RU2719491C1 - Device for underwater launch and reception of autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: underwater launchers.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to underwater launchers, mainly for autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles (AUUV), with possibility of subsequent return of AUUV to launcher. AUUV underwater launch and reception device comprises a sluice chamber, an AUUV service compartment located on the water area and comprising a process pool, an AUUV preparation station, a monitoring and control device, wherein the sluice chamber is made in the form of a pipe, the tip of which has covers separating the inner volume of the sluice chamber from the surrounding aqueous medium and the process pool. End of the sluice chamber in the environment is made in the form of a mooring cone and is located below the maximum thickness of the ice cover in the given area. Covers are equipped with electromechanical drives with cover condition sensors, and the sluice chamber is equipped with AUUV motion sensors and AUUV drive to entrance to the sluice chamber on the side of the surrounding water medium, note here that cover electromechanical drives, cover state sensors, as well as AUUV motion sensors and AUUV drive are functionally connected to control and monitoring device.

EFFECT: such design of the device provides for underwater start-up and reception of an unassisted unmanned underwater vehicle irrespective of the state of ice cover of the water area and weather conditions in the zone of operation of the monitoring system of the underwater production complex.

1 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of underwater launchers, mainly for autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicles (AUV) with the possibility of subsequent return to the launcher.

A device for the underwater launch of AUVs using the concept of “dry storage” of AUVs on board a carrier vessel (Illarionov G.Yu., Sidenko KS, Sidorenkov VV Underwater robots in a mine war. - Kaliningrad: Amber Tale OJSC ”, 2008. - 116 p.), Which is accepted as an analogue. The device contains a vertical lock chamber mounted in the lower part of the robust hull of the submarine. The lock chamber has several purposes and can be used, including for the release overboard (or return) of an underwater vehicle.

To start the underwater vehicle it is necessary to do the following: fill the airlock with seawater, equalize the pressure in the airlock with outboard pressure, open the hatch in the body of the floating vessel; to carry out the forced withdrawal of the underwater vehicle in the launch device beyond the hull with the subsequent turn of the underwater vehicle in the plane of the launch direction and its conclusion to the mission.

The disadvantage of this device is the limited use of it, associated with high material costs when working with an underwater carrier vessel in the Arctic regions in the development of oil and gas fields.

The disadvantage of this device is the impossibility of technological maintenance of the AUV in preparation for its intended use, due to the inaccessibility of the apparatus installed in the lock chamber of the launch complex.

A device for underwater launch of AUV with a floating object (RF Patent No. 2654888, IPC F41F 3/07 (2006.01) publ. 05.23.2018 Bull. No. 15, is a prototype), the closest in technical essence to the claimed device.

The known device contains AUV, serving compartment for AUV, booster unit for AUV and airlock located in the area of the bottom of a floating object. The accelerating unit with AUV is installed in a solid bulkhead between the service compartment and the lock chamber and has the ability to rotate in a vertical plane. To perform an underwater launch of the AUV, air is pumped into the “dry” airlock until the pressure is equalized with the outboard medium, the sunroof cover is opened in the bottom of the body of the floating object, in the serving compartment the accelerating unit is set to the working position by the value of the AUV outlet angle to the outboard environment, and a trigger pulse formation system ensure the AUV exit to the mission, after which the aquatic environment is displaced from the lock chamber and the hatch is closed.

The disadvantage of this device is the limited or impossibility of its use with a floating surface or underwater carrier AUV when working in the Arctic regions in the development of oil and gas fields. The reason for this limitation when using an AUV surface carrier is the characteristic features of this region, where a significant part of the water areas is covered with ice for a long period, and often there is a difficult meteorological situation. Using underwater media is associated with high material costs.

In addition, the known device does not provide for the reception of the AUV after the completion of its mission.

The basis of the invention is the task to create a device for underwater launch and reception of AUVs in the conditions of continuous ice cover of the water area, mainly for monitoring the status of elements and systems of an underwater oil and gas production complex.

This object is achieved in that in a device for underwater launching and receiving of AUVs, mainly in ice covered waters, containing a compartment for servicing the AUV, a lock chamber with a lid installed on it, separating the internal volume of the lock chamber from the surrounding water environment, a compartment for servicing the AUV located on the shore of the water area, the internal volume of the compartment for servicing the AUV contains a technological pool, an AUA preparation station, a monitoring and control device, while the lock chamber is made in the form of a pipe, an eye The edge of the lock chamber in the surrounding aquatic environment is made in the form of a mooring cone and is located below the maximum thickness of the ice cover in the area, its second tip is connected to the technological pool and is equipped with a second cover that separates the internal volume of the lock chamber from the technological pool, both covers are equipped with electromechanical drives with lid condition sensors, and the lock chamber is equipped with AUV motion sensors and a device for bringing the AUV to the entrance to the lock chamber from the side the medium, while the electromechanical actuators of the covers, the sensors of the state of the covers, as well as the movement sensors of the AUV and the AUV drive unit are functionally connected to the control and management device.

The fulfillment of the task "to create a device for underwater launch and reception of AUVs in the conditions of continuous ice cover of the water area, mainly for monitoring the condition and maintenance of the elements and systems of the underwater oil and gas production complex" is provided by the following distinctive features of the proposed solution.

The sign “... AUA service compartment is located on the shore of the water area, the internal volume of the AUA service compartment contains a technological pool, AUU preparation station, a monitoring and control device, while the lock chamber is made in the form of a pipe, the tip of the lock chamber in the surrounding water environment is below the maximum the thickness of the ice cover in the area, its second tip is connected to the technological pool and is equipped with a second cover separating the internal volume of the airlock from the technological bass seine, both covers are equipped with electromechanical actuators with sensors for the state of the covers, and the lock chamber is equipped with motion sensors for the AUV ... while the electromechanical drives of the covers, sensors for the status of the covers, and the movement sensors of the AUV are functionally connected to the control and management device ”- allows the release of aquatic environment under all weather conditions and ice conditions.

The sign "... the end of the lock chamber in the surrounding aquatic environment is made in the form of a mooring cone, ... the lock chamber is equipped with a device to bring the AUV to the entrance to the lock chamber from the side of the surrounding water environment ... the device of the AUV drive is functionally connected to the control and management device" - allows receiving AUVA after completing a mission with returning it to the service compartment to its original position.

The technical result that is achieved when solving the problem is expressed in the following. Distinctive features of the proposed solution ensure the launch of the AUV from the coastal post of preparation and maintenance in the aquatic environment to fulfill the mission, mainly to monitor the condition and maintenance of the elements of the underwater oil and gas production complex, as well as the reception of the AUV with its return to its original position at the coastal post, while the ANPA mission is ensured regardless of weather conditions and ice conditions at the work site.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that the set of essential features of the claimed invention has a causal relationship with the achieved technical result, i.e. due to this combination of essential features of the invention, it became possible to solve the problem. Therefore, the claimed invention is new, has an inventive step and is suitable for use.

The invention is illustrated in the drawing, which shows a functional diagram of a device for launching and receiving AUV in conditions of ice coverage of the water area.

The device contains AUV 1, serving compartment 2 for AUV 1, a lock chamber 3, a cover 4 separating the internal volume of the airlock 3 from the water environment, a control and control device 5, a device 6 leading the AUV 1 to the entrance to the airlock 3 when receiving AUV 1 after completing the mission associated with the control and control device 5, the second cover 7 separating the internal volume of the lock chamber 3 from the serving compartment 2, while the cover 4 and the second cover 7 of the lock chamber 3 have electromechanical actuators with sensors of technical condition to arms 4 and 7, which are connected to the control and control device 5, motion sensors 8 ANPA 1, which are connected to the control and control device 5, while the service compartment 2 is located on the shore below the depth of maximum freezing of the coastal soil, in the internal volume of the service compartment 2 a monitoring and control device 5, an ANPA preparation and maintenance post 9 and a technological pool 10, which, when the covers of the lock chamber 4 and 7 are open, are in communication with the surrounding water environment, the tip of the lock chamber is located environmental water is made in the form of a mooring cone 11.

A device for launching and receiving an autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle in conditions of ice coverage of the water area works as follows.

In the initial position, AUV 1 is located at AUU preparation station 9, equipped with a set of necessary equipment, for example, devices for charging AUV batteries, for inputting tasks for an upcoming mission, for diagnosing the technical condition of AUVs, etc., as well as a lifting device for installing AUVs 1 in the technological pool 10 to the starting position. Before installing AUV 1 in the technological pool 10 in the starting position from the control and control device 5 to the electromechanical drives of the covers 4, 7, an opening command is received. After processing the signals from the sensors of the technical condition of the covers 4, 7, a decision is made to launch the AUV 1. The AUV 1, in accordance with the operation program, enters the lock chamber 3 and, moving inside it, enters the free space of the aquatic environment with subsequent movement to the elements of the underwater mining complex to monitor their condition and perform other operations stipulated by the program of the AUV mission 1.

The movement of the AUV 1 in the lock chamber 3 is accompanied by the processing in the device 5 of monitoring and control of signals from the sensors 8 of the movement of the AUV 1, which allows us to make a conclusion about the successful passage of the AUV through the airlock, its exit to the mission and, if necessary, the impact of the device 5 on electromechanical drives of covers 4, 7 for the purpose of closing them.

After the mission, AUV 1 returns to the mooring cone 11 of the airlock 3. The device 6 bringing the AUV 1 to the entrance to the airlock 3 transmits information about this to the control and control device 5, which acts on the electromechanical drives of the covers 4, 7 of the airlock 3 their discoveries. After receiving signals from the sensors of the lids 4, 7 about the successful completion of this operation, a signal about entering the AUV 1 through the berthing cone 11 into the lock chamber 3 with subsequent movement in it to the entrance is generated and transmitted to the control unit 5 of the control and control unit 5 to the volume of the process pool in the service compartment. Further, the AUV 1 is placed on post 9 training.

If it is necessary to carry out inspection or repair work in the lock chamber 3, the covers 4, 7 can be closed by applying the device 5 to the electromechanical drives of the covers 4, 7, followed by drainage of the process pool 10 and the volume of the lock chamber 3.

Thus, the proposed device provides underwater launch and reception of an autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle, regardless of the state of ice cover of the water area and weather conditions in the area of operation of the monitoring system of the underwater mining complex.

Claims (1)

A device for underwater launching and receiving an autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle (AUV), mainly in an ice-covered water area, containing a compartment for servicing the AUV, a lock chamber with a lid installed on it, separating the internal volume of the lock chamber from the surrounding aquatic environment, characterized in that the compartment for maintenance of the AUV is located on the shore of the water area, the internal volume of the compartment for servicing the AUV contains a technological pool, an AUU training post, a monitoring and control device, and a lock chamber made in the form of a pipe, the tip of the lock chamber in the surrounding water is made in the form of a mooring cone and is located below the maximum thickness of the ice cover in the area, its second tip is connected to the technological pool and equipped with a second cover separating the internal volume of the lock chamber from the technological pool, both the covers are equipped with electromechanical actuators with sensors for the state of the covers, and the lock chamber is equipped with motion sensors of the AUV and a device for bringing the AUV to the entrance to the airlock y from the surrounding aqueous medium, the electromechanical actuators lids, caps state sensors, and motion sensors AUV and actuating ANPA device operably associated with the monitoring and control device.

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