Porous media materials allow autonomous underwater robots to "swim" further

[ Instrument Network Instrument R & D ] Recently, the scientific research team of the Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences has proposed a method to improve the endurance of autonomous underwater robots. By using porous media as the surface layer of the pressure-resistant shell, the navigation resistance is reduced, and autonomous water The lower robot "swims" farther without changing the shape and battery capacity. The related results were published in Ocean Engineering.

At present, most autonomous underwater robots are powered by their own energy sources and are affected by factors such as the energy density of the battery. In order to improve their endurance, low-power electronic equipment, efficient propulsion methods and low-resistance shapes are usually selected. Researchers at the Marine Information Technology Center of Shenyang Institute of Automation have proposed a method of using porous media as the surface layer of a pressure-resistant shell to reduce navigation resistance, thereby improving the endurance of autonomous underwater robots.

In this study, the researchers analyzed the mechanical characteristics and drag reduction mechanism of the surface of the autonomous underwater robot using a porous medium material as the surface layer of the pressure-resistant shell, and took Renus100AUV and Suboff ontology as the research object, and carried out multiple working conditions. The following simulation comparison tests found that the thickness and viscosity coefficient of porous media materials are closely related to the navigation resistance of underwater robots. The resistance to navigation increases with the thickness and viscosity coefficient of the porous medium. Taking Remus100AUV as an example for sailing at a speed of 1.54m / s, when the viscosity coefficient of the porous material is about 830 kg / m3s, the navigation resistance when the porous material is attached to the surface of the underwater robot is close to the navigation resistance when there is no porous material on the surface; When the viscosity coefficient of the material is less than 830 kg / m3s, the navigation resistance is smaller than that when there is no porous material on the surface, and the navigation resistance decreases as the porous viscosity coefficient decreases.

The simulation and experimental results show that the porous medium material can change the surface fluid characteristics of the underwater robot, and under certain conditions, the porous medium material attached to the surface of the underwater robot can indeed reduce the navigation resistance of the underwater robot, thereby reducing Under the same conditions, you can further improve your own battery life.