NEWS

This abundance has led to the development of various deep-sea engineering and equipment, such as Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and large oil and gas pipe systems for exploration and operations. Underwater connectors ensure continuous power for deep-sea engineering and serve as a medium to convey subsea data enabling onshore monitoring of deep-sea conditions. 

For ROVs, connectors are vital for both power and communication, facilitating the movement of ROV parts, such as thrusters, towards objectives while they transmit the flying direction data to onshore pilots.

Understanding Categories of Underwater Connectors

Underwater connectors are generally classified as wet and dry connectors based on their mating and demating capabilities underwater. Wet connectors can be mated and demated underwater, but this operation is only possible when power is disrupted or it would cause danger. Dry connectors, with a different design structure, can only mate and demate on the surface.

Features of Wet Connectors

• High Pressure Resistance:
  
  Wet connectors can withstand high underwater pressure due to their rubber material and one-piece body structure produced through injection molding. This design ensures better sealing quality to prevent water penetration.

• Affordable Price:
  
  Made mostly of rubber, are more cost-effective than dry connectors made of metal. The friendly price makes wet connectors have tackled traction since they were launched in early years. DWTEK is one of the few qualified suppliers in the field, the high technical entry level and high product development cost required limit the number of companies. 

Features of Dry Connectors

• Greater Force Resistance:
  Dry connectors, made with metal, have stronger bodies compared to rubber-made wet connectors, making them more resistant to external forces. Some dry connectors have holes located at four angles, allowing them to lock onto deep-sea devices.

• Easy Maintenance:
  In contrast to wet connectors, which need to be greased before installation to ensure sealing, dry connectors do not require this step. Consequently, without residue left on dry connectors making them more easy to clean and maintain.

Connector Series

To distinguish different types of wet connectors, in the field, we would use a series name to classify. Typically, the most widely recognized ones include the standard circular (SC) and micro circular (MC) series, both being globally popular circular-shaped connectors. Notably, the micro circular series has gained significant popularity among underwater device manufacturers, particularly in applications such as acoustic sonar, owing to its compact size that accommodates small-body devices. Other series encompass low profile, low profile micro, high power, rubber mold, and more. Dry connectors series include metal shell.  

When comparing these series, excluding the Ethernet series, the obvious distinction is their power voltage. As mentioned above, the standard circular series (SC) features a larger body than the micro circular series. For instance, the SC series can convey up to 600 VDC, while the MC series is limited to 300VDC. The high power series, with the large body, can handle up to 1,000 VDC.

• Ethernet series:
  Similar to how we transmit data and images via Ethernet on land, deep-sea operations depend on ethernet connectors to convey subsea sound, images, and videos. For example, when an ROV approaches a offshore turbine and uses a camera to inspect for heavy marine growth, the captured footage is transmitted through ethernet connectors to ROV pilots. This information aids them in gaining a firsthand understanding of the turbine's condition, allowing them to determine their next step of action.

Connector Structures

After understanding the meaning of connector series, the next step involves learning about their structures. Taking three popular structures as examples: bulkhead, inline, and dummy. The main difference lies in their shapes. Referring to the picture below, the bulkhead has an additional metal bulkhead connecting the rubber body, allowing users to install it on the surface of the ROV chamber. Dummy, a special and useful add-on similar to the anti-dust accessories on our laptops, is typically mated with connectors installed on subsea engineering equipment to prevent dust after a mission returns to the surface.

Understanding Male and Female Connectors

We can find plug and receptacle connectors in a connector series. The plug type typically features one or more contacts (or pins), while the receptacle contains an equivalent number of matched sockets. As a result, the terms male connector and female connector are commonly used to represent the plug and receptacle, respectively.

Summary

In summary, underwater connectors play a vital role for  equipment and systems supporting deep-sea exploration. They convey power, data, and image transmission. DWTEK stands as a world-leading and reliable connectivity solution provider. With 16 years of experience, we have empowered global clients in various fields such as oil and gas and offshore industries.
🔗DWTEK Service - Connector Customization