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WO1999001338A1 - Dispositif de controle de l'immersion - Google Patents

Dispositif de controle de l'immersion Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1999001338A1
WO1999001338A1 PCT/GB1998/001858 GB9801858W WO9901338A1 WO 1999001338 A1 WO1999001338 A1 WO 1999001338A1 GB 9801858 W GB9801858 W GB 9801858W WO 9901338 A1 WO9901338 A1 WO 9901338A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
depth
chambers
volume
fluid
buoyant body
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1998/001858
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Colin Andrew Mead
Alan Thomas Parsons
Stephen Arthur Pointer
Mark Arwyn Bennett
Original Assignee
The Secretary Of State For Defence
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by The Secretary Of State For Defence filed Critical The Secretary Of State For Defence
Priority to AU81222/98A priority Critical patent/AU732699B2/en
Priority to GB9928379A priority patent/GB2340466B/en
Priority to DE69804221T priority patent/DE69804221T2/de
Priority to CA002294978A priority patent/CA2294978A1/fr
Priority to NZ501725A priority patent/NZ501725A/xx
Priority to EP98930947A priority patent/EP0991564B1/fr
Priority to US09/462,166 priority patent/US6142092A/en
Publication of WO1999001338A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999001338A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
    • B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
    • B63G8/14—Control of attitude or depth
    • B63G8/24—Automatic depth adjustment; Safety equipment for increasing buoyancy, e.g. detachable ballast, floating bodies
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
    • B63B22/00—Buoys
    • B63B22/18—Buoys having means to control attitude or position, e.g. reaction surfaces or tether

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a depth control device, in particular for use with submersible bodies.
  • Certain submersible bodies e.g. towed arrays, such as towed sonar arrays and seismic streamers, or sonar buoys, are required to maintain a predetermined depth.
  • US 3909774 suggests incorporating pressure sensors in sections of a seismic streamer towed by a ship to control inflow and outflow of a buoyancy control liquid held in a pipeline alongside the streamer and serving multiple sections.
  • the problem with this system is that it is bulky and relies on a connection to a pump and supply on the ship for the additional fluid pipeline required, so it is unsuitable for small bodies or independent vessels, such as the AUV.
  • Retrieval of bodies, which do not have their own form of propulsion, from the sea bed is typically done by attaching an air bag and providing a tank of compressed air which inflates the air bag to give the body sufficient buoyancy to return to the surface.
  • ballast the body e.g. with lead shot
  • disengage the ballast so that the natural buoyancy of the body raises it to the surface.
  • a device for deploying instrumentation has been proposed which is dependent on the external water pressure acting on a piston until the piston comes up against a spring and then the piston continues to compress the spring until, at a predetermined depth, a spike beneath the piston impales a gas canister.
  • the gas released forces the piston back up and provides sufficient buoyancy to raise the device back to the surface of the water.
  • the instrument is retrieved and the readings recorded during the device's passage can then be read.
  • This system suffers from the similar problems to the ballast or air bag systems, that the devices must be set up for a specific depth in a particular area of water and can only be used for one depth setting without adjustment and replenishment of the gas canister. Use of this system in towed arrays would involve significant time and expense.
  • a depth control device for a submersible body, comprises depth monitoring means and depth control means; wherein the depth control means comprises a controller and a variable volume buoyant body; the buoyant body comprising a first chamber containing a first compressible fluid and second and third chambers in communicating relationship with one another containing a second fluid, less susceptible to compression than the first; whereby a piston at the entrance to the first chamber is displaced in response to movement of the second fluid between the second and third chambers such that the volume of the buoyant body is varied; and wherein a depth trigger value is set in the depth control means such that the controller initiates a reversible change in the volume of the buoyant body in response to a change in depth sensed by the depth monitoring means, whereby the depth of the submersible body is maintained at substantially the depth trigger value.
  • the present invention uses a buoyant body, the volume of which may be reversibly changed, to either increase or decrease the buoyancy of the body in response to a change in depth sensed by the depth monitoring means, and thereby maintain the depth at a set value.
  • the invention uses a closed system which transfers the second fluid between two chambers, so that pressure is exerted indirectly on the more compressible first liquid allowing a self-contained, compact device to be produced.
  • a pump with an integral return valve is most suitable for the device of the invention and preferably, the pump comprises a swash plate pump.
  • the present invention uses a swash plate pump which increases or decreases the buoyancy of the device by transferring fluid between two reservoirs to alter the volume of fluid in a first chamber which provides the device with its buoyancy. There is no limit on how often this can be done, unlike systems which rely on compressed air, which have a limited usable life without refilling.
  • the controller further comprises means to receive control signals to set the depth trigger value, such that the depth of the submersible body may be changed.
  • the invention can be operated to maintain a pre-set depth or to change the depth at which the body is held, by adjusting the buoyancy for a new depth trigger value.
  • the depth monitoring means comprises a pressure sensor.
  • Other ways of measuring depth include active acoustic means.
  • a submersible body comprising one of a seismic streamer, a towed sonar array, a sonar buoy or a bathyscaph including at least one depth control device according to the first aspect.
  • a depth control device of the invention would allow the buoy to be moved to different depths to obtain data.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a device according to the invention.
  • Fig. 1 shows an example of a depth control device 1.
  • the device 1 comprises a housing 2, a swash plate pump 3, a motor 4, a pressure transducer 5, electronic control circuits 6, first and second reservoirs 7, 8 and an air chamber 10.
  • the first reservoir 7 is inside the housing 2 and a piston 9 is provided between the reservoir 7 and the air chamber 10.
  • This piston 9 moves when hydraulic fluid, typically oil, is pumped between the first reservoir 7 and the second reservoir 8 by means of a tube 13 and bypass valve 12.
  • the second reservoir is bounded by a second piston 11, separating the oil from water outside the housing, which moves to accommodate the distribution of the volume of oil between the two reservoirs 7, 8.
  • the volume of the air chamber 10 varies to increase the buoyancy of the device 1 in response to a sensed increase in pressure or vice versa.
  • the housing is preferably made of metal to be robust.
  • the control circuits 6 include a processor which may be programmed with a pressure corresponding to a desired depth at which the device 1 is to be maintained and when the pressure exceeds that programmed value, the buoyancy of the device 1 is increased by operation of the swash plate pump 3 to pump hydraulic fluid from the first reservoir 7 to the second reservoir 8, allowing the air to expand into the space vacated so increasing the volume of the air chamber 10 and the resultant buoyancy. If the pressure is below the programmed value, the buoyancy is reduced by reversing operation of the motor 4 and opening a bypass valve 12 which allows hydrostatic pressure on the piston 11 to push oil back from the second reservoir into the first reservoir, so compressing the piston 9 and reducing the volume of the air chamber 10.
  • the fluid in the air chamber 10 is not restricted to air, other gases could be substituted.
  • the device may be connected to a body for which it is to control the depth via a watertight connector 13.
  • the control circuitry may also include a receiver to receive control signals to change the programmed depth.
  • the control signals could be delivered via internal cabling which is already in place in a towed array and connects directly to the ship or for a sonar buoy or other non-towed body, control signals may be transmitted from a remote transmitter on shore or on a ship or an aircraft.
  • the active nature of the device of the present invention allows submersible bodies to be maintained at a predetermined depth or for the depth to be changed according to the circumstances.
  • a body By making setting up pre-programmed consecutive variations to the programmed depth a body can operate at one or more depths for a period, surface and then move to a new depth. Alternatively, if a particular characteristic within a water column is of interest, additional sensors may be used to follow that characteristic and to control the programmed depth, so that a buoy passes through only the vertical section of the water column in which that characteristic is apparent.
  • the device can also be used to position and hold objects at a required depth e.g. for positioning equipment underwater by lowering the object under control to a pre-set depth and holding it at that depth whilst it is connected to other equipment. This reduces the cost of deployment as compared with an air bag system as currently used for this purpose which requires divers, cranage or ballasting.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Velocity Or Position Using Acoustic Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)
  • Testing Or Calibration Of Command Recording Devices (AREA)
  • Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
  • Jet Pumps And Other Pumps (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif de contrôle de l'immersion (1) destiné à équiper un corps submersible. Ce dispositif comprend un appareil de mesure de la profondeur (5) et un servo-régulateur de l'immersion (6). Un corps flottant de volume variable fonctionne sous le contrôle du servo-régulateur de l'immersion et comprend trois chambres, la première chambre (10) contenant de l'air et la deuxième et la troisième chambres (7, 8) contenant un fluide hydraulique. La deuxième et la troisième chambres (7, 8) communiquent l'une avec l'autre dans les deux sens au moyen d'un tube (13) et d'une soupape de dérivation (12) placés dans une pompe (3), de sorte qu'un piston (9) situé à l'entrée de la première chambre (10) se déplace en réponse au mouvement du fluide entre la deuxième et la troisième chambres. Ainsi, le volume du corps flottant est varié et, partant, la flottabilité du corps submersible qu'il contrôle. Pour maintenir le corps submersible à une profondeur donnée, une valeur de déclenchement d'immersion est fixée dans le servo-régulateur de la profondeur (6) de sorte qu'un changement réversible dans le volume du corps flottant soit déclenché en réponse à un changement de profondeur détecté par l'appareil de mesure de l'immersion (5), par pompage de fluide entre les deux chambres (7, 8). L'appareil de mesure de la profondeur est généralement une sonde de pression, et la pompe est généralement une pompe à plateau incliné fixe.
PCT/GB1998/001858 1997-06-13 1998-06-25 Dispositif de controle de l'immersion WO1999001338A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU81222/98A AU732699B2 (en) 1997-07-03 1998-06-25 Depth control device
GB9928379A GB2340466B (en) 1997-07-03 1998-06-25 Depth control device
DE69804221T DE69804221T2 (de) 1997-07-03 1998-06-25 Tiefenregelgerät
CA002294978A CA2294978A1 (fr) 1997-07-03 1998-06-25 Dispositif de controle de l'immersion
NZ501725A NZ501725A (en) 1997-07-03 1998-06-25 Depth keeping device for submersible vehicle or array with a variable volume buoyancy chamber
EP98930947A EP0991564B1 (fr) 1997-07-03 1998-06-25 Dispositif de controle de l'immersion
US09/462,166 US6142092A (en) 1997-06-13 1998-06-25 Depth control device

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9713973.7A GB9713973D0 (en) 1997-07-03 1997-07-03 Depth control device
GB9713973.7 1997-07-03

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1999001338A1 true WO1999001338A1 (fr) 1999-01-14

Family

ID=10815263

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1998/001858 WO1999001338A1 (fr) 1997-06-13 1998-06-25 Dispositif de controle de l'immersion

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0991564B1 (fr)
AU (1) AU732699B2 (fr)
CA (1) CA2294978A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69804221T2 (fr)
GB (2) GB9713973D0 (fr)
NZ (1) NZ501725A (fr)
WO (1) WO1999001338A1 (fr)

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002093012A1 (fr) * 2001-05-15 2002-11-21 Qinetiq Limited Systeme de pompage
US6810388B1 (en) 2000-03-24 2004-10-26 Trinity Security Systems, Inc. Digital contents copying inhibition apparatus, digital contents copying inhibition method, and computer products
RU2240429C1 (ru) * 2003-04-11 2004-11-20 Закрытое акционерное общество "Волжский дизель им. Маминых" Форкамера газового двигателя внутреннего сгорания
FR2945356A1 (fr) * 2009-05-11 2010-11-12 Architecture Et Conception De Procede et dispositif de controle en immersion pour flute sismique stationnaire.
CN103350749A (zh) * 2013-07-11 2013-10-16 中国船舶重工集团公司第七○二研究所 一种利用弹簧蓄能的节能型剩余浮力驱动装置
WO2014185519A1 (fr) * 2013-05-16 2014-11-20 株式会社Ihi Corps mobile sous-marin
US9297920B2 (en) 2009-01-05 2016-03-29 Kietta Enhanced method and device for aquatic seismic prospecting
US9529107B2 (en) 2010-06-10 2016-12-27 Kietta Method of deployment, method and device for seismic prospecting in an aquatic medium
RU2645427C2 (ru) * 2013-04-19 2018-02-21 Серсель Инк Активируемый по глубине переключатель датчика и способ его отключения
US10578760B2 (en) 2016-08-02 2020-03-03 Kietta Control of the horizontal position of a seismic cable
US10866333B2 (en) 2015-11-17 2020-12-15 Kietta Controlling the depth of a seismic cable
CN113859494A (zh) * 2021-11-09 2021-12-31 武汉理工大学 一种可转换姿态的航行器
CN114136722A (zh) * 2021-11-23 2022-03-04 杭州电子科技大学 一种用于水下取样器的充气装置及充气方法
WO2022051810A1 (fr) * 2020-09-09 2022-03-17 Y&R Allum Pty Ltd Pompe à piston équilibrée pour utilisation sous-marine

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN104670442B (zh) * 2013-11-30 2017-02-15 中国科学院沈阳自动化研究所 一种用于自治水下航行器的模块化浮力调节装置
DE102019118103A1 (de) * 2019-07-04 2021-01-07 Rwe Renewables Gmbh Maritimer Schwebekörper

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR449654A (fr) * 1912-10-21 1913-03-05 Eugene Lagare Système de corps ou éléments dilatables, à flottabilité variable et son application à la plongée des sous-marins et au renflouement des corps immergés
US3436776A (en) * 1967-02-23 1969-04-08 Texas Instruments Inc Self-ballasting streamer
US3909774A (en) 1974-07-25 1975-09-30 Whitehall Corp Controlled buoyancy system for seismic streamer sections
US4031581A (en) * 1976-03-29 1977-06-28 Vetco Offshore Industries, Inc. Sub-sea adjustable buoy
US4266500A (en) * 1979-09-24 1981-05-12 Bunker Ramo Corporation Hover control system for a submersible buoy
WO1993017334A1 (fr) * 1992-02-27 1993-09-02 Kim Mccoy Dispositif autonome d'enregistrement du profil oceanographique
US5619474A (en) 1994-05-13 1997-04-08 Petroleum Geo-Services A/S Depth control apparatus

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR449654A (fr) * 1912-10-21 1913-03-05 Eugene Lagare Système de corps ou éléments dilatables, à flottabilité variable et son application à la plongée des sous-marins et au renflouement des corps immergés
US3436776A (en) * 1967-02-23 1969-04-08 Texas Instruments Inc Self-ballasting streamer
US3909774A (en) 1974-07-25 1975-09-30 Whitehall Corp Controlled buoyancy system for seismic streamer sections
US4031581A (en) * 1976-03-29 1977-06-28 Vetco Offshore Industries, Inc. Sub-sea adjustable buoy
US4266500A (en) * 1979-09-24 1981-05-12 Bunker Ramo Corporation Hover control system for a submersible buoy
WO1993017334A1 (fr) * 1992-02-27 1993-09-02 Kim Mccoy Dispositif autonome d'enregistrement du profil oceanographique
US5619474A (en) 1994-05-13 1997-04-08 Petroleum Geo-Services A/S Depth control apparatus

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6810388B1 (en) 2000-03-24 2004-10-26 Trinity Security Systems, Inc. Digital contents copying inhibition apparatus, digital contents copying inhibition method, and computer products
US7033143B2 (en) 2001-05-15 2006-04-25 Qinetiq Limited Pumping system with clutch and associated by-pass
WO2002093012A1 (fr) * 2001-05-15 2002-11-21 Qinetiq Limited Systeme de pompage
RU2240429C1 (ru) * 2003-04-11 2004-11-20 Закрытое акционерное общество "Волжский дизель им. Маминых" Форкамера газового двигателя внутреннего сгорания
US9297920B2 (en) 2009-01-05 2016-03-29 Kietta Enhanced method and device for aquatic seismic prospecting
FR2945356A1 (fr) * 2009-05-11 2010-11-12 Architecture Et Conception De Procede et dispositif de controle en immersion pour flute sismique stationnaire.
WO2010131183A1 (fr) * 2009-05-11 2010-11-18 Kietta Procédé de commande d'immersion et appareil pour une flûte sismique fixe
US9529107B2 (en) 2010-06-10 2016-12-27 Kietta Method of deployment, method and device for seismic prospecting in an aquatic medium
RU2645427C2 (ru) * 2013-04-19 2018-02-21 Серсель Инк Активируемый по глубине переключатель датчика и способ его отключения
WO2014185519A1 (fr) * 2013-05-16 2014-11-20 株式会社Ihi Corps mobile sous-marin
CN103350749A (zh) * 2013-07-11 2013-10-16 中国船舶重工集团公司第七○二研究所 一种利用弹簧蓄能的节能型剩余浮力驱动装置
US10866333B2 (en) 2015-11-17 2020-12-15 Kietta Controlling the depth of a seismic cable
US10578760B2 (en) 2016-08-02 2020-03-03 Kietta Control of the horizontal position of a seismic cable
WO2022051810A1 (fr) * 2020-09-09 2022-03-17 Y&R Allum Pty Ltd Pompe à piston équilibrée pour utilisation sous-marine
CN113859494A (zh) * 2021-11-09 2021-12-31 武汉理工大学 一种可转换姿态的航行器
CN113859494B (zh) * 2021-11-09 2022-06-28 武汉理工大学 一种可转换姿态的航行器
CN114136722A (zh) * 2021-11-23 2022-03-04 杭州电子科技大学 一种用于水下取样器的充气装置及充气方法
CN114136722B (zh) * 2021-11-23 2024-11-19 杭州电子科技大学 一种用于水下取样器的充气装置及充气方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NZ501725A (en) 2001-01-26
EP0991564B1 (fr) 2002-03-13
EP0991564A1 (fr) 2000-04-12
GB9928379D0 (en) 2000-01-26
DE69804221T2 (de) 2002-10-10
GB2340466B (en) 2001-07-25
CA2294978A1 (fr) 1999-01-14
GB2340466A (en) 2000-02-23
AU8122298A (en) 1999-01-25
AU732699B2 (en) 2001-04-26
DE69804221D1 (de) 2002-04-18
GB9713973D0 (en) 1997-09-10

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