Towards subsea non-ohmic power transfer via a capacitor-like structure

Abstract

In this work, a preliminary investigation of the behavior of a parallel-plate capacitor-like structure immersed in the seawater is presented as the first step towards the development of a non-inductive contactless power transfer system under seawater. The reference structure consists of two square copper parallel plates with a side of 18 cm. Four media have been considered (air, de-ionized water, seawater and tap water); the distance between the plates is varied from 0.5 to 50 cm per each medium, and the transmission coefficient of the capacitor is recorded for each case. The measurements are performed in the frequency range 100–50 MHz. An equivalent circuit model has been carried out and some considerations about the power transfer mechanism in capacitor-like structures in the seawater have been drawn to pave the way towards more applicable structures.