Review of Electrical Connectors for Underwater Applications

Abstract

Abstract-The history of underwater electrical connectors is relatively new: In 1858, the first transatlantic communication cable was created. Since then, the need for subsea electrical connectors has been growing very fast in the offshore industry. Today numerous companies offer a large choice of underwater connectors and assemblies, and it can be intricate to distinguish the different technologies employed for each of them. However the use, deployment, maintenance, and lifetime of any subsea equipment, from a simple sonar to a wave energy converter, relies on its connectors. Hence the design of an underwater electrical connector is to be carefully looked at, and especially for tailor-made applications that have more specific requirements. To produce a good connector, it is necessary to account for thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties, as well as to determine the best materials that should be used for the application. Finally, connector issues go hand in hand with the deployment and operation of any electrical equipment, and it is of interest to review the different techniques for cable connection, as well as the challenges related to cable layout. Those challenges can be of different nature, but they should all be taken into account for any subsea connection.

Deployment and Maintenance of Wave Energy Converters at the Lysekil Research Site: A Comparative Study on the Use of Divers and Remotely-Operated Vehicles

“…Another reason is the lack of tools and equipment for assisting ROVs in their tasks. Developments that would be most beneficial to WEC deployment are: docking systems, specific grippers and manipulators, drums for cable dragging, automatic shackles for ROV use, and electrical connectors for ROV use [51]. One final reason is the need for trained personnel to operate and maintain the ROV and its instruments.…”

An Overview of Underwater Connectors

“…Underwater connectors are the "articulus" of cables, which makes them undoubtedly become one of the most significant components of deep-sea equipment. It seems that most unsuccessful underwater and offshore projects are due to connection failures [19]. Just as Paul G. Slade says, the obsolescence of connectors occurs not in one's life, but within one's recent memory [20].…”

“…Essentially, underwater connectors can be categorized into dry-mateable connectors (DMCs) and wet-mateable connectors (WMCs). As the names suggest, the difference between DMCs and WMCs is whether connectors can be mated and de-mated in the subsea environment [19]. WMCs can reduce the time and the cost of total productive maintenance (TPM), and can provide an effective solution for the expansion and networking of the deepsea system [21].…”

Analysis of reciprocating O‐ring seal in the pressure‐balanced oil‐filled wet‐mate electrical connectors for underwater applications

“…Since wet‐mate electrical connectors for underwater applications were invented in 1960s, they have been widely used in many fields, such as oil and gas, Remote Operated Vehicle(ROV)/Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), offshore renewable, military, and communication . In the past 50 years, a great deal of effort has been devoted to further develop the underwater electrical connection technology, such as optimising the structure, simplifying the manufacturing process, and reducing the cost …”