INTRODUCTION 



This program supports the Navy's requirement 

 for the development and operation of seafloor 

 installations. It is part of the Deep Ocean Technology 

 Program and was sponsored by the Naval Facilities 

 Engineering Command. Electrical energy for these 

 installations, at power levels from a few kilowatts to 

 several hundred kilowatts, can best be provided from 

 shore-based or surface-tendered sources [1]. Typical 

 undersea installations utilizing such power supplies 

 are illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. They include such 

 components as bottom-laid cable, buoy systems, 

 fixed seafloor structures, underwater work vehicles, 

 diving stations, and tensioned arrays for scientific 

 observations. As the complexity of these structures 

 increases, the techniques of modular construction 

 become more important and the ability to isolate or 

 replace sections without recovering an entire struc- 

 ture becomes essential. The flexibility afforded by 

 appropriately located connections for both 

 installation and maintenance is a prime factor in 

 obtaining efficient operation, optimum construction 

 methods, and long life with minimum downtime. 



A serious limitation in undersea operations prior 

 to the developments reported here was that undersea 

 cable connectors were not available for this range of 

 power and strength applications. This lack of suitable 

 connectors severely complicated structure and equip- 

 ment installation and made maintenance both costly 

 and difficult. 



The development effort described in this report 

 concentrated on high-power, high-strength connectors 

 and was coordinated with related low-power 

 connector programs at NAVSHIPS [2] . 



The specific goal was the development of a 

 high-power electromechanical connector system 

 capable of being mated either underwater (wet) or in 

 air (dry). The desired performance of the cable- 

 connector system was as follows: 



1. 360 kw, 60 Hertz, three-phase, AC electric 

 power, at 4,160/2,400 volts, 50 amperes per phase. 



2. Breaking strength of 50,000 pounds with a 

 working load of 14,000 pounds. 



3. Operation over the entire depth range from 

 to 6,000 feet in the open ocean. 



4. Repeated wet-mating capability by divers, or 

 remote operation from submersibles. 



5. Design life of 5 years or 500 operational 

 matings. 



The initial effort involved a review of existing 

 technology related to undersea connectors to estab- 

 lish current problems and possible design approaches. 

 A conceptual design was formulated for each of two 

 approaches, air and underwater (dry and wet) 

 make/break. Following laboratory tests of compon- 

 ents, an experimental model of each configuration 

 was fabricated. A series of pressure-vessel and sea 

 tests was followed by development of 

 second-generation (prototype) connectors. 



CONCEPT FORMULATION 



In December 1968 a contract was awarded to 

 Southwest Research Institute (SWRI), San Antonio, 

 Texas, for design, fabrication and laboratory tests of 

 an experimental high-power electrical connector 

 system [3]. Conceptual designs were required for a 

 cable, a dry connector, and a wet connector. Both the 

 wet and the dry connectors were to include pressure 

 resistant penetrator pins in their internal construction 

 so that the connectors might be adapted to serve as 

 hull penetrators. 



Cable Concept 



The concept initially selected for the cable 

 included four quad-configured No. 6 conductors 

 which were insulated, shielded, and cabled around 

 jute filler. Around the polyethylene inner jacket were 

 48 round steel armor wires, and there was a 



