RU2569938C2 - Mobile system of complex monitoring of areas of water and method of monitoring of areas of water - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: measurement equipment.

SUBSTANCE: use: technical solution is related to methods and facilities of water environment research by determination of its parameters and may be used in automatic monitoring of areas of water. Substance: as carriers of devices for measurement and recording of water environment parameters WPR they use autonomous bottom stations (ABS), as a local control station (LCS) they use a mobile autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle (AUUV), ABS and mobile AUUV are equipped with transceivers and radio modems for wireless radio exchange of commands and data between ABS and mobile AUUV, and ABS are equipped with hydroacoustic beacons-responders, which generate a hydroacoustic system of mobile AUUV navigation. The mobile AUUV and ABS are equipped with devices and radio modems of AUUV and ABS joining for recharge of AUUV accumulators from ABS power supply units, which are made in the form of devices of contactless communication by means of coupled inductance coils.

EFFECT: expansion of functional capabilities of monitoring of areas of water with increased information value, reliability and validity of measurement data, increased technical resource.

2 cl, 3 dwg

Description

The technical solution relates to methods and means for studying the aquatic environment by determining its parameters and can be used in automatic environmental monitoring of water quality (including its pollution) of water areas, mainly deep-water and large-sized areas of water areas.

The technology for monitoring water areas, as a rule, includes the placement in the study area (including the bottom of the water area) of carriers for recording parameters of the aquatic environment (RPV), measuring the parameters of the aquatic environment with RPV devices and transmitting (transmitting) measurement data via communication channels from RPV devices at the control point for processing and analysis of the entire set of measurement data [1-7]. In some cases, the transmission of measurement data is carried out at a local (intermediate) control point (LCP) with further transmission of data to a central control point (for example [1-5]). Floating (pop-up) relay buoys associated with ground-based CCLs via cable [5], radio or satellite [1-3] communication lines, as well as autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicles (AUVs) [1, 7, 8] are used as LCPs.

Moreover, the known methods and devices for monitoring the aquatic environment are intended, as a rule, to measure various types of parameters and characteristics: hydrological, hydrochemical, as well as biological, geophysical and technical [9, 10]. However, the desire to expand the number of measured parameters and, accordingly, to increase the number of sensors in some cases (for example, in known methods and devices [4-6]) is unjustified and leads to an undesirable (excessive) complication of monitoring devices and a decrease in their reliability.

It seems that when choosing sensors and their number, it is advisable to take into account the necessary and sufficient conditions to achieve the specific objectives of the research of the aquatic environment. Thus, experience [3] shows that for the correct solution of the tasks of environmental monitoring and assessment of water pollution, chemical and radiation analysis of water is a priority (necessary and sufficient), and the expansion of the number of measured parameters cannot be considered advisable from both technical and economic points of view.

In addition, it should be borne in mind that monitoring of water areas (seas, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, etc.) is traditionally classified [9, 10] into categories (groups), the main of which are: 1) geophysical monitoring (acoustic monitoring of the water area and its bottom by observing and measuring seismic and electromagnetic signals) and 2) environmental monitoring of water quality (including its pollution) by measuring its physico-chemical parameters.

In general, the two water monitoring groups indicated generally include measuring instruments placed on the media, memory blocks, data processing units, communication tools with data collection control points, but differ in specific features due to the technology features of this group of observations of the aquatic environment. These differences and features can be traced in two groups of well-known, recently patented technical solutions:

1) The first group (geophysical monitoring): [1, 2]; US 2005/0077902 A1, 04/14/2005; RU 2323456 C2, 04/27/2008; RU 2270464 C1, 02.20.2006; RU 2294400 C1, 02.20.2007; RU 2436132 C1, 12/10/2011;

2) The second group (environmental monitoring of the quality of the aquatic environment): [3-6]; US 6916219 B2, 07/12/2005; JP 2010285072 A, 12.24.2010; KR 20120069300 A, 06/28/2012; KR 20110100970 A, 09/15/2011.

A number of well-known technical solutions are, to one degree or another, limited in application and functionality: geophysical monitoring objects [1, 2, etc.] of the first group are unsuitable for environmental monitoring of water quality of the 2nd monitoring group; the use of AUV as the main and only carrier of the RPV device [7] should be considered insufficient; well-known technologies for environmental monitoring, for example [3-6], are limited to the use of autonomous bottom stations (ADS) as carriers for RPV devices, and the use of AUVs as part of equipment (LCP and carriers of RPV devices) is not provided. Moreover, a number of known methods and devices (for example [4-6]) with visible (declared) versatility with various purposes and a multitude of measured parameters of the water area are prohibitively complicated, sometimes speculative and almost inaccessible for practical industrial use.

An analysis of the prior art shows that for adequate and effective environmental monitoring of water quality it is advisable to build a technology for environmental monitoring and observation using a combination of synergistic features (elements) of known technical solutions of various types (groups) of monitoring of water areas. In this case, a new optimal expansion of the arsenal of technical facilities for this purpose with significant functionality and high reliability of measurement data for a given set of characteristics of the quality of the aquatic environment can be achieved.

The closest in terms of the overall composition of structural elements as a whole can be a technical solution [1] (monitoring system and method) according to the patent US 7796466 B2, September 14, 2010 (US 2008/0144442 A1, July 19, 2008), adopted as a prototype.

A known method for monitoring water areas includes placing at the bottom of the studied water area carriers of devices for recording the parameters of the aquatic environment (RPV), measuring the parameters of the aquatic environment with RPM devices, transmitting measurement data via communication channels from the RPV devices to a local control point (LPC) and further broadcasting data via radio communication lines measurements from LKP to the central control point (TsKP) for processing and analysis of all data of measurements. Autonomous bottom stations (ADS) are used as carriers for RPV devices, and at least one mobile autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle (AUV) is used as LCP. The ADF and the mobile AUV are equipped with transceivers and radio modems for wireless radio exchange of commands and data between the ADF and the mobile AUV. The ADFs provide sonar information channels for the neighboring ADSs to communicate with each other, as well as the sonar transponders for the formation of a sonar navigation system for mobile AUVs.

The well-known mobile system [1] for integrated monitoring of water areas contains carriers of devices for measuring and recording parameters of the aquatic environment located at the bottom of the studied water area and a local control point (LCP) connected to them by communication means, as well as a central control point (CCP) associated with LKP by radio lines, autonomous bottom stations (ADS) were used as carriers for RPV devices, at least one mobile autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle (AUV) was used as LKP. The ADF and the mobile AUV are equipped with transceivers and radio modems for wireless radio exchange of commands and data between the ADF and the mobile AUV, and the ADUs are equipped with sonar information channels for the neighboring ADSs to communicate with each other, as well as equipped with sonar beacons for the formation of a sonar navigation system for a mobile ANU.

However, the capabilities of the method and system [1] are limited by geophysical monitoring: seismic and electromagnetic measurements of the 1st monitoring group to obtain data about the seabed, and sensors of seismic and / or electromagnetic signals (hydrophones, geophones, electromagnetic field sensors) are used as RPM devices . The method and system [1] are designed specifically for studying the bottom of the sea and do not affect environmental monitoring to control the quality of the aquatic environment and pollution of the water area (monitoring group 2), therefore technology [1] does not seem sufficiently informative for adequate ecological studies of the aquatic environment. The main attention in [1] is given to the constructive implementation and placement of blocks of seismic and electromagnetic sensors of various shapes and configurations (5 options are presented), however, the specifics of power supplies are not considered in [1], since these blocks must be lifted aboard the support vessel to the surface water areas.

A disadvantage of the technology [1] should also be considered a limited technical resource and the need for the emergence of carriers of devices of seismic and electromagnetic sensors for recharging power, which can be eliminated by introducing special autonomous recharging devices proposed in the claimed technical solution. In addition, technology [1] requires a towed vessel to provide a seismic source and a surface communication buoy, and environmental monitoring of the quality of the aquatic environment (including deep-water and large-sized water areas) using technology [1] is not possible.

The essence of the proposed technical solution is to create a method and system for mobile monitoring of water areas, allowing reliable and reliable integrated environmental monitoring of the quality and pollution of the aquatic environment in large controlled areas of large water areas, providing the necessary and sufficient measurement conditions, their duplication and docking. The proposed technical solution, which ensures the continuity of complex measurements and their regular transmission to a digital data center with a given discreteness, is a constructive alternative to the well-known real-time technologies [2, 4-7], which are often only declared and not correctly validated to achieve a technical result.

The main technical result of the proposed technical solution is the expansion of the arsenal and functionality of environmental monitoring tools for water areas (group 2) while increasing the information content, reliability and reliability of the data on measuring the quality of the aquatic environment by introducing into the environmental monitoring system a comprehensive underwater vehicle ANPA, whose sonar navigation carried out by transponder beacons of autonomous bottom stations (ADS), which are carriers of RPV devices. The proposed system provides duplication of the process of obtaining measurement data and eliminates the need for surfacing of RPV and / or AUV carriers to recharge batteries, does not require the installation of a surface repeater buoy and is independent of weather conditions. Through the use of a mobile AUV, the ADF measurements are docked, and the interaction and possible mutual recharging of the power supply of the ADS and a mobile AUV increases the technical resource of the entire monitoring complex. Mobile AUV allows expanding the area of the studied area covered by the ADF network. In this case, a close to optimal value of the complex criterion “complexity-cost-effectiveness (technical result)” can be achieved, i.e. achieving a technical result while reducing the complexity and acceptable cost of production and technical means of integrated environmental monitoring of water areas.

The technical result when performing the method of environmental monitoring of water areas is achieved as follows.

A method of monitoring water areas includes placing at the bottom of the studied water area carriers of devices for recording the parameters of the aquatic environment (RPV), measuring the parameters of the aquatic environment with RPM devices, transmitting measurement data via communication channels from the RPV devices to a local control point (LPC) and further broadcasting measurement data via radio communication lines from LCP to the central control point (CCP) for processing and analysis of the entire set of measurement data, autonomous bottom stations (ADS) are used as carriers of RPVs, as At least one mobile autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle (AUV) is used in the LPC, the ADF and a mobile AUV are equipped with transceivers and radio modems for wireless radio exchange of commands and data between the AUV and a mobile AUV, and the AUV provide hydroacoustic information channels for neighboring ADSs to communicate with each other , as well as equipped with sonar transponder beacons for the formation of a sonar navigation system for mobile AUVs.

A distinctive feature of the method is that the RPV devices are multi-channel for measuring a set of environmental parameters of the quality of the aquatic environment (including its pollution) with sensors, at least from the group of: conductivity and temperature sensors, an electrochemical chemical analysis detector from ion-selective sensors, spectral detectors and radiation analysis. The parameters of the aquatic environment are additionally measured by RPA devices, which are installed on a mobile AUV, while in a submerged position, a mobile AUV is used as a mobile paintwork, and when a mobile AUV is surfaced to the surface, it is used as a carrier for radio communication (satellite) to transmit measurement data and information about the operation of the RPV ADS device on the CCP. The method also differs in that the mobile AUV and ADS supply devices and radio modems for docking the AUV with the ADS for recharging the batteries of the AUV from ADS power supplies.

The technical result when using a mobile integrated monitoring system is achieved as follows.

The mobile system for integrated monitoring of water areas contains carriers of devices for measuring and recording the parameters of the aquatic environment located at the bottom of the studied area of water and a local control point (LPC) connected to them by means of communication, as well as a central control point (CCL) connected to the LCP by radio communication lines, autonomous bottom stations (ADS) were used as carriers for RPV devices, at least one mobile autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle (AUV) was used as an LCP, an AUV and a mobile AUV were used They are equipped with transceivers and radio modems for wireless radio exchange of commands and data between the ADS and the mobile AUV, and the ATS are equipped with hydro-acoustic information channels for the neighboring ADS to communicate with each other, as well as equipped with hydro-acoustic beacons-transponders for the formation of a hydro-acoustic navigation system for a mobile AUV.

The system is characterized in that the RPV devices are multichannel for measuring a set of environmental parameters of the quality of the aquatic environment (including its pollution) by sensors, at least from the group: conductivity and temperature sensors, an electrochemical chemical analysis detector from ion-selective sensors, spectral and radiation detectors analysis.

In addition, the system is characterized in that RPV devices for measuring the parameters of the aquatic environment are additionally installed on the mobile AUV.

At the same time, the mobile AUV, which is an LCP, contains the radio communications (satellite communications) that are included when surfacing to transmit the entire set of measurement data and information about the operation of RPA ADVs and RPA AUVs to the CCP.

The system is also characterized in that the mobile AUV and ADS are equipped with devices and radio modems for connecting the AUV with the ADS to recharge the batteries of the AUV from ADS power supplies, while the devices for connecting the AUV and ADS are made in the form of contactless devices by means of paired inductors.

In FIG. 1 shows a general diagram of a mobile system for integrated monitoring of water areas; FIG. 2 shows the general structural schemes of the autonomous bottom station ADS and mobile AUV, FIG. 3 illustrates the design of the device RPV ADS and RPV AUV.

In the drawings, the following notation:

1 - ADS - media RPV devices;

2 - mobile AUV;

3 - communication line of ADS with AUV;

4 - block connecting ADS with AUV;

5 - communication unit ADS with AUV (transceiver and radio modem);

6 - block of the beacon-responder;

7 - a unit for hydroacoustic communication of ADS with neighboring ADS;

8 - sensor block RPV ADS (multichannel device);

9 - unit for measuring and storing the parameters of the water environment of the ADS;

10 - power supply unit;

11 - ADS controller;

12 - block docking AUV with ADS;

13 - communication unit AUV with ADS (transceiver and radio modem);

14 — AUV hydroacoustic navigation module for responder beacons;

15 - radio communication device (satellite communication) of the AUV with the CCP;

16 - RPV sensor unit ANPA (multichannel device);

17 - unit for measuring and storing the parameters of the aquatic environment AUV;

18 - power unit AUV;

19 - AUV controller;

20 - conductivity sensor;

21 - temperature sensor;

22 - electrochemical detector of ion-selective sensors;

23 - ion-selective sensors;

24 - spectral analysis detector;

25 - radiation analysis detector.

The operation of a mobile integrated monitoring system when implementing a method for monitoring water areas is as follows.

Moving sequentially from one ADF 1 to another ADF, which are located at the bottom of the studied water area and are carriers of RPV devices 8, a mobile (self-propelled, automatically controlled by a given program [8]) AUV 2, which is a timber-processing complex, collects the measurement data of 8 RPV devices one by one ADS on the parameters of the aquatic environment (Fig. 1). Known devices can be used as an ADS (for example, according to patents RU 136414 U1, 01/10/2014, RU 13094 U1, 08/10/2013 or their modifications), and AUV can be implemented on the principles set forth in [8], RU 108747 U1 09/27/2011. At the same time, AUV 2 determines its location by means of module 14 for sonar navigation through beacon-transponders 6 ADF, forming a sonar navigation system with a long base line (see [8]). The values of the parameters of the water medium, measured by the sensors of the RPV device 8, are converted in the block 9 for receiving and storing information and are sent to the block 5 for connecting the ADF with the AUV.

The measurement data are transmitted from the ADF 1 to the AUV 2 through the communication line 3 by means of a communication unit 5 made in the form of a transceiver and a radio modem for wireless radio exchange of commands and data between the BAT and the AUV. The principle of constructing wireless (non-contact) communications (up to distances of 5 m) is known and described in [2, 11]. To dock the ADF with the AUV when recharging the power unit 18 of the mobile AUV 2 from the unit 10 of the ADS 1 power supply (lithium power supply in the armature unit of the ADS), unit 4 is used, while the device 4 is also made as a contactless communication device via paired inductance coils. Contactless communication devices are known [2] and are used in underwater technology (for example, the Seatooth S100 module by WFS [11]).

Block 7 is used for hydroacoustic communication of neighboring ADFs with each other for transmitting the data measured by block 8. Serial data transfer from one ADS to a neighboring ADS and data accumulation of the entire ADS network on one (control) ADS with subsequent transmission to the central control center of the entire data set when the control ADS emerges (shown by a vertical arrow in Fig. 1) is an additional option for using an integrated monitoring system, providing duplication and reliability of the system and eliminating the need for the emergence of other ADS, except for the control.

Block 8 of the ADF 1 and block 16 of the AUV 2 are multichannel devices for measuring a set of parameters of the aquatic environment and contain (Fig. 3) a conductivity sensor 20, a temperature sensor 21 (or the well-known CTD module [3], including a set of conductivity, temperature and depth sensors) an electrochemical detector 22 of ion-selective sensors 23, detectors 24 and 25 of spectral and radiation analysis. A description of the structure and operation of the sensors can be found in [3]. If necessary, the number of sensors and measured parameters of the aquatic environment can be increased.

The controller 11 controls the operation of blocks 4-10 included in the ADF, and is made in the form of a digital programmable processor.

The structure and operation of blocks 12, 13, 16-18 of mobile AUV 2 (Fig. 2) in terms of measuring the parameters of the aquatic environment and interaction with the ADS are similar to the structure and operation of units 4, 5, 8-10 of the ADS 1, respectively. Module 14 provides sonar navigation AUV on beacon-respondents 6 ADF.

When the AUV 2 ascends to the surface of the water area, a radio communication (satellite) unit 15 is turned on to transmit the entire set of measurement data and information about the operation of the RPA ADV and RPA ANPA devices on the central heating station. The operation of the blocks 12-18 included in the AUV is controlled by the controller 19.

The CCP, which can be made in the form of a ground checkpoint or placed on a ship located in the studied area, processes the entire set of measurement data obtained by the RPA of the ADF and the RPV of the mobile AUV, as well as information about their work.

Two (or more) mobile AUVs can be used to monitor significant water areas simultaneously with stationary ADS carriers of RPV devices.

Thus, the proposed system and method allows their effective use in the process of mobile integrated monitoring of deep-water (up to 6000 m) and large (up to 100 sq. Km and more) water areas for pollution control, zones of drilling platforms, subsea pipelines, oil spills, emergency areas of tankers and other emergency situations.

From the description of the monitoring method and system, it follows that their purpose is achieved with the indicated technical result, which is in a causal relationship with a set of essential features. This achieves close to optimal value of the complex criterion "complexity - cost - efficiency (technical result)".

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Prototype and analogue:

1. US 7796466 B2, 09/14/2010 (US 2008/0144442 A1, 07/19/2008) - the prototype.

2. US 4805160, 02/14/1989 - analogue.

II. Additional sources of prior art:

3. RU 142150 U1, 06.20.2014.

4. RU 2443001 C1, 02.20.2012.

5. RU 2331876 C2, 08.20.2008.

6. RU 2282217 C1, 08.20.2006.

7. RU 2269801 C2, 02/10/2006.

8. Milne P.H. Hydroacoustic positioning systems: Per. from English - L .: Shipbuilding, 1989 .-- 232 p.

9. Geoecological monitoring of offshore oil and gas areas / L.I. Lobkovsky, D.G. Levchenko, A.V. Leonov et al. - M .: Nauka, 2005 .-- 346 p.

10. www.ecocommunity.ru/refer.php?id=291.

11. www.wfs-tec.com.

Claims (2)

1. A method for monitoring water areas, including placing at the bottom of the studied water area carriers of devices for recording the parameters of the aquatic environment (RPV), measuring the parameters of the aquatic environment with RPM devices, transmitting measurement data via communication channels from the RPV devices to a local control point (LPC) and further broadcasting along the lines radio communications of measurement data from the LCP to the central control point (CCP) for processing and analysis of the entire set of measurement data, autonomous bottom stations (ADS) are used as carriers for RPMs, in at least one mobile autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle (AUV) is used as an LCP, the ADS and a mobile AUV are equipped with transceivers and radio modems for wireless radio exchange of commands and data between the AUV and a mobile AUV, and the AUV provide hydroacoustic information channels for neighboring ADSs to communicate with each other , and also equipped with sonar transponder beacons for the formation of a sonar navigation system for mobile AUVs, characterized in that the RPV devices are multi-channel to measure the totality of the environmental parameters of the quality of the aquatic environment (including its pollution) by sensors, at least from the group of: conductivity and temperature sensors, an electrochemical chemical analysis detector from ion-selective sensors, spectral and radiation analysis detectors, the aqueous medium parameters are additionally measured by RPM devices which are installed on the mobile AUV, while in the underwater position the mobile AUV is used as a mobile paintwork, and when the mobile AUV is surfaced NOSTA - as carrier radio communication means (satellite) broadcast for measurement data and information about the device on RPI DSA MSC, the mobile AUV and Td supply devices and radio modems with DSA docking AUV for recharging batteries of mobile AUV DSA power supplies. 2. A mobile system for integrated monitoring of water areas, containing at the bottom of the studied water area carriers of devices for measuring and recording parameters of the aquatic environment (RPV) and the associated local control point (LCP), as well as a central control point (CCL) associated with the LCP radio communication lines, autonomous bottom stations (ADS) were used as carriers for RPV devices, at least one mobile autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle (AUV), ADS and a mobile AUU were used as LCP equipped with transceivers and radio modems for wireless radio exchange of commands and data between the ADS and the mobile AUV, the AEDs are equipped with hydroacoustic information channels for the neighboring ADSs to communicate with each other, and are equipped with hydroacoustic beacons-transponders for forming a hydroacoustic navigation system for a mobile AUV, characterized in that the RPV devices made by multichannel sensors for measuring the set of environmental parameters of the quality of the aquatic environment (including its pollution), at least for example, from the group: conductivity and temperature sensors, an electrochemical chemical analysis detector from ion-selective sensors, spectral and radiation analysis detectors, RPA devices for measuring the parameters of the aquatic environment are additionally installed on the mobile AUV, the mobile AUA, which is an LCP, contains radio communication devices that are included when surfacing ( satellite communication) for broadcasting the entire set of measurement data and information on the operation of RPA ADV and RPV ANPA devices on the central heating station, moreover, the mobile ANPA and ADS are equipped with a device by means and radio modems of connecting the AUV to the ADS to recharge the batteries of the mobile AUV from the power supply units of the ADS, while the docking devices of the mobile AUV and ADS are made in the form of contactless devices by means of conjugated inductors.

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