Autonomous Underwater System for 4D Environmental Monitoring

• Main Authors: GRASSO, TIBERIO, FAVARETTO, MAURO, GASPARONI, FRANCESCO
• Format: Patent
• Language: Danish; English
• Published: 11.12.2013
• Subjects: DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS; MEASURING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; RELATED EQUIPMENT; SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

An autonomous underwater system for effecting long-term monitoring, in continuous, onsite and with a wide range of parameters relating to the sea environment, consisting of a multidisciplinary underwater station and an autonomous underwater vehicle, co-operating with each other to allow various kinds of environmental explorations. In particular, the present system represents a solution for monitoring the environmental impact of offshore activities, characterizing unexplored sites, supporting the management of polluted areas, monitoring the integrity of structures installed in underwater environments and verifying the possible intrusion of third-parties in an area to be monitored. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring 100 comprising a multidisciplinary underwater station 101 equipped with onboard instrumentation 202, at least one autonomous, modular underwater vehicle 102 movable inside an area to be monitored 107 along an assigned route 106 and at least one external instrumental modulus 206 which can be connected to said vehicle 102, wherein said multidisciplinary underwater station 101 comprises a docking area 204, an interface system 220, an equipping system 207 for supplying the vehicle 102 with instrumental modula 206 and a management system 201. Said autonomous modular underwater vehicle l 02 belonging to the autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring 100 can be equipped with onboard measurement sensors 311, and comprise at least one main thruster 302, at least one auxiliary thruster for fine positioning 305, 306, 307, a hull 301, at least one electronic control modulus 313, at least one energy reserve 312, at least one connection system 308, and means for attaching 317 at least one instrumental external modulus 206, wherein said instrumental external modulus 206 is equipped with at least one measuring sensor 314. A further object of the present invention relates to a method using a ...