Springs in the Submersible Industry
Coiling Technologies Inc. designs and manufactures customized springs for deep sea use. Equipment used in deep water must be reliable, durable, and corrosion resistant. Attention to detail, quality, and functionality are critical for equipment to operate safely and smoothly in highly pressurized conditions.
Customized springs designed and manufactured by Coiling Technologies Inc. provide corrosion resistance and tensile strength to withstand the most extreme conditions that can occur in deep-sea applications. For example, CTI provided special Inconel springs for the deep-sea submersible ALVIN; with the current upgrade, ALVIN will be able to reach depths of 21,000 ft. (6500 m). Read more about us supplying for Alvin here at our LinkedIn Post.
Deapsea Industry Springs & Coils
Coiling Technologies Inc. manufactures customized, large compression springs, extension springs, wave springs, and torsion springs for use in deep-sea environments. Our expertly engineered and designed, and rigorously tested springs have a wide range of applications in the deep-sea industry.
Use customized compression springs, extension springs, and torsion springs manufactured by Coiling Technologies, Inc., for:
- Undersea drilling equipment
- Safety Hatches
- Watertight doors
- Underwater HVAC systems
- Naval Vessels
- Submarines
- Remotely operated underwater vehicles
- Autonomous underwater vehicles
- Submersibles
- Pressure vessels
Water & Corrosion Resistant Springs
When it comes to deep sea application, the utilization of corrosion resistant springs and water-resistant springs is essential. We work with a range of anti-corrosive materials like copper alloys that include:
- Beryllium Copper
- Monel 400
- Monel K-500
- Phosphorus Bronze.
Familiar Stainless-steel grades such as 316, Super Duplex, and Nitronic 50 are also used.
Nickel alloys are also commonly used in deep water applications such as
- Hastelloy C-276
- Elgiloy
- Inconel 718
- Inconel X750
- MP35N.
All these alloys perform extremely well in applications with saltwater exposure. In certain instances, carbon steel grades such as chrome silicon and chrome vanadium can be selected if proper corrosion protection or coatings are utilized and there is no direct exposure to the aquatic environment. Each material type varies in its chemical composition and properties. We can help you find the right material that perfectly suits the environment in your application.
Your Custom Spring Partner
Coiling Technologies Inc. utilizes innovative processes and state-of-the-art technology to design, develop and deliver the reliable springs you require for your equipment to function exceptionally well in deep water.
We manufacture springs to our customers’ exact design specifications, meeting the tightest tolerances and producing the most complex designs with supreme accuracy and attention to detail.
Coiling Technologies Inc. is driven to provide exceptional service in the spring industry. We accomplish this every day with each customer and client with our highly skilled engineers, well-experienced staff, and the best practices we apply to our manufacturing products and services.
We offer our customers comprehensive services beginning with specification analysis, design assistance, and manufacturing of custom springs that meet requirements for quality and cost.
Our versatility is unbeatable, and with our springs’ high performance and quality, you can count on us to deliver exactly what you need every time. Contact us to request a quote today!
Deep Sea Springs FAQs
What unique challenges does the deep sea environment present for spring design and material selection?
Springs deployed in deep sea environments face a combination of extreme challenges that rarely occur together in other applications: very high hydrostatic pressure (approximately 14.7 psi per 33 feet of depth—more than 2,000 psi at 4,500 feet and over 9,000 psi at 21,000 feet), continuous exposure to highly corrosive seawater containing chlorides, sulfates, and dissolved gases, very low ambient temperatures (approximately 32°F–39°F / 0°C–4°C in deep ocean environments), and access intervals for inspection or replacement measured in years rather than months. Spring materials and designs must perform reliably under all of these conditions simultaneously. Coiling Technologies has direct experience in this application space, having manufactured special Inconel springs for the deep-sea research submersible ALVIN, which operates at depths up to 21,000 feet (6,500 meters).
What spring materials are best suited for deep sea and subsea environments?
The most appropriate materials depend on the specific combination of pressure, temperature, and chemical exposure. Inconel 625 is one of the most commonly specified materials due to its outstanding seawater corrosion resistance, excellent strength, and reliable performance at deep sea temperatures. Hastelloy C-276 is preferred when springs are also exposed to production fluids containing H₂S or CO₂ in oil and gas subsea applications. Titanium alloys (particularly Ti-6Al-4V) are used when weight is critical and the corrosion environment is primarily seawater. Copper alloys—including beryllium copper, Monel 400, and Monel K-500—are used in applications requiring non-sparking or non-magnetic properties. Stainless grades such as 316, super duplex, and Nitronic 50 are used where the combination of requirements and service depth permits.
How does extreme hydrostatic pressure at depth affect spring performance and design?
For solid metallic springs, hydrostatic pressure does not directly compress or alter structural properties because pressure is applied uniformly from all directions and creates no net deflecting force on the spring coils. However, pressure is critical in overall system design when springs are housed inside pressure vessels, instrument housings, or fluid chambers: the pressure differential across housing walls and seals must be accommodated in the mechanical and structural design. The spring itself must function within its housing at full ambient pressure without buckling, jamming, or generating excessive friction from contact with the housing bore—factors that must be analyzed for very deep subsea designs.
What industries use deep sea springs and for what applications?
Deep sea springs are used in: oil and gas subsea production systems (wellhead control systems, subsea trees, blowout preventers, ROV-operated valve actuators, production choke mechanisms), oceanographic research instruments (CTD instrument packages, current meters, sediment samplers, deep profiling floats), marine defense equipment (naval sonar transducer mounts, weapon system components), deep sea telecommunications infrastructure (cable routing and tensioning systems for submarine cable installations), and exploration vehicles including ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) and AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles) where reliable actuation at depth is required.
Can standard stainless steel springs function reliably in long-term deep sea service?
Standard 302 or 304 stainless steel springs are generally not suitable for long-term deep sea service. While they offer moderate corrosion resistance in mild marine environments, both grades are susceptible to chloride-induced pitting and crevice corrosion with prolonged seawater exposure at the high chloride concentrations and elevated pressures encountered at depth. Higher-performance materials—316L stainless for less demanding conditions, super duplex stainless, Inconel 625, or Hastelloy C-276 for more aggressive service—are preferred for reliable long-term deep sea spring applications. The selected material should be evaluated against both general corrosion and stress corrosion cracking resistance criteria for seawater service at the planned operating depth and temperature.
What specifications should engineers provide when ordering custom deep sea springs?
Engineers should provide: maximum operating depth (to determine ambient pressure), the specific fluid chemistry the spring will contact (especially H₂S and CO₂ content in oil and gas applications), operating temperature range, spring type and geometry (compression, extension, torsion), required load/rate/deflection characteristics, expected service life duration at depth, applicable standards (API, NACE, DNV for subsea oil and gas equipment), and quantity. Material certifications and third-party inspection are common for critical subsea applications and should be discussed with Coiling Technologies at inquiry stage.
