On November 17, 2024, China's first independently designed and built deep-sea drilling vessel, Dream, was officially launched in Guangzhou. The vessel spans 179.8 meters in length and 32.8 meters in width, with an impressive 15,000 nautical mile endurance and the ability to operate continuously at sea for up to 120 days. It is equipped with a drilling capacity of up to 11,000 meters, with the goal of achieving the human scientific dream of "breaking through the Mohorovičić discontinuity and reaching the upper mantle." Behind this massive ship, deep-sea slip rings play an irreplaceable role as key components, driving continuous breakthroughs in ocean exploration technology.
A deep-sea slip ring is a special rotating connector capable of transmitting electrical current and signals in extreme environments, including high pressure, low temperature, strong interference, and high salinity and humidity. For example, on the Dream vessel, deep-sea slip rings are used in the top-drive system, transmitting electrical power from the ship’s power system to the drive motor, enabling the drill string to rotate at high speed for drilling operations. Simultaneously, the slip rings transmit motor operational data, such as speed, torque, and temperature, back to the control center on the ship, allowing operators to precisely control the drilling process based on real-time feedback.
Additionally, deep-sea slip rings are used in the propulsion system. The Dream vessel is equipped with a special propulsion system, including a fully rotating aft thruster, retractable bow thruster, and bow-side thruster. These thrusters require power transmission and control signal transfer during operation. While the rotation method and working environment of the thrusters differ from the drilling equipment, the slip rings still play a crucial role in ensuring their proper functioning and precise control.
Beyond these applications, deep-sea slip rings are also used in deep-sea ROVs, AUVs, robotic arms, winches, and other exploration devices. The pressure of seawater imposes high demands on the slip ring’s structure and materials. In the field of ocean exploration, a depth of 5000 meters can reach 70% of the world’s ocean floor, with a pressure of 5000 tons per square meter during a 5000-meter sea trial. The seawater temperature hovers around 2°C, which means the slip rings must withstand low temperatures, high pressure, and offer excellent sealing technology. As early as 2017, JINPAT proactively established a research and development team for deep-sea slip ring technology, fully dedicating efforts to research and testing. After persistent work, JINPAT’s deep-sea slip ring project has successfully overcome technical bottlenecks, enabling stable operation at 5000 meters underwater, contributing to the field of ocean exploration with its technological strength.
We firmly believe that JINPAT will continue to break through the next technological bottleneck and that one day, we will achieve the goal of "breaking through the Mohorovičić discontinuity and reaching the upper mantle."