Pressure-Tolerant Electrochemical Fuel Cell and Cycle for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
In the field of underwater operations, maintaining buoyancy is one of the prominent challenges, especially when underwater systems perform tasks requiring stable, precise control, such as underwater exploration and maintenance of underwater equipment. Balancing the buoyancy to keep the equipment neutrally buoyant in the underwater environment is crucial to prevent the equipment from sinking or floating away. Current approaches to buoyancy control mainly involve the use of mechanical systems like ballast tanks or buoyant materials. These methods often struggle to provide precise buoyancy adjustments, especially during transient operations or in variable environmental conditions. Also, these mechanisms may not be well suited for long-duration autonomous underwater activities, posing a significant limitation.
Technology Description
The innovative underwater liquid supply unit consists of a trio of bladders, each containing unique liquids. Combined, the total volume of these liquids is neutrally buoyant with respect to a surrounding medium such as seawater. As these liquids are dispensed from the bladders, they shrink at least in one dimension. To maintain the neutral buoyancy, the dispensation of the liquids follows a prearranged volumetric proportion, decided by the densities of the liquids. This technology stands out because of its unprecedented mechanism of maintaining buoyancy by regulating the dispensation of liquids on the basis of their densities. The unit's incorporation of a built-in generator like a fuel cell and a propeller further differentiates it. The integrated generator can presumably power the unit, providing it with autonomous capabilities.
Benefits
- Improved control over buoyancy, providing more precision in underwater operations
- Greater operational duration through the integrated power source, making it suitable for prolonged tasks
- Enhanced adaptability for varying density of the surrounding medium
- Potential for higher efficiency in autonomous underwater vehicles
Potential Use Cases
- Underwater exploration, for scientific research or data gathering
- Oil and gas industry, for deep-sea drilling operations and pipeline maintenance
- Marine engineering, for underwater construction and repairs
- Defense sector, for stealth operations or surveillance
- Autonomous underwater vehicle manufacturing, for enhanced operational efficiency and durability