Page 14: of Marine Technology Magazine (January 2025)

TECH TALK BATTERIES AND UMBILICALS electrical power, umbilicals act as an extension cord, requir- monitoring, subsea robotics, and other applications.

ing a constant connection to an above-water power source. Batteries can also act as a fail-safe power source during

However, subsea batteries can provide an autonomous and lo- umbilical failures, ensuring uninterrupted operations. For au- cal energy supply in the deep subsea. They reduce the need tonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), batteries enable un- for longer and heavier umbilicals, cutting costs associated tethered capability, allowing them to operate independently. with materials, installation, and maintenance. Batteries are Unlike umbilicals, where costs increase exponentially with also con? guration-? exible; modular designs of different sizes depth, pressure-tolerant subsea battery power costs remain and capacities meet the evolving operational needs of remote constant, making batteries a more economical option for deep-sea applications. Advanced technologies like the Sea-

Safe® subsea battery modules, which are pressure-tolerant to depths of 6,000 meters, exemplify this capability.

Combining the Two

Umbilicals and batteries both play important roles, so com- bining the two can optimize energy management in subsea ap- plications. Subsea batteries provide localized power to remote systems, reducing dependency on long umbilicals. Serving as a supplementary power source, subsea batteries can also enhance system reliability, ensuring seamless operations in isolated or unmanned environments.

Hybrid systems that combine the strengths of umbilicals and batteries can bene? t from optimal energy performance and ef? ciency. Batteries can take on peak demand scenarios, al- ?DA?sYG>sYU?ÐŽw ?DA?sYGuGÐl?ŽYsÐ??ÐŽw ?KsOslAu?ÐŽw ?K'sOslAu?ÐŽw ?DA?sYGdGÐSYŽuŽO?EG???ÐŽw ?DA?sOwGW?ŽÐ?u?sŽY?ÐŽw ?DA?sOwGW?ŽIG??sŽYAu?ÐŽw ?DA?sOwG:Žd??ÐŽw ?s|GA?EsGYÐGAYEd?suEd?AYEA?A?GYG???slSEG?tA|GDGEsA??IAwsu?ŽI?Gd?slG??

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