chapter 22 

 UTILITIES 



V. C. Anderson 



Marine Physical Laboratory 



San Diego, California 



WATER SUPPLY 



The Sealab water supply was taken from the water main near the pier on the Scripps Insti- 

 tution of Oceanography campus. 



Water was piped at main pressure to the outer end of the pier via 1000 feet of 1-1/2-in. 

 polyethylene pipe. At the pier end, two 3/4-horsepower helical rotor pumps were provided and 

 mainfold connected into the two 3/4-in. schedule- 80-vinyl pipes used for transmission of water 

 to Sealab. Each pump was capable of providing an output pressure 70 psi over the source pres- 

 sure at 5 gpm flow. After a few days of operations it was determined that main pressure, 

 which averaged 75 psi, was sufficient for supplying Sealab. At this time the pumps were by- 

 passed and secured. 



The two water lines were laid with and attached to the Sealab power cable (see Power 

 Supply for laying procedures). The lines were terminated at the transformer dome in a pair 

 of Hansen B6K31 self-sealing couplers. There couplers were secured to the transformer dome 

 near its base for easy access by the divers. Check-valve assemblies were coupled at the time 

 of installation to permit the line to be flushed with fresh water. Divers removed the check- 

 valve assemblies and coupled flexible water hoses for the connection to the Sealab fresh-water 

 system. 



POWER SUPPLY 



The power supply for Sealab was taken from a main power distribution pad on the Scripps 

 Institution of Oceanography campus. A length of armored four-conductor submarine cable, 

 identical to that used on the ocean floor to the Sealab site, was laid along the pier. The pier 

 end of the cable was terminated in a high-voltage disconnect switch, while the campus end was 

 wired to disconnect when the demand exceeded 100 kva. Transmission voltage was 4160 volts 

 3 phase. 



The underwater submarine cable lay was terminated at a point near the Sealab site in an 

 underwater transformer housing containing three 37-l/2-kva transformers providing a 3-phase 

 440-volt output. The shore end of the cable was connected to the high-voltage disconnect 

 switch on the pier. 



INSTALLATION 



The initial installation was made on Aug. 20 using an oil-filled concrete dome 6 ft in diam- 

 eter and 6 ft high as a housing for the undersea transformers. The laying procedure consisted 

 of transferring the dome with cables and water lines attached to the staging vessel, using the 

 staging-vessel crane. The power cable - water pipe bundle was then taken aboard the staging 

 vessel and stopped off with a length of nylon line. The cable layer (NEL's YFU-45) then pro- 

 ceeded to lay the cable in a direct line to the pier. As the cable payed out from the cable well, 

 the water lines fed from their individual ten-foot-diameter spools, and were banded to the 



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