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plications, we distinguish between dry- mate and wet-mate connectors. Dry- mate connectors are mated topside in dry circumstances and then submerged to their rated depth. They cannot be in- terconnected on the sea fl oor. A subsea processing system will involve both dry-mate connectors within a module and wet-mate connectors for intermod- ule connectivity. Typically, in a wet-mate connector, one mating half of the connector is in- sulated by a shuttle mechanism protect- ing the female contact when unmated. A mechanical spring keeps the shuttle mechanism closed, sealing the inter- face. During the mating operation, the shuttle is pushed in by the male pin/con- tact; simultaneously, a set of seals and membranes cleans/wipes the male pin and ensures no water is allowed into the mated pair. The internal oil is displaced by the pin contact. Figure 2 shows the basic operation during mating. The design of a wet-mate connector in- volves pressure-balanced dielectric oil. Figure 2: Operation of a wet-mate connector [photo: TE Connectivity / DEUT SCH connector s] Marine Technology Reporter 29 www.seadiscovery.com MTR #3 (18-33).indd 29 4/10/2014 11:58:01 AM
