Rapid Sealing Technology for Navy Undersea Surveillance System Cable Joints

An upcoming Navy program requires a substantial improvement in the speed of deploying undersea cables for communication, surveillance and control systems. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems is working to create the new system. A critical component of the cable joint protection system is the polyethylene covering that is assembled in parts. These components must be fused to form a long-lasting watertight seal. Raytheon has determined that non-contact heating is the ideal polyethylene joining approach. Grid Logic has a portfolio of induction heating technologies, including a new ultra-high frequency method called Micro-Induction Heating, that can spatially-localize magnetic flux. These technologies could be adapted to create a rapid non-contact welding system to quickly heat metallic wires or particles embedded in polyethylene parts. As targeted volumes of polyethylene melt, polymer chains diffuse between the parts creating strong permanent joints. The companys technology might also be extended to provide a non-destructive inspection capability that could be used in-process. The objective of this SBIR Phase II project is to establish the enabling technology for a suitable polyethylene welding device based on Grid Logics technology. During the project, Grid Logic and Raytheon will also investigate heating element alternatives to make the polyethylene joining operation most effective.