Research On The Modularization Technology For Mini Underwater Vehicle

The small underwater vehicles have been widely used in marine environmental measuring, resource exploration. However, with the expansion of Marine development field and research content, a much higher performance request is brought up for underwater vehicle in different working conditions. It has been becoming an important issue of underwater vehicle research to find a design method that makes the underwater vehicle more adaptable.Modular design is an effective method for solving system diversity which can help to achieve functional diversity of underwater vehicle. Based on the idea of modularization design, the underwater vehicle is divided into a series of independent modules. According to the functional needs of various tasks, we can combine appropriate modules to reconfigure different kinds of vehicles, which provide an advanced method for improving the underwater vehicle's functions.Based on the research of underwater vehicles at home and abroad, the underwater vehicle's task needs are analyzed and divided into parts. This paper proposes the modularization design method of underwater vehicle by using the design matrix. The functional modules and unit modules are divided based on the design matrix form. And eventually divide underwater vehicle system into series independent unit modules with specific functions by decoupling the modules that have functional connection of the compartmentalization result in the way of functional integration.In order to realize the rapid combination between different modules, this paper presented a standardized modular mechanical interface. And according to the module partition results, the control unit, center of gravity adjusting unit, buoyancy adjusting unit, steering gear unit and thruster units such main unit modules are designed and developed including their mechanical structures and control systems. The modular underwater robot platform "Sea-shuttleâ…¡" was developed, which provides a test carrier for the modular technology research of underwater vehicle.According to the different characteristic requirements of variety of tasks, this paper studies the reconfiguraion of underwater robot, and summarizes the design method and procedure of the underwater robot reconstruction based on task needs. And with the developed modular underwater vehicle system platform, underwater vehicle reconfiguration schemes are designed based on several typical tasks needs, which provides technical foundation for the realization of underwater vehicle reconfiguration.With the example of streamline reconstruction scheme, the dynamics analysis for modular underwater robot of various forms of motion was carried out, and the corresponding dynamic model was established. In order to guarantee the stable posture of the underwater robot during heave motion without power, this paper presents a control mode that the gravity adjusting unit and the buoyancy adjusting unit control robot motion posture coordinately. In addition, according to the problem the reverse torque of the flow affects roll motion of underwater robot with single propeller in motion process, this paper proposed using the roll compensation of gravity adjusting unit to achieve the stability control of the underwater robot heading when motion model posture. By experimental studies, the control mode above has been proved to be feasible in underwater robot motion posture control.Modular underwater robot experiment was carried out in the pool, and the results of experiment show that the performance indexes of modular underwater robot system platform mentioned in this paper meet the design requirements, and the underwater robot reconstruction is realized, which validate that the modular design methods proposed in this paper is feasible in raising the adaptability of underwater robot for a variety of tasks and working environment.