EP0991564B1 - Tiefenregelgerät - Google Patents

Tiefenregelgerät Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0991564B1
EP0991564B1 EP98930947A EP98930947A EP0991564B1 EP 0991564 B1 EP0991564 B1 EP 0991564B1 EP 98930947 A EP98930947 A EP 98930947A EP 98930947 A EP98930947 A EP 98930947A EP 0991564 B1 EP0991564 B1 EP 0991564B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
depth
fluid
volume
submersible
depth control
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP98930947A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0991564A1 (de
Inventor
Colin Andrew Mead
Alan Thomas Parsons
Stephen Arthur Pointer
Mark Arwyn Bennett
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Qinetiq Ltd
Original Assignee
Qinetiq Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Qinetiq Ltd filed Critical Qinetiq Ltd
Publication of EP0991564A1 publication Critical patent/EP0991564A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0991564B1 publication Critical patent/EP0991564B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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.
  • Other submersible bodies are deposited on the sea bed and must then be retrieved.
  • the towed arrays are towed behind a ship and are required to maintain neutral buoyancy at a particular depth.
  • a sinker is applied to the end of the array nearest to the towing ship to position that end of the array correctly and the remainder of the array is made neutrally buoyant at the desired depth, either by adding and subtracting ballast from the array or pumping fluid, such as kerosene, into its housing until the correct level of buoyancy is reached.
  • ballast from the array or pumping fluid, such as kerosene
  • 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.
  • Another way is to ballast the body e.g. with lead shot, then to disengage the ballast, so that the natural buoyancy of the body raises it to the surface. Both of these methods are only suitable for single use and disposal of ballast is potentially damaging to the environment.
  • 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.
  • 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 I 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. 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.

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  • 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)
  • Jet Pumps And Other Pumps (AREA)
  • Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)
  • Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)

Claims (5)

  1. Tiefenregelgerät für einen tauchfähigen Körper, wobei das Gerät umfaßt:
    eine Tiefenüberwachungseinrichtung (5) und eine Tiefenregulierungseinrichtung (6), wobei die Tiefenregulierungseinrichtung (6) ein Steuergerät und einen Schwimmkörper mit variablem Volumen umfaßt; der Schwimmkörper eine erste Kammer (10), die ein erstes komprimierbares Fluid enthält, und eine zweite (7) und eine dritte (8) Kammer, die miteinander in Verbindung stehen und ein zweites Fluid enthalten, das weniger komprimierbar ist als das erste, umfaßt; wodurch ein Kolben (9) am Eingang zur ersten Kammer (10) als Reaktion auf eine Bewegung des zweiten Fluids zwischen der zweiten (7) und dritten (8) Kammer so verschoben wird, daß das Volumen des Schwimmkörpers verändert wird; und wobei ein Tiefen-Triggerwert in der Tiefenregulierungseinrichtung (6) so eingestellt wird, daß das Steuergerät eine reversible Änderung des Volumens des Schwimmkörpers als Reaktion auf eine Änderung der Tiefe, die durch die Tiefenüberwachungseinrichtung (6) abgetastet wird, einleitet, wodurch die Tiefe des tauchfähigen Körpers im wesentlichen beim Tiefen-Triggerwert gehalten wird.
  2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Pumpe eine Taumelscheiben-Pumpe umfaßt.
  3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 oder Anspruch 2, wobei das Steuergerät außerdem eine Einrichtung zum Empfang von Kontrollsignalen umfaßt, um den Tiefen-Triggerwert so einzustellen, daß die Tiefe des tauchfähigen Körpers verändert werden kann.
  4. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Tiefenüberwachungseinrichtung einen Drucksensor umfaßt.
  5. Tauchfähiger Körper, umfassend eines der Geräte seismischer Streamer, Schlepp-Sonaranordnung, Sonarboje oder Bathyskaph einschließlich mindestens eines Tiefenregelgeräts nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche.
EP98930947A 1997-07-03 1998-06-25 Tiefenregelgerät Expired - Lifetime EP0991564B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9713973 1997-07-03
GBGB9713973.7A GB9713973D0 (en) 1997-07-03 1997-07-03 Depth control device
PCT/GB1998/001858 WO1999001338A1 (en) 1997-07-03 1998-06-25 Depth control device

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0991564A1 EP0991564A1 (de) 2000-04-12
EP0991564B1 true EP0991564B1 (de) 2002-03-13

Family

ID=10815263

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98930947A Expired - Lifetime EP0991564B1 (de) 1997-07-03 1998-06-25 Tiefenregelgerät

Country Status (7)

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

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN104670442A (zh) * 2013-11-30 2015-06-03 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

Families Citing this family (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3990853B2 (ja) 2000-03-24 2007-10-17 株式会社トリニティーセキュリティーシステムズ デジタルコピー防止処理装置、その装置により処理されたデジタルデータを記録した再生可能な記録媒体、デジタルコピー防止処理方法、その方法をコンピュータに実行させるプログラムを記録したコンピュータ読み取り可能な記録媒体およびその方法により処理されたデジタルデータを記録した再生可能な記録媒体
GB2375572A (en) * 2001-05-15 2002-11-20 Secr Defence A pumping system with bypass means
FR2940838B1 (fr) 2009-01-05 2012-12-28 Michel Manin Procede et dispositif ameliores de prospection sismique marine
FR2945356B1 (fr) * 2009-05-11 2011-11-18 Architecture Et Conception De Systemes Avances Procede et dispositif de controle en immersion pour flute sismique stationnaire.
FR2961317B1 (fr) 2010-06-10 2014-01-17 Kietta Procede de prospection sismique en milieu aquatique
US9251983B2 (en) * 2013-04-19 2016-02-02 Sercel Inc. Depth-activated sensor switch and method
JP2016155392A (ja) * 2013-05-16 2016-09-01 株式会社Ihi 水中移動体
CN103350749B (zh) * 2013-07-11 2015-07-08 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
FR3043791B1 (fr) 2015-11-17 2018-11-16 Kietta Controle de la profondeur d'un cable sismique
FR3054890B1 (fr) 2016-08-02 2019-07-05 Kietta Controle de la position horizontale d’un cable sismique
DE102019118103A1 (de) * 2019-07-04 2021-01-07 Rwe Renewables Gmbh Maritimer Schwebekörper
CA3194230A1 (en) * 2020-09-09 2022-03-17 Y&R Allum Pty Ltd Balanced piston pump for subsea use
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

Family Cites Families (7)

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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
US5283767A (en) * 1992-02-27 1994-02-01 Mccoy Kim Autonomous oceanographic profiler
NO179927C (no) 1994-05-13 1997-01-08 Petroleum Geo Services As Dybdestyreanordning

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN104670442A (zh) * 2013-11-30 2015-06-03 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
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

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9928379D0 (en) 2000-01-26
CA2294978A1 (en) 1999-01-14
AU8122298A (en) 1999-01-25
DE69804221D1 (de) 2002-04-18
GB2340466B (en) 2001-07-25
AU732699B2 (en) 2001-04-26
GB9713973D0 (en) 1997-09-10
WO1999001338A1 (en) 1999-01-14
NZ501725A (en) 2001-01-26
GB2340466A (en) 2000-02-23
EP0991564A1 (de) 2000-04-12
DE69804221T2 (de) 2002-10-10

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