Core Technology
TBD
Key Features
- Sleeved load path for launch and recovery: A lifting sleeve surrounds the lifting segment so the sleeve carries out-of-water loads when it engages the winch, without requiring a larger-diameter tether design.
- Segmented architecture for signal continuity: The tether combines a lightweight connecting segment for power/data with a lifting segment for strength, keeping a continuous signal pathway while separating load functions.
- Twist management at the load interface: A marine-load engagement device can include a torsional stress relief member, allowing rotation at the load end to release twist and reduce hockling risk.
- In-water contour control option: A variable buoyancy mechanism can create regions with different buoyant density, forming a non-linear tether contour that decouples motion and lowers steady tension.
- Protected splice interface for handling gear: A transition interface can house electrical/optical splices inside a protective volume while still supporting tension and bend loads associated with winch and sheave handling.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Measured Value |
|---|---|
| Peak dynamic working load | 15,000 lb |
| Minimum rated breaking strength | 45,000 lb |
| Representative lifting segment length (example) | ~120 m |
| Working bend radius (example) | 12 in ID / 24 in diameter sheave |
| Heavy & buoyant section wet weight/buoyancy (example) | Heavy: 0.5–3 lb/ft in seawater; Buoyant: 0.15–0.5 lb/ft buoyancy |
Applications
- Offshore energy operations: Supports launch and recovery of tethered vehicles used for inspection and intervention. A compact tether diameter can reduce deck equipment footprint on constrained vessels and platforms.
- Subsea construction and installation: Enables handling of vehicle tools, sensors, and loads where lift capability and clean cable management matter. The load interface can reduce twist-related handling issues.
- Oceanographic research: Supports deep-sea missions that need power/data connectivity plus robust recovery loads. Reduced in-water drag can help preserve vehicle maneuverability during survey work.
- Marine research fleets with limited deck space: Helps operators avoid upsizing to larger winches when load demands increase. This can lower retrofit effort on smaller or multi-mission vessels.
- Test tanks and controlled-water facilities: Applicable to pools, tanks, and chambers that mimic marine environments. Useful for repeated deployment cycles where bend-over-sheave handling and cable life are concerns.
- Port and dockside operations: Relevant when launching and recovering heavy marine devices from docks or shore-based platforms. Supports controlled handling without rebuilding the full deck system around a thicker cable.
- Terrestrial handling of water-deployed equipment: Fits workflows where equipment is lifted in air then operated in water, with a need to manage twist and reduce handling complexity across cycles.
Development Status
TBD
Categories
- Impact Areas:
- Ocean Discovery & Tech
- Technology Areas:
- Marine/Ocean Engineering
