Development of underwater electric manipulator based on interventional autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)

In applications such as marine rescue,marine science,archaeology,and offshore industries,autonomous underwater vehicles(AUVs)are frequently used for survey missions and monitoring tasks,with most operations being performed by manned submersibles or remotely operated vehicles(ROVs)equipped with robotic arms,as they can be operated remotely for days without problems.However,they require expensive marine vessels and specialist pilots to operate them.Scientists exploring oceans are no longer satisfied with the use of manned submersibles and ROVs.There is a growing desire for seabed exploration to be performed using smarter,more flexible,and automated equipment.By improving the field operation and intervention capability of AUVs,large-scale and long-range seafloor exploration and sampling can be performed without the support of a mother ship,making it a more effective,economical,convenient,and rapid means of seafloor exploration and sampling operations,and playing a critical role in marine resource exploration.In this study,we explored the integration technology of underwater electric robotic arms and AUVs and designed a new set of electric manipulators suitable for water depths greater than 500 m.The reliability of the key components was analyzed by finite element analysis and,based on the theory of robot kinematics and dynamics,simulations were performed to verify the reliability of the key components.Experiments were conducted on land and underwater,trajectory tracking experiments were completed,and the experimental data in air and water were compared and analyzed.Finally,the objectives for further research on the autonomous control of the manipulator underwater were proposed.

Research on the sampling performance of a new bionic gravity sampler

Gravity sampling is of vital importance for sampling seabed sediments and understanding submarine sedimentary environments and resources.In this study,a new bionic sampler tube(BST)with non-smooth surface for low-disturbance and rapid sampling is presented.The BST with depressions and swellings on its surface was designed on the model of the non-smooth surface of the dung beetle.Sufficient theoretical calculations,numerical simulations,and experimental tests were carried out to study its sampling performance.The penetration depth,sample length,and frictional drag of the sampler tube were calculated.The finite element model and the coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian(CEL)method were used to analyze and compare its sampling performance.Laboratory and field gravity sampling tests were conducted and the results demonstrated the advantages of the BST in improving sampling performance and in reducing adhesion and drag.

Design and comparative analysis of self-propelling drill bit applied to deep-sea stratum drilling robot

Robotic subsea stratum drilling robot is a method for new subsea stratigraphic geological investigation and resource exploration.Resistance at the front end is the main source of resistance to the robot’s motion in the strata.Since there is no continuous and strong downward drilling force as in conventional drilling rigs,robot movement relies heavily on the drill bit to reduce the drilling resistance.In this study we propose a self-propelling drill bit that can discharge soil debris to provide propulsive force and reduce the resistance.The key parameter of the drill bit design,the spiral blade lead angle,was determined by theoretical analysis of the drill bit’s soil discharging effect.To verify the structural advantages of the self-propelling drill bit in reducing resistance,a comparative analysis with a conventional conical drill bit was conducted.The drilling process of both bits was simulated using finite element simulation at various rotation speeds,the penetration force and torque data of both drill bits were obtained,and tests prepared accordingly in subsea soil were conducted.The simulations and tests verified that the penetration force of the self-propelling drill bit was lower than that of the conventional conical drill bit.The self-propelling drill bit can reduce the resistance effectively,and may play an important role in the stratum movement of drilling robots.

The deep thermal structure of the lithosphere in the northwestern South China Sea and its control on the shallow tectonics

The northwestern sub-basin of South China Sea(SCS)is a unique tectonic unit formed in the early spreading of the SCS.The northwestern Sub-basin has a series of complex geological structures such as seamounts and fault zones surrounded by the Xisha Trough,the Zhongsha Massif,and the Pearl River Valley.These extensional structures and magmatic activity in the northwestern sub-basin are closely related to the lithospheric structure and its deformation.However,details of the deep lithosphere structure are still poorly known.Here,we obtained detailed data of water and Moho depth using sonar buoys,Extended Spread Profiles(ESP),Ocean Bottom Seismometer(OBS),both Multi-beam and land-sea joint seismic surveys in the northwestern sub-basin and its surrounding areas.Then we adopted a thermal isostasy method to calculate the depth of the Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary(LAB)in the northwestern sub-basin of the SCS and its surrounding regions.Results show that the range of LAB depth is~25–110 km.The shallowest burial depth is 25–60 km occurring in the ocean basin.The depth increases to 60–110 km toward the continental margin.The lithospheric structure on the north and south sides of the Xisha Trough is symmetrical and shows the deep structure and thermal features of aborted rifts.The LAB depth in the Zhongsha Trough and the Zhongsha Massif increased from 60 to 70 km southwestwards,consistent with the trend of surface morphology.The LAB depth to the west side of the Pearl River Valley is 60–80 km,and the thinning of the lithosphere is related to the distribution of faults,depressions and the magmatic activity.The LAB depth in the northwestern sub-basin and the eastern subbasin is less than 60 km with the thinnest part being less than 46 km.Combining ocean drilling,seismic investigation,and seafloor topography,we show that the ocean basin of the northwestern sub-basin of the SCS locates within the 46 km isobath of the LAB.The formation of the rifted valleys and discrete blocks surrounding the ocean basins is both controlled by the regional tectonic movement and the deep thermal state,where their lithospheric structures show strong heterogeneity.