Formation control of multiple underwater vehicles subject to communication faults and uncertainties

This paper proposes a novel approach to analyze and design the formation keeping control protocols for multiple underwater vehicles in the presence of communication faults and possible uncertainties. First, we formulate the considered vehicle model as the Port-controlled Hamiltonian form, and introduce the spring-damping system based formation control. Next, the dynamics of multiple underwater vehicles under uncertain relative information is reformulated as a network of Lur’e systems. Moreover, the agents under unknown disturbances generated by an external system are considered, where the internal model is applied to tackle the uncertainties, which still can be regulated as the Lur’e systems. In each case, the formation control is derived from solving LMI problems. Finally, a numerical example is introduced to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed theoretical approach.     

Experimental investigation on a cabin-suspended catamaran in terms of motion reduction and wave energy harvesting by means of a semi-active motion control system

A novel concept catamaran equipped with a suspended cabin, named Wave Harmonizer Type 4 (WHzer-4), is proposed and evaluated. The mass-spring-mass system is constructed by mounting four sets of suspensions in-between the cabin and the twin-hull. Two sets of dual motor/generators (M/Gs) are attached on the center beam of the cabin's deck fore and aft. Each shaft-end of the dual M/Gs is connected to the twin-hull through a rack-pinion gear unit. In this way the vertical relative motion between the cabin and the twin-hull can be transferred into the rotational motion of the M/Gs, and vice versa. A semi-active motion control system, which contains a proportional-integral (PI) controller, is designed and applied to each of the dual M/Gs for the aim of absorbing wave energy under the condition of suppressing the local vertical velocity of the cabin as much as possible. A 1/5 scale model ship with a length of 1.6 m is built, and a forced-oscillation bench test is implemented to validate the performance of the control system. Then, a series of towing tank tests is carried out in regular head waves. The heave and pitch responses of the cabin, those of the twin-hull and the corresponding wave energy capture width ratio (CWR) at five control scenarios and two reference scenarios are investigated. Discussion on the results of the tank test shows that the motion reduction of the cabin and the wave energy harvesting can be achieved simultaneously at a few wave conditions. However, at other conditions, although noticeable amount of wave energy is harvested, motion reduction of the heave and pitch of the cabin could not be obtained at the same time. It is suggested that varying the gain settings of the PI controllers according to the location of the controllers may improve the effectiveness of the proposed control system.     

Experimental study on hydrodynamic performance of SWATH vessels in calm water and in head waves

An extensive experimental investigation on four SWATH hull forms has been conducted in calm water and in regular waves at University of Naples Federico II. Calm water tests have been analyzed in the range of Froude number Fr_T from 0.1 to 0.6. For all four SWATH configurations at the speed, corresponding to Fr_T 0.32, the behaviour in regular waves has been tested. The results of heave, pitch and vertical accelerations are presented in nondimensional form as RAO. For the “most promising” SWATH #4 configuration, a set of stabilizing fins have been designed and an active stabilization system has been developed. The developed SWATH#5 has been tested in calm water on three displacements in the range of Fr_T from 0.1 to 0.65. The dynamic wetted surface has been identified and the residual resistance coefficient C_R as well as R_T/Δ are reported. Seakeeping tests have been performed in regular head sea and in head and following irregular sea at Fr_T = 0.50. The conditions for the occurrence of dynamic longitudinal instabilities have been identified. The results allows to comment the effect of slenderness of struts and SWATH’s immersed bodies on resistance and seakeeping and concerns the applicability of SWATH concept to small craft.     

Feedback control system for blow-out preventer positioning

During the drilling of ultra-deep-water subsea petroleum wells, a blow-out preventer (BOP), a piece of safety equipment, must be assembled on the wellhead. The BOP is suspended using the drilling riser during the wellhead approach operation, and the riser's top end is connected to the floating platform rig. This article presents a feedback control system for the automatic approach of the BOP to the wellhead. Compared to state-of-the-art controls, ours does not require ancillary thrusters installed alongside the riser nor inclination sensors atop of the drilling riser. Additionally, our proposed control embeds a closed-loop dynamic positioning system, thus retaining the characteristics of the original control system and adding an extra closed-loop. This eases implementation of the BOP approach control to an existing platform. To calculate the optimal gains for the BOP controller, we assume a linear system for the riser, including only the pendulum-shape. The simulation is carried out using nonlinear models for both riser and floating platform. We assume an International Towing Tank Conference standard semi-submersible platform, coupled with a 3000-m free-hanging vertical riser for the time-domain simulation. The results show the BOP tracking to be a step-shaped input signal under current and wave loads. A discussion of the performance of feedback control under different environmental loads is also included.     

基于多源信息融合的浅海超低频声源目标探测关键技术及实现

以多传感器信息融合理论为指导,结合现代信息处理技术与数据驱动建模及科学计算技术,研究浅海超低频声源目标激发共存地震波的复合声场中超低频声波传播特性和数据驱动建模的水下目标深度识别等关键技术,并论证了技术实现方案及路径。结果表明:以复合矢量水听器、地震波监测仪等多传感器信息融合理论为指导研究前海超低频声源目标可以克服传统声场建模存在的问题,有助于浅海超低频声源目标探测及改善海洋水下声学监测手段。在提高声呐探测设备的测量准确度、精度方面具有重要的理论意义,对周边海域为浅海的我国海防具有实战价值。     

长江三角洲蓝图重绘的基础科学问题:进展与未来研究

在全球气候变化和人类活动影响加剧的背景下,作为河口海岸重要子系统的三角洲正在发生快速变化。长江三角洲地处长江入东海交汇处,是中国最重要的经济核心区之一,对邻近区域乃至整个长江经济带经济社会发展都起着重要作用。由于全球变暖、海面上升和强烈人类活动引发了三角洲系统状态转换,因此以往基于恒定系统状态而获得的有关长江三角洲的认识已不能满足未来需求,迫切需要对未来海面变化、极端事件、流域与河口工程影响下的三角洲物质循环条件、物理过程、地貌冲淤演化、源-汇格局调整等科学问题进行深入研究。在三角洲系统行为、未来演化趋势的预测能力建设中,应重视从海面到海底的综合立体观测系统的发展,以获取关键数据;基于三角洲系统的时、空演化特征,建立三角洲本征态和衍生态的谱系理论。未来需针对系统状态转换而调整原先的经济社会发展模式,以便保护自然资源、重建生态系统,更好地支撑长江经济带发展,重绘长江三角洲发展蓝图。     

养殖裙带菜机械损伤防御应答的初步研究

以裙带菜(Undariapinnatifida(Harv.)Suringar)幼孢子体为材料,测定藻体对机械损伤的防御应答。结果显示:与对照组相比,机械损伤会诱导藻体内活性氧含量上升,以及抗氧化酶活性和抗氧化物含量的变化。当裙带菜受到机械损伤后,体内O2-和H2O2以及MDA等物质迅速积累,藻体的总抗氧化能力上升、CAT和POD活性在短时间内迅速升高、GSH和ASA迅速合成,从而在较短时间内控制活性氧以及MDA含量;与对照组相比,SOD活性仅在3h内高于对照组。该实验结果表明裙带菜幼孢子遭受机械损伤后的抗氧化系统会参与调节机体活性氧平衡,这种抗氧化机制的存在可以更快速、更节能、更有效地修复藻体所受损伤。     

深圳市浴场用海定级研究

海域分等定级是制定海域使用金征收标准和开展海域资产价格评估的前提和依据。借鉴《海域定级技术指引(试行)》,遵循资源禀赋差异、收益差异、节约利用和生态用海的原则选取海域自然条件和海域区位条件2个定级因素及海水质量、海洋自然灾害等10个评价因子,构建深圳市浴场用海定级的评价指标体系。采用综合指数评价法计算出207个评价单元的得分情况,通过聚类分析方法和变异系数(CV)来校核级别,最终将浴场用海的海域划分为Ⅰ级(22.22%)、Ⅱ级(33.82%)和Ⅲ级(43.96%)3个级别。研究成果为海洋管理部门制定浴场用海不同级别的基准价格提供了依据。     

我国海洋保护地现状、问题及发展对策

随着我国海洋经济的不断发展,沿海地区的海洋环境和生态系统面临的压力不断加剧。海洋保护地作为海洋生态环境管理的有效手段,近30年来被广泛应用于海洋生物多样性和生态系统保护,取得了显著的成就和效果。文章通过对我国海洋保护地的建设情况进行系统研究,阐述了海洋保护地的发展现状和管理体制,重点剖析了海洋保护地管理和建设过程中面临的缺乏顶层设计、管理能力和管护条件弱、管理人才和资金少、空间发展不平衡等问题,在建设以国家公园为主体的自然保护地体系的新形势下,为我国海洋保护地的发展提出了健全海洋保护地管理制度体系、构建海洋保护地网络体系、加强海洋保护地管理能力建设和加强海洋保护地宣传教育等对策建议。     

一种新型鲸鱼式潮流能发电装置的设计与试验研究

为了进一步提高潮流能的利用率,提出了一种新型鲸鱼式潮流能发电装置。借鉴风机叶片设计方法及水平轴水轮机的设计原理,利用结构力学、流体力学和CFD相关方法,对该装置的螺旋桨叶、导流筒和固定桩等部件进行了设计研究,从获能效果、装置可靠性和发电功率等方面进行了优化设计,并通过900 W样机试验验证了设计的有效性。试验结果显示,海流高潮期装置最大发电功率可达到980 W,一天内大约有4个缓潮期,此间发电功率明显下降,但持续时间不长,总体平均发电功率在800 W上下;同时潮流能轮机启动流速在0.41 m/s左右,有着良好的低速启动性能。