Combined Payload Release And Heave Control Of Autonomous Underwater Platform

As equipment carrying different functional module for various missions,autonomous underwater platforms are widely used in marine engineering.In order to achieve fixed-point payload placement and recycling for survey and operation,autonomous underwater platforms have both the ability of payload release and depth keeping.The payload release facility based on hydraulic control system for heave autonomous underwater platform with the purpose of releasing payload underwater reliably is designed in this paper.Payload release system and vertical propulsion control system are combined.The combined system can make use of wide range buoyancy regulation,low energy consumption and high accuracy propulsion control for fast load release and minimum overshoot in depth control.By joint action of load release system and vertical propulsion control system,it is possible for fixed-point release of payload at low energy consumption.The model is established in SIMULINK for simulation study of free diving and surfacing.To verify the heave motion control and payload release system,experimental verification is conducted.Control software based on QNX real-time operation system is transplanted to underwater computer in autonomous underwater platform and the platform can heave and release payload autonomously.The weight and buoyancy block release action based hydraulic system in experiment is fast and reliable.The diving and floating process is consistent with the simulation results.The payload in the side of platform can be launched and released successfully.The ideal performance of payload release control system is achieved.