Special
Projects: HermesHydro-vane towed equipment platform
Special
Projects: Hermes |
In association with Grist electronics Ltd.
The Hydro-vane is a Patented towed equipment platform designed to permit remotely controlled two dimensional positioning and control of cable deployed payloads behind sea and ocean going Research and Survey vessels. Thanks to its novel design, the Hydro-vane is hydrodynamically efficient with high lift to drag ratio. Typical applications include:
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The Hydro-vane
Attitude Control System (HACS) maintains the desired depth, steer
angle and heel of the Hydro-vane to provide stability and to enable
positional control. This is accomplished by altering the angles
of control surfaces, namely:
Commands setting steer angle, heel angle and depth are received via a serial communications link. Status information is reported back via the same, bi-directional link.
Depth and heel are measured by local sensors and feedback control systems established to maintain the desired values. Steer angle is an open loop control, rudder angle being adjusted by remote command.
Force characteristics (select to see graphs of data):
| Towing Speed | 0-8
Knots 0.5-8 Knots for performance to specification |
| Heel control range | Sensing and recovery from +/-60 |
| Control range | +/-10 |
| Heel control accuracy | +/-3 |
| Heel Control Bandwidth | 0.1 Hz with design capability to increase to +/-5 Hz |
| Depth control range | 0-10 metres |
| Depth control accuracy | Depth
0-2 metres +/-250 mm Depth 2-20 metres +/- 0.5 metre |
| Depth control resolution | 100 mm |
| Depth control bandwidth | ~1Hz |
| Rudder control range | +/-30 |
| Rudder control bandwidth | 0.1Hz |
| Rudder control resolution | 1 degree steps |
| Rudder control accuracy | 10% of deflection, 1min |
Mast and Mast Electronics
The retractable mast is raised and lowered pneumatically under remote control. On standard systems, the mast carries a marine band radar transponder, Xenon strobe flash, UHF modem antenna, GPS antenna.
Electrical Specification
| Power Supply | +12 Volts DC nominal (10Volts minimum, 16 Volts maximum) supplied via battery reservoir |
| Power Consumption | 15 Watts maximum averaged over 60 seconds |
| Supply Current | tbd
Amps peak 0 mA minimum quiescent (battery operation) |
| Battery Backup | >2 hours |
Optional power generator pack can be supplied to supply both on board demand together with Owners payload.
Dimensions
Overall dimensions 2000mm high x 800mm wide x 1350mm long. Mass 97 kg, positive buoyancy tbd kg. Customisable payload area in lower pod, 1000mm x 260mm x 180mm, weight and associated buoyancy to be determined by Owners requirements.
Interfaces
Standard units are controlled via bi-directional, RS232 serial link. Other interface formats are available on request. Interface protocol and command and status report definitions are fully detailed in the document "Serial Communications Definition for the Hydro-vane Attitude Control System."
| Signal Name | Specification |
| Transmitted
Data Received Data Data Ground |
Refer to Serial Communications Specification |
| +12 Volts | See Electrical Specification above |
| Power Ground | 0 Volts reference |
| Temperature | Operating
0 to +50 Celsius Storage 20 to +50 Celsius |
| Humidity | 100% condensing/non-condensing |
| Pressure | Capable of continuous operation to 2 bar |
| Water Ingress | Capable of continuous operation when fully submersed |
MTBF not
less than 3,000 operating hours
MTTR not greater than 8 hours excluding logistics delays
Related Documents
Serial
Communications Specification for the Hydro-vane Attitude Control
System
Contact Grist Electronics Ltd
Download Hermes data file (pdf)
