parameter change in surface area distribution reduces current density at the contact points, minimizing resistive heating and hot spot formation while maintaining high power transmission capability
3Reliability
If the conductive core has a larger diameter for increased contact area, then electrical contact quality is improved, but the diameter is limited where it passes through the earth shield
Solution Approach 1:
The earth guide member is segmented into different diameter portions (larger diameter portion and smaller diameter portion) along its length. This segmentation allows the conductive core to have varying diameters at different locations, enabling larger contact surfaces at the ends while passing through the earth guide member, thus improving electrical contact quality without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the conductive core are given different diameters tailored to their specific functions: larger diameter at contact surfaces for quality electrical connection, and appropriate diameter at the intermediate portion for passing through the earth guide member. This local quality optimization resolves the contradiction between contact area and structural constraints
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 effectively reduces electrical stress, prevents material degradation, and enhances the reliability and efficiency of underwater electrical connections by providing a larger contact area, improved heat dissipation, and a secure locking mechanism, suitable for high voltage applications.
Implementation Method 1
a larger rear end portion diameter for increased stiffness and contact area
Implementation Method 2
to manage electrical stress and heat dissipation
Implementation Method 3
to manage electrical stress and heat dissipation
Implementation Method 4
a termination assembly with a locking mechanism to prevent damage from vibration
Data Source
AI summary
An underwater electrical connection assembly comprising: a contact pin (2) comprising an axially extending conductive core (5) with front (7) and rear (11) portions each having a respective electrical contact surface (8,13), and an annular insulation portion (17) around said conductive core (5) extending axially rearwardly from the front portion (7) of the conductive core (5) ; a chamber (18) containing insulating fill material which surrounds the annular insulation portion (17) of the contact pin (2) where it extends axially rearwardly from a first axial position; and an earth guide member (32) extending rearwardly from said first axial position to a second axial position rearward of the first axial position, said earth guide member (32) extending rearwardly from adjacent to the annular insulation portion (17) at said first axial position to radially outward of said annular insulation portion (17) at said second axial position.