GB2239632A - Submersible recovery systems - Google Patents
Submersible recovery systems Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2239632A GB2239632A GB9000256A GB9000256A GB2239632A GB 2239632 A GB2239632 A GB 2239632A GB 9000256 A GB9000256 A GB 9000256A GB 9000256 A GB9000256 A GB 9000256A GB 2239632 A GB2239632 A GB 2239632A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- coupling device
- submersible
- mother craft
- craft
- mother
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status 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 status listed.)
- Withdrawn
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
- B63G8/001—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
- B63C7/00—Salvaging of disabled, stranded, or sunken vessels; Salvaging of vessel parts or furnishings, e.g. of safes; Salvaging of other underwater objects
- B63C7/16—Apparatus engaging vessels or objects
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
- B63B35/40—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for for transporting marine vessels
- B63B2035/405—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for for transporting marine vessels for carrying submarines
-
- 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
- B63G8/001—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations
- B63G2008/002—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations unmanned
- B63G2008/008—Docking stations for unmanned underwater vessels, or the like
Abstract
Recovery of a submersible (10) is undertaken by towing an underwater coupling device (11) behind a surface vessel (12) and steering the submersible into locking engagement with the coupling device using an acoustic system for monitoring the relative positions of the coupling device and submersible. <IMAGE>
Description
SUBMERSIBLE RECOVERY SYSTEMS
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for recovery of steerable powered submersibles.
Steerable powered submersibles can be used, for example, in the field of oceanographic surveys.
In this field such vehicles which are designed to move around in the ocean collecting data. One of the problems associated with these vehicles is their recovery from the ocean onto, for example, a surface vessel. Conventionally, this has usually meant waiting for a sufficiently clear "weather window" to enable the vehicle to be winched on board from the surface of the water.
The present invention is concerned with providing a better recovery system for such vehicles and the invention provides a method of recovering a steerable powered submersible, in which a coupling device is provided which is lockingly engagable with the submersible and means is provided for monitoring the relative positions of the coupling device and submersible, the method including the steps of deploying the coupling device from a mother craft, eg. surface vessel, so that the coupling device is positioned remote from the mother craft and beneath the surface of the water, and steering the submersible into locking engagement with the coupling device using the position monitoring means.
The invention also provides apparatus for recovery of a steerable powered submersible, comprising a coupling device, means for deploying the coupling device from a mother craft, eg surface vessel, so that the coupling device is positioned remote from the mother craft and beneath the surface of the water, means for locking engagement of the submersible with the coupling device, and means for monitoring the relative positions of the coupling device and submersible, the . apparatus enabling recovery of the submersible by steering into locking engagement with the deployed coupling device using the position monitoring means.
By way of example, embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figures la and Ib show a submersible being recovered.
Figures 2a and 2b illustrate a recovery procedure, and
Figures 3a and 3b show a coupling device and submersible.
In Figures la and lb there is seen an example of a steerable powered submersible 10 that is autonomous, ie, it has its own power and control systems. A coupling device 11 is seen being deployed from a mother craft 12, which here is a surface vessel. The coupling device 11 is deployed by means of a cable 13 in a position in which it is remote from the mother craft 12 and beneath the surface of the water. A position monitoring system, eg. using acoustic signals, is used to enable the relative positions of the submersible 10 and coupling device 11 to be monitored. Using the position monitoring system, the submersible 10 can be steered into locking engagement with the coupling device 11.
Here, the coupling device 11 is deployed by being towed behind the mother craft 12, so that locking engagement of the submersible 10 with the coupling device ("docking") is undertaken with the coupling device on the move.
This recovery procedure has the advantages that docking occurs at a place in the sea where there is little turbulence in the water, little particle motion due to waves, and little acoustic interference due to the mother craft or to bubbles in the water column or to the proximity of the sea surface.
Typically, the place will be some tens of metres below the sea surface and a few hundreds of metres astern of the mother craft. Once docking has been achieved, the coupling device and hence also the submersible can be winched in and taken on board, these latter steps using conventionally known procedure.
It will be understood that the recovery systems described herein could be used for other submersibles, eg. manned vehicles.
The preferred recovery procedure may now be considered in more detail with reference to Figures 2a and 2b. At the end of its operational mission, which may have involved the submersible 10 diving to full oceanic depths and being out of communication with the mother craft for days, weeks or even months, the first requirement is for the mother craft to locate the submersible. Well established acoustic techniques, such as those used to locate moored/bottom instruments, exist which allow this to be done.
The next stage is for both the submersible 10 and the mother craft 12 to get into the right position relative to each other so that the submersible can home in on the coupling device 11 for locking engagement with it. A convenient solution to this problem is seen in Figures 2a and 2b where:
(i) The submersible 10 adopts a "parking orbit" in which it travels in a generally circular path at a constant depth. A typical "parking orbit" might be for it to move in a circle of 200m diameter at 50m depth. If the submersible 10 moves at 2.5m/s(5kt), it would complete a circuit of this "parking orbit" every 4.2 minutes; and
(ii) The mother craft 12 makes good a course which will take the coupling device 11 over or closely adjacent to the parking orbit of the submersible 10.This can be achieved if the mother craft 12 is able to sound range on the submersible 10 (eg. using the same acoustic system as used to locate it in the first place), or simply just by observing a free-running pinger on the submersible. Before the mother craft 12 passes over the parking orbit the coupling device 11 will be deployed. It would be appropriate at this stage that the coupling device 11 is running at a shallower depth than the parking orbit.
The penultimate stage of the recovery process begins when the coupling device 11 has passed the parking orbit. The submersible 10 is commanded acoustically from the mother craft 12 to actively home in on the coupling device. From this stage of the procedure on, the mother craft 12 need only maintain a steady course and speed while the submersible 10 homes in on the coupling device 11 and lockingly engages with it. By the mother craft 12 maintaining a steady course and speed, the motions of the coupling device 11, apart from travelling in a straight line at constant depth and speed, are minimised. The more the motions perturbing the coupling device 11 are minimised, the easier the engagement of the submersible 10 will be.In some conditions of wind and sea, it might be appropriate for the mother craft 12 to choose a course on which the yaw and/or pitch is minimised, thus limiting snaking motions being transmitted to the coupling device 11. The speed at which the mother craft 12 moves will typically be in the region of about 4-10 knots, but not faster than the submersible 10 can move.
Once the submersible 10 has locked into engagement with the coupling device 11, the final stage of the recovery procedure is to winch it in and use some purpose-built gantry/ramp on the mother craft 12 to bring the submersible on board. These latter procedures are conventionally known.
A number of acoustic systems can be conceived which would allow the submersible 10 to find and lock itself into engagement with the coupling device 11.
That described below is one of the simpler options:
(i) For the initial location and positioning stages it will be necessary to use an acoustic frequency which will allow location at a range of several kilometres and the mother craft 12 to position itself to within 100m or so of the submersible 10. A sound ranging system working in the range 5-15 kHz would be appropriate.
(ii) At the start of the homing run, the coupling device 11 will typically be a few hundred metres away from the submersible 10. If the coupling device 11 is provided within an array of acoustic transponders operating at different frequencies in the region of 100-200 kHz, it could be located by the submersible 10 at ranges of up to several hundred metres. The same frequencies would allow the submersible 11 to measure the range of the transponders (at least at closer range) to an accuracy of a few centimetres. This would be sufficient for it to dock with the coupling device 11.
(iii) Homing will be made easier by the mother craft 12 maintaining a steady course and speed, resulting in the coupling device 11 moving on the same course and speed at a constant depth. This course, speed and depth would be transmitted acoustically to the submersible 10 in order to simplify the latter's calculations. The sound ranging system used by the craft 12 for the initial location and positioning stages of the operation would suffice for this purpose.
(iv) In the initial stages of the homing run it will be sufficient for the submersible 10 just to concentrate on selecting the correct courses to steer in order to close range with the coupling device 11.
By interrogating the transponders every second or so and using just the first arrival information it can measure the range to transponders to the left and right of the coupling device 11 to derive the bearing of the coupling device and hence calculate the course it should steer. (Signals from the transponders arriving after the first arrivals may have been reflected at either the sea surface or the sea floor and will not give accurate range information). To find the correct depth, it is sufficient at this stage for the submersible 10 to refer to its own pressure gauge to bring it to the known level of the coupling device 11.
(v) When the submersible 10 gets close to the coupling device 11 (say within 10m) it will be necessary for it to determine the position of its nose to within a few centimetres in order for it to engage the coupling device 11. Interrogation of transponders above and below the coupling device 11 will now be necessary in order to determine the correct depth, in addition to interrogation Of transponders to the left and right. It will also be necessary for the rate at which the transponders are interrogated to be increased, but it will be important only to use the direct returns from the transponders and not the data from more complex, reflected paths. The closing speed of the submersible 10 with the coupling device 11 will typically be in the region of 0.5m/s (1 knot) or less, allowing plenty of time for the submersible to make fine adjustments to its path.A further advantage of the slow closing speed is that damage resulting from an abortive homing run would be negligible.
It will be appreciated that the recovery system described need not have for its aim the purpose of actually bringing the submersible on board the mother craft 12. Instead, the system could be used simply to bring the submersible 10 into locking engagement with the coupling device 11 for the purpose of establishing communication with the mother craft 12. Thus, it would be possible to use the link between the coupling device 11 and the mother craft 12 as a sort of umbilical connection, for example, for replenishing the power source of the submersible, checking the control systems of the submersible, receiving data from the submersible, re-programming the submersible etc.
It will further be appreciated that the recovery system could usefully be designed to act additionally as a submersible launching system. Thus the submersible could be lowered into the water from the mother craft by sliding down a launching ramp and then be towed for a time behind the mother craft whilst all its systems are checked, before final release by disengagement from the coupling device.
The coupling device itself may take many different forms. One basic example is seen in
Figures 3a and 3b where 11 represents the coupling device and 20 the link by which it is towed behind the mother craft 12. Here, the coupling device 11 is in the form of a cone 21. At the entrance to the cone 21 there is positioned an array of acoustic signal transmitters 22. The transmitters 22 enable the submersible 10 to determine its position relative to the cone 21 in both horizontal and vertical senses. A mechanism, eg. spring-loaded latches 23, within the cone 21 locks into engagement with the nose of the submersible upon penetration thereof into the cone.
Claims (1)
1. A method of recovering a steerable powered submersible, in which a coupling device is provided which is lockingly engagable with the submersible and means is provided for monitoring the relative positions of the coupling device and submersible, the method including the steps of deploying the coupling device from a mother craft, eg. surface vessel, so that the coupling device is positioned remote from the mother craft and beneath the surface of the water, and steering the submersible into locking engagement with the coupling device using the position monitoring means.
2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the step of deploying the coupling device comprises towing the coupling device behind the mother craft, whereby engagement of the submersible with the coupling device is undertaken with the coupling device on the move.
3. A method as claimed in Claim 2 and further comprising the steps of arranging for the submersible to travel in a path, e.g. a circular path, which is such that the submersible remains within a predetermined range of a fixed point, and aiming to tow the deployed coupling device on a course which passes over or adjacent to said fixed point for initiating the recovery procedure.
4. A method as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 and further including providing means for establishing communication via the coupling device between the mother craft and the submersible upon locking engagement of the submersible with the coupling device, eg. for replenishing the power source of the submersible and/or transferring data between the submersible and the mother craft etc.
6. A recovery method substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
7. Apparatus for recovery of a steerable powered submersible, comprising a coupling device, means for deploying the coupling device from a mother craft, eg. surface vessel, so that the coupling device is positioned remote from the mother craft and beneath the surface of the water, means for locking engagement of the submersible with the coupling device, and means for monitoring the relative positions of the coupling device and submersible, the apparatus enabling recovery of the submersible by steering into locking engagement with the deployed coupling device using the position monitoring means.
8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the means for deploying the coupling device comprises means for towing the coupling device behind the mother craft, whereby engagement of the submersible with the coupling device is undertaken with the coupling device on the move.
9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the coupling device is engagable by the front end of the submersible.
10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the coupling device comprises a tapered opening for receiving the front end of the submersible.
11. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 7 to 10 wherein the position monitoring means comprises an acoustic homing system with acoustic signal transmitters and receivers on the submersible and coupling device.
12. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11 as dependent on Claim 10 wherein the acoustic signal transmitters and/or receivers are placed at or adjacent to the entrance to the tapered opening of the coupling device.
13. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11 or Claim 12 and including means for controlling steering of the submersible from the mother craft.
14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 7 to 13 and further comprising means for releasing the submersible from locking engagement with the coupling device whereby the apparatus can be used for launching the submersible.
15. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 14 wherein said means for towing the coupling device includes means for establishing communication between the submersible and the mother craft, e.g. for replenishing the power source of the submersible and/or transferring data between the mother craft and the submersible etc.
16. Apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9000256A GB2239632A (en) | 1990-01-05 | 1990-01-05 | Submersible recovery systems |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9000256A GB2239632A (en) | 1990-01-05 | 1990-01-05 | Submersible recovery systems |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9000256D0 GB9000256D0 (en) | 1990-03-07 |
| GB2239632A true GB2239632A (en) | 1991-07-10 |
Family
ID=10668889
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9000256A Withdrawn GB2239632A (en) | 1990-01-05 | 1990-01-05 | Submersible recovery systems |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2239632A (en) |
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7025014B1 (en) * | 2004-03-03 | 2006-04-11 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy | Sea vessel retrieval of unmanned underwater vehicles |
| US7798086B2 (en) * | 2007-06-11 | 2010-09-21 | Diehl Bgt Defence Gmbh & Co. Kg. | Apparatus and method for docking, deploying and recovering an underwater vehicle |
| EP2551185A1 (en) * | 2011-07-26 | 2013-01-30 | ECA Robotics | Underwater or marine vehicle and associated docking method |
| CN103057677A (en) * | 2012-11-15 | 2013-04-24 | 中国科学院沈阳自动化研究所 | Towing-type laying and recovering device of submersible and method thereof |
| CN104670440B (en) * | 2013-11-30 | 2016-08-17 | 中国科学院沈阳自动化研究所 | The recovery system of a kind of Autonomous Underwater aircraft and recovery method thereof |
| US10894582B2 (en) | 2015-10-16 | 2021-01-19 | Autonomous Robotics Limited | Deployment and retrieval methods for AUVs |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3536023A (en) * | 1968-09-16 | 1970-10-27 | Gen Dynamics Corp | Stabilized system for handling small submarines |
| US3937163A (en) * | 1975-01-31 | 1976-02-10 | Rosenberg Edgar N | Launch and recovery vessel |
-
1990
- 1990-01-05 GB GB9000256A patent/GB2239632A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3536023A (en) * | 1968-09-16 | 1970-10-27 | Gen Dynamics Corp | Stabilized system for handling small submarines |
| US3937163A (en) * | 1975-01-31 | 1976-02-10 | Rosenberg Edgar N | Launch and recovery vessel |
Cited By (10)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7025014B1 (en) * | 2004-03-03 | 2006-04-11 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy | Sea vessel retrieval of unmanned underwater vehicles |
| US7798086B2 (en) * | 2007-06-11 | 2010-09-21 | Diehl Bgt Defence Gmbh & Co. Kg. | Apparatus and method for docking, deploying and recovering an underwater vehicle |
| EP2551185A1 (en) * | 2011-07-26 | 2013-01-30 | ECA Robotics | Underwater or marine vehicle and associated docking method |
| FR2978422A1 (en) * | 2011-07-26 | 2013-02-01 | Eca Robotics | MARINE OR SUBMARINE ENGINE AND RELIEVING METHOD |
| US9032894B2 (en) | 2011-07-26 | 2015-05-19 | Eca Robotics | Marine or underwater vehicle and associated securing method |
| CN103057677A (en) * | 2012-11-15 | 2013-04-24 | 中国科学院沈阳自动化研究所 | Towing-type laying and recovering device of submersible and method thereof |
| CN103057677B (en) * | 2012-11-15 | 2015-04-08 | 中国科学院沈阳自动化研究所 | Towing-type laying and recovering device of submersible and method thereof |
| CN104670440B (en) * | 2013-11-30 | 2016-08-17 | 中国科学院沈阳自动化研究所 | The recovery system of a kind of Autonomous Underwater aircraft and recovery method thereof |
| US10894582B2 (en) | 2015-10-16 | 2021-01-19 | Autonomous Robotics Limited | Deployment and retrieval methods for AUVs |
| US11591049B2 (en) | 2015-10-16 | 2023-02-28 | Autonomous Robotics Limited | Deployment and retrieval methods for AUVs |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9000256D0 (en) | 1990-03-07 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |