Wet Design High Voltage Submarine Field and Repair Joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023111135-A1
Application number	US-202217890264-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 17, 2022
Priority date	Sep 8, 2021
Publication date	Apr 13, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A joint assembly for two high voltage submarine cables (20, 30) of wet or semi wet design includes a water permeable enclosure (10) for receiving the two cables (20, 30) at opposite ends (16, 17) of the enclosure, and at least one joint unit (40, 50, 60) within said enclosure. Each joint unit connects corresponding phase conductors of each of the two cables (20, 30). A method of joining two three-phase high voltage submarine cables (20, 30) and a wet design electrical subsea pre-molded joint (100).

First claim

1 . A pre-molded joint comprising:
a tubular first layer made of a semiconducting material; a second layer made of an insulating material surrounding the outer surface of the first layer; and a third layer made of a semiconducting material surrounding the outer surface of the second layer
wherein said first layer defines a tubular chamber suitable for surrounding an electrical joint between two cable conductors; and wherein at least one of the layers of the joint are water permeable.

2 . The pre-molded joint according to of claim 1 , wherein all the layers of the joint are water permeable.

3 . The pre-molded joint according to of claim 1 , wherein the interface between said third layer and said second layer has a curved profile.

4 . The pre-molded joint according to claim 1 , wherein each of the layers comprises a same elastomeric material, selected from the group consisting of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE), and silicon rubber.

5 . A joint assembly for joining two high voltage submarine cables of wet or semi-wet design, comprising:
a water permeable enclosure for receiving the two cables at opposite ends of the enclosure, and at least one joint unit within said enclosure.

6 . The joint assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one joint unit is water permeable.

7 . The joint assembly according to claim 5 , wherein each cable is a three-phase high voltage submarine cables, and the joint assembly comprises at least three joint units, each joint unit for connecting corresponding phase conductors of each of the two cables.

8 . The joint assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the enclosure comprises two bend guides located at the opposite ends of the enclosure.

9 . The joint assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the enclosure comprises at least one aperture to facilitate flooding.

10 . A joint assembly for joining two high voltage submarine cables of wet or semi-wet design, comprising:
a water permeable enclosure for receiving the two cables at opposite ends of the enclosure, and at least one joint unit within said enclosure, wherein each of the joint units are a pre-molded joint according to claim 1 .

11 . A method for joining two high voltage submarine cables of wet or semi-wet design, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing the two cables; b) providing a joint assembly comprising
a water permeable enclosure for receiving a connecting end section of each of the two cables at opposite ends of the enclosure, and
at least a joint unit arranged within the enclosure, each joint unit for connecting corresponding phase conductors of each of the two cables;
c) joining the corresponding phase conductors of each of the two cables using the at least a joint unit.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the joint assembly is a joint assembly according to claim 5 .

13 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising a step of lowering the joint assembly under water, after step c), such that the enclosure is flooded with water.

14 . The cable joint comprising two high-voltage submarine cables, and a joint assembly according to claim 5 .

15 . The cable joint according to claim 14 , wherein the joint assembly and/or the two high-voltage cables are fully saturated with water.

Assignees

• Nexans

Inventors

• Rod Alf Erik

Classifications

• H02G15/117

  for multiconductor cables · CPC title

• H02G1/14

  for joining or terminating cables · CPC title

• H01B7/14

  Submarine cables · CPC title

• H02G15/18 Primary

  protected by sleeves, e.g. for communication cable (two-part covers H02G15/10 {; preforms having internal stresses B29C61/00}) · CPC title

• H02G9/02 Primary

  laid directly in or on the ground, river-bed or sea-bottom; Coverings therefor, e.g. tile · CPC title