A Project Proposal. (PDF Format) - Electronics Engineering ...

IntroductionI am proposing to build a buoyancy control system for Western Washington University’sISR submarine team. The ISR submarine team has built a human powered wet submarine thatthey take to competitions and I plan on building a buoyancy control system to electronicallycontrol the position of the submarine while it is underwater. I hope to make a completelymodular system so that in the unlikely event that some part of it should fail it can either beswitched out of the system or removed from the sub entirely so as not to hinder the submarinesability to perform at competitions.DescriptionMy buoyancy control system will control the roll, pitch, and depth of the submarineelectronically. My system will consist of three main blocks: Sensor pack, Electronic hardware,and Mechanical. (See Figure 1)The Sensor pack will contain sensors that will collect readings of roll, pitch, and depthprimarily. I am considering using a digital compass for the collection of the pitch and rollmeasurements, which will also allow me the possibility of adding positional or directionalinformation. I am currently planning on using a range finder for the depth measurement, but Iam also considering some alternatives including a sonar or a pressure sensor apparatus for futureimprovements. The pressure sensor will allow me to calculate the depth of the submarine basedon the surrounding water pressure.The electronic hardware will consist of the microcontroller unit, user interface, and datastorage/handling. The microcontroller unit will be the central hub of the system and read andcontrol all of the other blocks. The user interface will consist of a display monitor that will readthe current roll, pitch, and depth. The display will consist of a three line LCD display. It willalso have either a keypad for input of desired values, or mechanical dials for adjustment ofparameters. Lastly the data storage/handling unit is optional and will store data such as positionand other things that maybe desired. The handling part, will consist of a transmitter that willtransmit real-time data to a dockside or shore based computer for observation. The real-timetransmitter is something that will be a future addition and is not within the scope of this project.Lastly, the mechanical block will consist of the solenoids that will be electronicallycontrolled to let air into or out of the ballast tanks. This eventually will consist of some pressuresensor equipment tied into the sensor pack that will monitor the air pressure in the air line andthe air pressure in the ballast tank, but again this is something that is outside of the scope of thisproject.2

HARDWARESENSORSMeasure:PitchRollDepthMicroprocessorUser InterfaceData storage/handlingMECHANICALSolenoidsFigure 1BenefitsThe biggest benefit of my system over others is that I will design it to be completelymodular so that if, in the unlikely event, any component fails the entire system can be switchedoff and will no longer be a part of the submarine systems. The goal being that the entire systemcan be, essentially, removed from the submarine and the submarine can still be operatedmanually.Another benefit is the fact that my B.C.S. system will make it easier for the submarineoperators to steer and pedal without having to spend too much time worrying about their depthand whether or not they are upright in the water.My system should also be able to easily install in the existing submarine. The sensorpack will have to be mounted in a suitable location as will the hardware pack, and the solenoidswill need to be installed in the existing air lines.ComparisonThere aren’t really any comparable products out there that I can compare to what I wantto do. I have found many sites where people have built submarines and other underwaterelectronic devices, but no one is saying how much they spent on any of it. Neither is anyonecommenting on how they went about handling their buoyancy issues. Other schools andinstitutions that I have found doing similar things do not comment on the methods or costs oftheir buoyancy systems. I would have to conclude by the lack of available information that myparticular system is unique to my application.3

Project Development and DemonstrationThe major bulk of the work for this project will take place in the ET 340 researchlaboratory. I will use the equipment in the laboratory to design, build, and program theelectronic elements of this project. Parts like the digital compass, solenoids, and display monitorwill be purchased from outside source, but they will all be integrated into the system in thelaboratory. The installation of the system, final testing, and demonstration will have to takeplace outside of the 340 laboratory.The first alternative is to move my demonstration to another location where the fullsubmarine can be used to test. The biggest problem with this idea is that many people probablywon’t want to go to a second location to see one demonstration.The next logical step, and probably the most realistic, is to run a test of the submarinesomewhere else and then bring in a video of the submarine in the water. Along with this I couldset-up a small demo of a small part of the system to show it working on the demonstration day.4