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1999 Projects

Current Projects

Green_Ball.gif (257 bytes) Benthic processes
Green_Ball.gif (257 bytes) Midwater research
Green_Ball.gif (257 bytes) Upper ocean biogeochemistry
Green_Ball.gif (257 bytes) New research platforms
Green_Ball.gif (257 bytes) ROV improvements
Green_Ball.gif (257 bytes) Mooring improvements
Green_Ball.gif (257 bytes) New in-situ Instruments
Green_Ball.gif (257 bytes) Information management and archiving
Green_Ball.gif (257 bytes) Education and outreach
Green_Ball.gif (257 bytes) 1998 Projects
Green_Ball.gif (257 bytes) 1997 Projects

 

1999 Projects: ROV improvements

Tiburon umbilical rotation sensor

Project lead/manager: Mark Chaffey
Project team: Dale Graves and Andrew Pearce

Rotation-induced hockles, or tight bends, have been occurring intermittently in the ROV Tiburon’s umbilical (the fiber-optic comunications link that connects it to the mother ship) during dives between 1,500 and 4,000 meters. The resulting damage to the umbilical significantly increases the operational risk and boosts the chances of personnel having to perform a "dead vehicle" recovery. The present method of detecting the formation of such bends visually is time-consuming and unreliable.

Under this project engineers will install a magnetic compass in a small package that can be attached to the vertical section of the umbilical during dive operations. Directional data from the compass will be transmitted back to Tiburon and hence to the display on the vehicle control interface, so the ROV pilots can compare the orientation of the umbilical to the position of the ship and the vehicle. Changes in rotation between the umbilical and Tiburon can then be actively monitored and counteracted by either turning the ROV or the ship, thereby preventing the formation of the cable loops that can ultimately lead to hockles.

Next: Aided inertial navigation system for Tiburon

Last updated: 07 October 2004