BUOYANCY MODIFICATION MODULE FOR A MODULAR UNDERWATER VEHICLE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a buoyancy modification module 10 for a modular underwater vehicle, wherein said buoyancy modification module 10 has at least one first frame 20, wherein the frame 20 is designed to connect the buoyancy modification module 10 to other modules, wherein the buoyancy modification module 10 has at least one first pressure hull 30, wherein the first pressure hull 30 has at least one first flooding region 50 and at least one first dry region, wherein at least one first pump 40 is arranged in the first dry region, wherein the first pump 40 can pump water out of the surroundings or a neutral-buoyancy reservoir into the first flooding region 50 and out of the first flooding region 50 into the surroundings or a neutral-buoyancy reservoir.

Claims

1.-16. (canceled)

17. A buoyancy modification module for a modular underwater vehicle, with the buoyancy modification module being configured to be flushed with water, the buoyancy modification module comprising: a first frame configured to connect the buoyancy modification module to other buoyancy modification modules; a first pressure hull with a first flooding region; and a first pump configured to pump water from surroundings or from a neutral-buoyancy reservoir into the first flooding region and configured to pump water out of the first flooding region into the surroundings or the neutral-buoyancy reservoir.

18. The buoyancy modification module of claim 17 wherein the first pressure hull includes a first dry region in which the first pump is disposed.

19. The buoyancy modification module of claim 17 comprising a first gas region that is connected to the first flooding region.

20. The buoyancy modification module of claim 19 wherein the first gas region includes a first gas pressure when the first flooding region is completely empty, wherein when the first flooding region is completely flooded the first gas region has a second gas pressure, wherein a difference between the first gas pressure and the second gas pressure results from a reduction in space available for gas in the first gas region.

21. The buoyancy modification module of claim 20 comprising a second gas region, with the first and second gas regions being connected in a gas-conveying manner.

22. The buoyancy modification module of claim 21 wherein the first gas region is disposed in the first pressure hull and the second gas region is disposed outside the first pressure hull.

23. The buoyancy modification module of claim 22 wherein the second gas region is disposed in a second pressure hull.

24. The buoyancy modification module of claim 21 wherein the first and second gas regions are connected via a first valve that prevents penetration of liquid into the second gas region.

25. The buoyancy modification module of claim 19 wherein the first gas region has a first gas pressure when the first flooding region is completely empty, wherein the first gas pressure corresponds to half of a maximum dive pressure.

26. The buoyancy modification module of claim 25 wherein the first gas region has a second gas pressure when the first flooding region is completely flooded, wherein the second gas pressure corresponds to 1.5 times the maximum dive pressure.

27. The buoyancy modification module of claim 17 wherein the first pressure hull includes a first dry region in which the first pump is disposed, wherein the buoyancy modification module comprises a first gas region that is connected to the first flooding region, wherein the first gas region and the first dry region are connected in a gas-conveying manner.

28. The buoyancy modification module of claim 19 wherein the first gas region and the first flooding region are separated by a movable, liquid-tight layer.

29. A modular underwater vehicle comprising at least three modules, wherein at least one of the at least three modules is the buoyancy modification module of claim 17.

30. The modular underwater vehicle of claim 29 wherein the buoyancy modification module is mechanically connected to all adjacent modules of the at least three modules, wherein the buoyancy modification module includes an electrical connection to at least one adjacent module of the at least three modules.

31. The modular underwater vehicle of claim 29 comprising a first payload module that is adjacent to the buoyancy modification module.

32. The modular underwater vehicle of claim 31 wherein the buoyancy modification module is a first buoyancy modification module, the modular underwater vehicle comprising a second buoyancy modification module, wherein the first buoyancy modification module is adjacent to the first payload module at a bow end, wherein the second buoyancy modification module is adjacent to the first payload module at a stern end.

Description

[0041] The buoyancy modification module according to the invention is explained in greater detail below with the help of exemplary embodiments depicted in the drawings.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a first non-flooded buoyancy modification module

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a first flooded buoyancy modification module

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a second flooded buoyancy modification module with a second gas region

[0045] FIG. 4 shows a third flooded buoyancy modification module with a gas pump

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a modular underwater vehicle

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a first buoyancy modification module 10 in the non-flooded state and FIG. 2 shows it in the flooded state. The buoyancy modification module 10 has a frame 20 and a first pressure hull 30 connected to the frame 20. The inside of the first pressure hull 30 is divided into two regions. There is a first dry region on the right, in which the first pump 40 is located. With the help of the first pump 40, water can be pumped out of the surroundings into the left region of the pressure hull 30 or in the opposite direction. The left region is divided into a first flooding region 50, which is provided for flooding with water, and a first gas region 60, in which a gas, in particular air or nitrogen, is located.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a second buoyancy modification module 10 which has, in addition, two second gas regions 70 which are connected to the first gas region 60. The second gas regions 70 preferably take the shape of standard commercial pressurized gas cylinders. The advantage is that these can be effectively arranged alongside the customarily cylindrical first pressure hull 30 utilizing the space available in the frame. Furthermore, these are standard commercial and therefore comparatively inexpensive components.

[0049] The third buoyancy modification module 10 shown in FIG. 4 has, in addition, a gas pump 80 via which gas can be conveyed from the first gas region 60 into the second gas region 70 and back.

[0050] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary modular underwater vehicle 100. The modular underwater vehicle 100 has a first payload module 110. In order to compensate for the change in mass of the payload module 110 during the mission, a buoyancy modification module 10 is arranged in front of and behind the payload module 110 in each case. For example, the modular underwater vehicle 100 also has a bow module 120 which may have sonar and control electronics, for example. An energy module 130 is arranged at the stern. This may comprise a storage battery, a fuel cell and/or a diesel engine independent of the outside air. All other modules are supplied with energy by the energy module 130. Furthermore, the modular underwater vehicle 100 has a stern module 140 which comprises, for example, the drive motor and a propeller and also the rudder.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0051] 10 buoyancy modification module [0052] 20 frame [0053] 30 first pressure hull [0054] 40 first pump [0055] 50 first flood region [0056] 60 first gas region [0057] 70 second gas region [0058] 80 gas pump [0059] 100 modular underwater vehicle [0060] 110 payload module [0061] 120 bow module [0062] 130 energy module [0063] 140 stern module