RU2502085C1 - Hydroacoustic station for surface ship - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: radio engineering, communication.

SUBSTANCE: invention can be used in hydroacoustic stations for surface ships with flexible extended trailing antennae (FETA) for acoustic monitoring of the aquatic environment. The hydroacoustic station with a FETA for a surface ship has an onboard part connected by a towing cable to the FETA, which consists of two sections - a passive acoustic section (PAS) and a radiating acoustic section (RAS). The towing cable further includes a light guide which transmits powerful optical radiation. The onboard equipment of the hydroacoustic station includes an optoelectronic unit which provides efficient entry of radiation into said light guide. The FETA includes an optoelectronic unit which performs reverse conversion of optical power to electrical energy to supply all FETA consumers.

EFFECT: reduced diameter of the towing cable, reduced size and weight of the launching system on the ship, reduced effect of the ship's own noise on the received acoustic signal.

3 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of sonar and can be used in sonar stations of surface ships for acoustic monitoring of the surrounding aquatic environment.

Known active-passive sonar stations (GAS) with flexible extended towed antennas (GPAA) for surface ships (NK) [1], which structurally consist of three main parts:

- the towed part, including the emitting acoustic section (IAS), located in the towed carrier (BN) and designed to form the acoustic illumination of the object, and the receiving acoustic section (PAS) or a flexible extended towed antenna, remote from the BN and providing reception of reflected acoustic signals from studied objects

- the onboard part containing a set of digital and analog equipment for processing the received information, a generator device and a power supply system of the gas generator,

- cable tugs connecting NK with BN and BN with GPBA and providing their joint towing at a distance from the ship, as well as transmitting power cable from the ship along current conductors (TJ) to provide power for underwater equipment, transmitting alternating electrical signals from the generator devices for the operation of an acoustic emitter in a BN and transmission from GPBA to the NK of the electrical signals of acoustic receivers.

The known GAS [2], where there is no towed carrier, and the IAS is included in the GPBA and connected in series with the PAS, is made in the size of the outer diameter of the GPBA. The power supply system of the underwater equipment in the form of primary electrical converters is located onboard the NK, and the generating device is included in the IAS GPBA, and it is also made in the size of the GPBA diameter. The input of the acoustic emitters of the IAS is connected to the output of the generating device, the input of the generating device is connected to the output of the electrical storage devices, which are connected by means of the cable-tug cable to the primary electrical converters.

Known GAS [3], where the emitting and receiving acoustic sections are arranged sequentially with each other in the composition of the GPAA and are structurally made in the same diameter. An electric storage device, a generator device and an acoustic emitter are connected in series and are also located in the IAS. In the receiving acoustic section of the GPAA, acoustic receivers are connected in series with amplifiers, a multi-channel analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a fiber-optic communication line (FOCL) is used as a telecommunication data transmission channel.

The specified GAS is closest to the proposed application for an invention by the number of common features and is taken as a prototype.

The use of fiber optic links as part of a towed antenna with a towed antenna, due to the small signal loss in the optical fiber at the working wavelength of the optical radiation and due to the use of the digital data transmission method, allows the cable tug length to be increased many times and the GPBA positioned in an area free of acoustic noise carrier ship. Reducing the level of intrinsic noise allows you to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and contribute to solving the problem of increasing the detection range of signals from the target. However, the limiting factor for increasing the length of the combined cable tug is the presence of conductive cores in it, the diameter of which should increase with increasing length of the cable itself, which will lead to an increase in the diameter and weight of the cable tug.

Thus, the drawback of the HAS, selected as a prototype, is the limitation of the ability to set up the HBA at large distances from the NK and towing it in the area with a minimum level of the ship's own acoustic noise.

The objective of the invention is to provide the possibility of setting GPAA at large distances from NK, where the level of the ship's own noise is minimal.

The technical result of the proposed GAS device with GPBA for a surface ship is:

- reducing the diameter of the cable tug,

- reducing the size of the design of the lifting device,

- reduction of power consumption of gas-powered gas turbine with GPBA.

To achieve the specified technical result, a sonar station for a surface ship with a flexible long towed antenna containing an airborne part (warhead) of the GAS, including a computer complex connected to the airborne part of a fiber optic communication line (FOCL), and a power source, as well as a cable - a tugboat connecting the HAS warhead with the GPBA and including the fiber optic fiber optic fiber, while the GPBA consists of a passive acoustic section (PAS) located in the rear of the GPBA and containing acoustic receivers, electronic pre-processing units and FOCL GPBA, and from a radiating acoustic section (IAS) located in front of the PAS and containing a series-connected electric energy storage device, a voltage converter, a generator and an acoustic emitter; moreover, the supply voltage converter is connected by power to the PAS electronic units, and the fiber optic fiber optic cable of the towing cable is optically connected on the one hand to the fiber optic fiber optic fiber optic link of the GPBA and, on the other hand, to the fiber optic fiber optic side of the fiber optic part, new features are introduced, namely, in the warhead GAS introduced an on-board optical unit containing powerful continuous-wave lasers, the electrical inputs of which are connected to a power source, and an optical fiber combiner, the input optical fibers of which are optical They are connected to the output optical fibers of high-power continuous-wave lasers, an antenna optical unit containing optically coupled optical fibers, an optical collimating system and an array of photodetector elements is included in the IAS, and the electrical output of the array of photodetector elements is connected to the input of an electric energy storage device, the optical the block is made in the size of the GPBA diameter, and an additional fiber optic fiber is introduced into the cable tug, which is on the side of the onboard side of the GAS it is optically connected to the output fiber optic fiber of the adder, and on the side of the GPAA it is optically connected to the fiber optic fiber of the optical unit, while the fiber optical fibers of the airborne and antenna optical units and the additional fiber optical cable of the cable tug are made capable of transmitting powerful optical radiation.

The feasibility of the technical solution, which consists in converting electrical energy into optical energy on board the ship, delivering it through a fiber-optic cable tug capable of transmitting powerful optical radiation, and the subsequent inverse conversion of optical energy into electrical energy in the antenna optical unit, is explained by the following reasons:

- the magnitude of the loss of optical power in the quartz fiber is small (the theoretical level of losses in the quartz fiber is tenths of a dB / km),

- high optical strength of the material of the optical fibers allows you to transfer large power using optical fibers of small diameter,

- for the transmission of power through the fiber, in principle, only one channel (fiber) is required, while the transmission of electrical energy requires two channels (two electrical conductors).

Thus, a tow cable with a fiber optic fiber of the FOCL channel and a fiber optical fiber of the optical power transmission channel can have a substantially smaller diameter. An increase in the length of the cable tug will be accompanied by a minimum increase in optical loss in both fiber channels, while the diameter of the cable tug will remain unchanged, since the diameters of the optical fibers will not change. In the case of an increase in the length of the combined cable tug, the diameter of the fiber optic fiber optic fiber will remain unchanged, and an increase in the length of the fiber optic cable will lead to an increase in the electrical resistance of the cores, which can only be eliminated by increasing their cross section and, as a result, will increase the diameter of the cable tug. As a result, replacing the TPA with a fiber light guide leads to a decrease in the diameter of the cable tug and the possibility of staging the GPAA at large distances from the carrier’s vehicle, using the hoist of the hoisting device (SPU) of smaller dimensions and mass, while the total energy consumption of the GAS during the installation of the GPAA will decrease .

The essence of the invention is illustrated in figure 1, which shows a surface ship with a HAS with GPBA at the time of putting the HPS in working position, and Fig. 2 (a, b), showing a diagram of a HAS with blocks of optical power generation on an ND, transmitting it via a fiber cable -tugs and reverse conversion into electrical power in IAS GPBA.

Using the winch of the launching device 8 (Fig. 1), on the drum of which the fiber cable tug 1 is laid, the GPBA is launched and towed at the required distance from the surface ship. GPAA includes a radiating acoustic section 2 and a receiving acoustic section 3. The shipboard equipment of the hydroacoustic station contains a computer complex 4, an on-board optical unit 5, an on-board part of the fiber optic link 6 and an electric power supply source 7.

The connecting element of the airborne part (Fig. 2 a) and the antenna part (Fig. 2 b) of the GAS with GPA is a fiber tow cable 1. The airborne part of the GAS (Fig. 2a) includes a computer complex 4 connected in series with the onboard part of the fiber optic link 6, which is optically connected to the connected optical fiber 13 of the fiber cable tug 1. The power source 7 supplies electric voltages to the computer complex 4, to the on-board part of the fiber optic link 6 and to the on-board optical unit 5, which includes powerful continuous-wave lasers 9 and fiber Mathor 10. The output fiber 11 of the adder is optically connected to the fiber 12, which provides transmission of high-power optical radiation and is part of the cable tug 1. Passive acoustic section 3 (Fig. 2.6), which includes acoustic receivers 22, analog-to-digital conversion unit 23 , a control unit and signal compression 24 and the antenna part of the fiber optic link 25, and the radiating acoustic section 2, including the antenna optical unit 14, an electric energy storage device 18, a voltage converter 19, a generator 20 and an acoustic beam 21, together form a flexible long towed antenna. The antenna optical unit 14 contains a series of optically connected optical fiber 15 transmitting powerful optical radiation, an optical collimating system 16 and an array of photodetector elements 17. The antenna and on-board optical units 14 and 5 are interconnected by a optical fiber 12 transmitting powerful optical radiation and which is an integral part of the cable tugboat 1.

The practical implementation of the blocks that form the basis of the acoustic receiving part of a gas turbine with a GPAA (blocks 4, 7, 22, 23, 24) is known from the practice of hydroacoustic, for example [4].

Blocks 18, 19, 20, 21 of the acoustic radiating part are given in [2].

FOCL blocks 6, 13, 25 are similar to the prototype blocks.

Achieving the claimed technical result is based on the use of the following technical solutions:

- new types of optical fibers 11,12, 15 having a high level of optical strength threshold, low optical loss in the infrared wavelength range, small diameter of the light guide core, and due to these properties are included in the optical cable tug,

- small-sized modules based on powerful semiconductor lasers 9 having a high efficiency when converting electrical energy into optical and efficient input of radiation into a fiber [6],

- fiber-optic components, such as: a fiber adder 10, an optical radiation collimator 16, capable of transforming high-power light fluxes with low losses [7],

- photodetector elements 17 with high efficiency photoelectric conversion of optical power into electric current [8].

The work presented by the CEO with GPBA is as follows. From the power source 7 (Fig. 2a), power is supplied to the computer complex 4 and the on-board part of the fiber optic link 6, as a result of which the control commands from the computer complex through the on-board part of the fiber-optic link 6 through the optical fibers 13 of the communication line as part of the cable tug 1 enter the equipment of the antenna part FOCL. At the same time, electric power is supplied from the source 7 to the on-board optical unit 5 to turn on powerful lasers 9, the optical output of which is coupled to fiber optical fibers. Next, the laser fibers are combined using a fiber adder 10 into a common fiber 11. High-power radiation from the output fiber 11, which is optically connected to the fiber fiber 12, also capable of transmitting optical power and included in the cable tug 1, enters the antenna optical unit 14, located in the rear of the IAS GPBA. In the optical unit, the optical fiber 12 of the cable tug is optically coupled to the optical fiber 15 of the antenna optical unit, which in turn is optically coupled to the collimating optical system 16. The high-power radiation after the collimating system is incident on the photodetector matrix 17, where it is converted into electric current, which charges the storage device electrical energy 18. Further, the supply voltage converter 19 provides the supply of supply voltage to the following consumers: the generator 20, the block of analog-to-digital conversion atelier 23, the control unit and signal compression 24 and the antenna part of the FOCL 25. Upon receipt of a command via the FOCL to activate the acoustic emission mode, the unit 24 starts the generator 20, which ensures the operation of the acoustic emitter 21 and the sending of a sound pulse. The echo signal reflected from the object is received by acoustic receivers 22, converted from digital analog form to digital form in analog-to-digital conversion unit 23, time-multiplexed in control and signal compression unit 24, using the antenna part of FOCL 24 is converted to optical form and the fiber optic fiber 13 of the cable tug 1 is sent to the SC in the onboard part of the fiber optic link 6, is converted into electrical form and enters the computer complex 4, where the received acoustic signals are processed fishing.

The technical result is confirmed by direct prototyping. As an example, to deliver to consumers in GPBA electric power of direct current of 100 W over a distance of 1 kilometer by electric conductors, in a cable tow 2 electric wires with a diameter of 0.6 mm each are used, in insulation with a diameter of 3.5 mm, the electrical losses are 3 dB That is, there must be 200 watts of electrical power at the input of the cable.

Equivalent electric power can be delivered to GPBA if a single fiber optic fiber is used from a SWU preform with a diameter of the light guide core of 0.125 mm and an outer diameter of 0.25 mm in a protective polymer coating with losses of 1 dB / km at radiation wavelengths in the infrared range. If we take into account the main components of the losses in the optical transmission path of optical power, such as: the efficiency of converting electric power to optical for semiconductor laser modules - 70% (loss 1.1 dB), losses in the fiber optic cable tug - 1 dB and efficiency matrices of photodetector elements for converting optical radiation into electrical power - 80% (1 dB loss), the final loss figure will be 3.1 dB, which will require the use of four modules based on optical power semiconductor lasers 50 watts each. That is, to deliver the same electrical power to the GPBA, only one fiber with a diameter of 0.25 mm will be required instead of two conductors with a diameter of 3.5 mm each.

Thus, the GAS circuit with GPBA with the conversion of electrical energy into optical energy and its transmission through a fiber waveguide allows the use of a smaller cable tow. The cable tug will include only two fiber optic fibers: one is a fiber optic fiber of a FOCL communication line with an outer diameter of 0.25 mm, and the second is a fiber optic cable for transmitting optical power with the same outer diameter. The design of the cable tug will be with minimal internal filling and, accordingly, with the smallest possible outer diameter, which is now determined only by the dimensions of the power elements of the cable structure, forming the strength properties of the cable tug.

As a result, a GAS with a GPAA with on-board and antenna optical units for generating and converting high-power optical radiation and a cable tug with an optical fiber for delivering optical power can significantly reduce the diameter of the cable tug, increase its length, reduce the dimensions of the control system and power consumption during the design and selection of GPBA. To carry out the GPAA installation at large distances from the NK, thereby providing a detuning from the ship’s own interference and a large detection range of the echo signal, thereby successfully solving the problem.

Information sources

1. M.Ya. Andreev, S.N.Okhrimenko, I.L. Rubanov. Development of a sonar station with a flexible long towed antenna to illuminate the underwater environment / Sensors and Systems. 2008, No. 11, pp. 29-31.

2. M.Ya. Andreev, V.V. Klyushin, S.V. Kozlovsky, I.L. Rubanov, B.N. Bogolyubov. Hydroacoustic station for a surface ship, utility model patent No. 104330.

3. James A. Theriaulta, Frederick D. Cotarasb, D. Linas Siurnac. Towed integrated active-passive sonar using a horizontal projector array sound source: re-visiting a Canadian technology for littoral applications Proc. Undersea Defense Technology Conference, Europe, April 2007.

4. A.P. Yevtyutov, A. E. Kolesnikov, E. A. Korepin and others. Reference on hydroacoustics, 2nd ed. - L .: Shipbuilding, 1988.

5. www. heraeusguarzglas.com. Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co, KG Fiber.

6. www.ipgphotonics.com. IPG Photonics Corporation, USA High power laser module.

7. www. pulsarmicrowave.com/products/power_dividers/4-way_high_power.htm Pulsar Microwave Corporation, USA.

8. www.ru-expo.ru.

Claims (1)

A hydroacoustic station (HAS) with a flexible extended towed antenna (HBA) for a surface ship, containing the airborne part (warhead) of the GAS, including a computer complex connected to the airborne part of the fiber optic communication line (FOCL), and a power source, as well as a cable a tugboat connecting the HAS BS with GPBA and including the fiber optic fiber optic fiber optic cable, while the GPBA consists of a passive acoustic section (PAS) located in the rear part of the GPBA and containing acoustic receivers, electronic pre-processing units ki and GPBA fiber optic and emitting from the speaker section (IAS) situated in front of PAS and comprising serially connected electric energy accumulator, the converter supply voltage generator and an acoustic transducer; moreover, the supply voltage converter is connected by power to the PAS electronic units, and the fiber optic fiber optic cable of the towing cable is optically connected on one side to the fiber optic fiber optic link of the GPBA and, on the other hand, to the optical fiber optic cable of the onboard part of the fiber optic link, characterized in that an on-board optical unit containing powerful continuous-wave lasers, the electrical inputs of which are connected to a power source, and an optical fiber adder, the input optical fibers of which are optically connected are connected to the output optical fibers of high-power continuous-wave lasers, an antenna optical unit containing optically coupled optical fibers, an optical collimating system and an array of photodetector elements is included in the IAS, and the electrical output of the array of photodetector elements is connected to the input of an electric energy storage device, the optical unit made in the size of the GPBA diameter, and an additional fiber optic fiber was introduced into the cable tug, which is optically from the side of the GAS connected to the output fiber optic waveguide of the adder, and from the side of the GPAA is optically connected to the fiber optic fiber of the optical unit, while the fiber optical fibers of the onboard and antenna optical units and the additional fiber optical cable of the towing cable are made capable of transmitting powerful optical radiation.

Images