CONTROLLING BUOYANCY OF AN UNDERWATER VEHICLE USING A DUAL-INTERNAL-RESERVOIR CONFIGURATION TO ENHANCE EFFICIENCY OF INFLATING AND DEFLATING AN EXTERNAL CHAMBER

摘要

An underwater vehicle may include a buoyancy control system configured to use a dual-internal-reservoir configuration to enhance efficiency of changing buoyancy of the underwater vehicle. The buoyancy control system may utilize an incompressible fluid (e.g., oil or water) that is transferred between a first internal reservoir and an external chamber to affect buoyancy of the underwater vehicle. In exemplary implementations, a compressible fluid (e.g., air) may be used to inflate or deflate a second internal reservoir. The second internal reservoir may be disposed within the buoyancy control system so that it can act on the first internal reservoir by applying a compressive force or a tensive force on the first internal reservoir, depending on the pressure differences between the two reservoirs.

主权项

1. Buoyancy control system for an underwater vehicle, configured to change buoyancy of the underwater vehicle, the system comprising:
a first reservoir, a volume of the first reservoir being alterable; a first pump configured to transfer a first medium between the first reservoir and an external chamber, the external chamber being configured and arranged such that a change in volume of the external chamber causes a change in buoyancy of the underwater vehicle; a second reservoir, a volume of the second reservoir being alterable; and a second pump configured to transfer a second medium in and out of the second reservoir; wherein the first reservoir and the second reservoir are disposed such that the second reservoir applies one or both of a compressive force and a tensive force to the first reservoir responsive to a difference between a fluid pressure of the second medium within the second reservoir and a fluid pressure of the first medium within the first reservoir.