RU2406640C1 - Cyclic self-contained hydrophisical station of vertical profiling - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to marine equipment, particularly to devices designed to observe underwater medium. Proposed station comprises measurement module, bottom winch, bottom unit and passive measurement module. Measurement and passive measurement modules feature positive floatability. Measurement module is jointed with float by rope. Note here that said rope passes via the winch return pulley and bottom unit. Measurement module comprises control processor, transducers, USW or satellite radio modem, and hydroacoustic system of communication with the winch.

EFFECT: simultaneous measurements at different depths, reduced power consumption.

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Description

The technical solution relates to the constructive implementation of hydrophysical research tools and can be used, for example, in the implementation of environmental monitoring systems, as well as systems for collecting standard hydrophysical information. When conducting environmental monitoring, various means of hydrophysical observation are widely used, including autonomous hydrophysical stations.

Autonomous hydrophysical stations oriented to work at great depths, as a rule, are a robust equipment carrier body designed for a certain hydrostatic pressure and, accordingly, the maximum working depth. Inside the case is located [1] electronic equipment, power supplies and measuring transducers. Transducers can also be located in remote systems, while communication with the equipment is via cable glands. A fully equipped autonomous station should have positive buoyancy, and immersion is carried out due to the lost ballast weight, fixed to a controlled ballast disconnector.

However, autonomous hydrophysical stations have one significant drawback, its measuring equipment allows you to control only the parameters of bottom waters. This drawback can be eliminated by equipping the autonomous hydrophysical station [2] with a “garland” of hydrophysical measuring modules (GIM). GIM may include pressure, temperature, electrical conductivity sensors, etc., filters, amplifiers, ADCs, communication adapters, switches, controllers, etc. The autonomous station communicates with the onshore processing station using an underwater cable.

The disadvantage of such classes of hydrophysical stations is the lack of the possibility of operational hydrophysical information in a stationary data center.

A useful model of an autonomous hydrophysical station (AGS), designed to measure and record (up to 8 channels) hydrophysical information on digital storage devices at depths from 0 to 150 m (a robust housing provides tightness at depths of up to 1000 m) and the rapid transfer of information to the sea surface The “Messenger” satellite communication channel, considered in [3], is free from the above disadvantages. This hydrophysical station provides depth information registration and operational information transfer using the “Messenger” satellite communication system.

The AGS installation is ensured by free immersion on the guide due to the negative buoyancy created by the winch with a power source, acting as a ballast anchor, ascent is carried out due to the positive buoyancy of the bearing body when separated from the winch with a power source.

To account for the hydrological situation of the area during operation, the gas generator can be equipped with sensors for depth, temperature, conductivity, sound propagation velocity, etc. (up to 8 sensors) with a microprocessor-based system for collecting and processing hydrophysical information.

AGS provides amplification, filtering, digitization, pre-processing and registration on a digital storage device of hydrophysical information. In this case, the main task proposed by the AGS is the measurement of hydrophysical parameters along the depth of the aquatic environment, for which a special anchor winch is used, which consists of a winch with a power source that plays the role of a ballast anchor. In order to return the winch with a power source, the AGS is equipped with a propylene halyard and a cable.

Return to the surface of the winch is achieved as follows. According to the command received by the AGS via the hydroacoustic communication channel from the supporting vessel or the team included in the program, the AGS floats to the surface of the sea. In this case, the AGS is connected to the winch-anchor with a propylene halyard and a cable, which allows, after sampling the AGS, to lift the winch with a power source. The disadvantages of this station include only a single measurement of hydrophysical information in depth. In principle, this station can be adapted for multiple measurements of hydrophysical information in depth, for which it is necessary to adapt the operation of the anchor winch in reverse mode. With this winch, it is necessary to expend considerable energy to overcome the positive buoyancy force of the station’s bearing body, which can reach 30 kg, which significantly reduces the number of vertical station profiling due to limited energy resources.

Of interest is the hydrophysical profilograph considered in [4]. The McLane Anchored Profiler (PML) is a standalone profiling tool platform developed in collaboration with McLane Research Laboratories, Inc. (MRL) and Advanced Engineering Laboratory and the Department of Physical Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (OIVH). The aim of the research was to develop an anchored profilograph technology for a wide range of oceanographic communities.

The basic tool kit includes a PTG sensor (conductivity - temperature - depth) and an acoustic current meter (AIT). The design provides the ability to connect a variety of additional tools, including widespread bio-optical and chemical sensors. The main idea contained in [4], which interested us, is as follows. The hydrophysical station (profilograph) has neutral buoyancy and when moving the station overcomes only the force of hydrodynamic resistance, for which the station was brought into an ovoid form. The station itself moves along a vertically stretched cable.

The disadvantage of this development is the inability to exit the station to the sea surface for operational data transfer. The present invention with the code name “Cyclic Autonomous Hydrophysical Station of Vertical Profiling (TsAGS VP)” eliminates all of the above disadvantages and is intended for conducting hydrophysical and environmental monitoring with the ability to quickly transmit data in the shelf zone in the area of oil and gas production and drilling towers.

The cyclic autonomous hydrophysical station of vertical profiling (TsAGS VP) consists of four main parts (Fig. 1): measuring module 1, bottom winch 2, bottom block 3 and passive measuring module 4, interconnected by a cable. The measuring module 1 is designed to control the operation of the station in accordance with the program laid down, to take measurements in a vertical layer of the aquatic environment and to transmit data on-line through a radio channel (satellite channel). For this, it includes a control processor, measuring sensors, VHF or satellite radio modems, a hydroacoustic communication system with a winch and a life support system.

Measuring module 1 (MI) is mixed vertically with a winch, which receives the appropriate commands from it. The bottom winch 2 includes an engine with a bypass drum, a power supply unit and a hydro-acoustic communication system with a measuring module. The power supply also plays the role of ballast. A cable passes through the winch bypass drum and through the bottom block 3, connecting the measuring module 1 with the passive measuring module 4 (PIM). Passive measuring module 4 simultaneously serves to balance the positive buoyancy of measuring module 1 and has the same positive buoyancy 5 as IM 1. At the same time, PIM 4, as if in antiphase, performs the same measurements of hydrophysical and environmental parameters as measuring module 1. PIM 4 controls the winch 2 indirectly using IM 1, only at the moments of ascent to the surface of the PIM 4. At the moments of ascent of the PIM 4 through its acoustic emitter informs IM 1 of its ascent. In turn, IM 1 gives the winch 2 the “Stop” command and changes the operating mode of the winch engine to the opposite “reverse” mode. With this scheme, there is no need to overcome the positive buoyancy of IM 1 and PIM 4 at the time of their immersion. Energy when moving IM1 and PIM 4 vertically is spent almost exclusively on overcoming the frontal hydrodynamic resistance of water, so PIM 4 and IM 1 are streamlined.

The station’s life support system includes IM 1, PIM 4 and winch 2 tightness sensors, IM 1, PIM 4 and winch 2 battery charge control devices.

Figure 2 presents the structural diagram of the MI 1 station. Measuring hydrophysical and environmental sensors 5 are converted in converters 6 into information codes 2 bytes long, where the lower three digits characterize the channel numbers (sensors, there are no more than 8), the remaining 13 digits represent information digits.

The timer 7 in the shaper time code 8 generates a 32-bit time code that includes the year, months, numbers, hours, minutes and seconds. The time code is also the name of the generated information file.

The sensor numbered 5-8 represents a pressure sensor that simultaneously informs the software device (PU) 12 of the current depth of the location of the measuring module 1. When the measuring module 1 reaches the maximum depth H = h, when it ascends H = 0, or when the specified fixed depths H = hi in the control unit 12, the Stop command is generated, which is then transmitted using the sonar emitter 10 to the winch 2. When the fixed depths H = hi are reached, the control unit 12 simultaneously instructs the file generator 9 to form another ormatsionnogo file and transmit this file to the file storage 11. MI 1 (after ascent to the sea surface MI 1) On immersion stage, i.e. when H _j -H _j-1 > 0 for the winch after the Stop command, a command is generated (after a certain time) to turn on the winch 2 in the “normal” mode. At the ascent stage IM 1 (after the ascent of PIM 4 to the sea surface), t .e. when H _j -H _j-1 <0 for winch 2, after the Stop command, a command is generated (after a certain time) to turn on the winch 2 in the “reverse” mode. When MI 1 or PIM 4 is reached the sea surface according to PU 12 command, the transmission equipment Data 13 transmits hydrophysical information via the satellite channel “Messenger”. More detailed information about the equipment is given in [5]. An acoustic receiver 14 is provided in the measuring module 1 for receiving various service commands. The structure of PIM 4 is almost identical to the structure of IM 1, with the exception of the managerial function behind winch 2. Management of the winch is carried out, as was discussed above, indirectly using IM 1.

Winch 2, the structural diagram of which is shown in FIG. 3, includes an acoustic receiver 15, a control unit 16, which includes the functions of a decoder of acoustic commands and control of the operating modes of the engine 17.

LITERATURE

1. Malashenko A.E., Filimonov V.I., Perunov V.V., Rozhkov B.C. Multifunctional hydrophysical autonomous station. Patent for PM No. 50299, June 24, 2005

2. Malashenko A.E., Perunov V.V., Filimonov V.I., Rozhkov B.C. Autonomous hydrophysical station for sensing the parameters of the aquatic environment at several fixed depths. Patent ПМ №56593,25.10.2005

3. Malashenko A.E., Derevnin V.A., Perunov V.V., Filimonov V.I., Rozhkov B.C. Autonomous hydrophysical station for sounding the aquatic environment in depth. Patent for PM No. 61246, 01/19/2006

4. Archie T. Morrison III, John D. Billings, Kenneth W. Doertay, J.M. Tool. Mc Lane Moored Profiler., Proceeding OCEANOLOGY International, 2000, pp. 397-414.

5. Malashenko A.E., Malashenko A.A., Derevnin B.A., Leonenkov R.V., Sokhatyuk M.Yu. Equipment for transmitting hydrophysical information data using a satellite communication system. Patent for PM No. 75117, March 15, 2007

Claims (1)

A cyclic autonomous hydrophysical station of vertical profiling, including a measuring module with positive buoyancy, a bottom winch, a bottom unit, designed to measure hydrophysical and environmental parameters in the layers of the aquatic environment and operational data transmission via satellite communication channel, characterized in that for measuring hydrophysical and environmental parameters, a passive measuring module is used that has positive buoyancy and balances positive buoyancy the measuring module.

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