The Genesis and Metamorphosis of Underwater
Systems for Canadian Arctic Operations
Presented to:
HYDRO 14 │energy & enterprise
Aberdeen, Scotland
29 October, 2014
By: Dr. James R. McFarlane, OC, CD, P.Eng., FCAE
International Submarine Engineering Ltd.
1
History
2
History: Early Concepts
A Henri Delauze fullsized replica of a 1700’s
creation in test tank at
COMEX in 1977
“They will be produced capable of
acting as if possessed of their own
intelligence and their advent will
create a revolution.”
- Nikola Tesla (1898)
3
The 1960s
President John F. Kennedy in a Message to Congress on
Oceanography (Executive Communication No. 734) said:
“Knowledge of the Oceans is more than a matter of curiosity.
Our very survival may hinge upon it.”
Mixed gas diving was investigated by Jacques Cousteau
(France), Hannes Keller (Switzerland), Capt. George Bond (USN),
as well as Phil Nuytten (CAN DIVE), Lad Handleman (CAL DIVE),
Oceaneering, and COMEX.
4
History: The 1960s
The 1960s was a period of Revolution
 Capt. Jackson, SSBN.
 Man landed on the moon before we knew about
chemosynthetic animals on earth.
 Concord flew 1969.
 747 flew 1969.
 The first SR71 Blackbird flew in April 1962. ALL were designed
using Slide Rules.
 All were design calculations done using Slide Rules.
5
History: The 1960s
Jacques Piccard and
Don Walsh reached
the Challenge Deep
in the Marianna's (the
deepest part of the
ocean) in the DSV
Trieste. It was towed
into position by the
USS DE535 Lewis.
Don Walsh and Jacques Picard in
DSV Trieste January 23, 1960
Andy Rechnitzzer and Larry Shoemaker
were two other people on the surface.
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Manned Subs
7
Manned Subs: HYCO: PISCES I
HYCO was founded July 1964.
They concentrated on the
development of manned
submersibles.
The first sub PISCES I was built
mostly at VANCOUVER IRON
WORKS out of Algoma 44. It
took 18 months to build and 8
months to make operational.
Don Sorte, Mack Thomson, Al Trice
It was completed October
1966.
8
Manned Subs: HYCO: PISCES I
In 1968, with Al Trice and Mike
Macdonald , HYCO’s PISCES I worked
from a rig built by VICTORIA
MACHINERY DEPOT the SEDCO 135F.
SEDCO 135F did the worlds first
vehicle support drilling operation.
Later, Phil Nuytten had a diving
contract.
SEDCO 135F
That meant a BC BUILT RIG and a BC
BUILT SUB along with BC DIVERS in
BC WATERS.
9
PISCES II: VICKERS Trainees
VICKERS Oceanic
Trainees were sent to
BC. Their teacher was
Mike Macdonald.
Atop PISCES II: Elliott Sinclair and Mike Macdonald.
Standing: Tony Johnson, Morris Byham,
Bob Eastaugh, Dave White.
10
Manned Subs: VICKERS Pilots
The Two Rogers
In 1973, Roger Mallinson and Roger chapman were stranded on the
bottom of the ocean of Cork, Ireland.
What is not well known is that the Canadian Air force transported
PISCES V from Halifax to Cork and it was PISCES V that attached
the first line. Mike Macdonald was the pilot.
The event became the subject of a book “No Time on Our Side”
11
Future Integration
Hybrid designs
are in the planes
and space
between the axis.
ROV
Hybrid Vector
Semi-Sub
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ROV’s
13
ISE Founded August 31, 1974
In January 1975 ISE
built the first prototype
TROV
14
ISE ‘TROV B1’ (1975)
Went in the
water in April
and finished
the first
vehicle in
September.
15
ISE ‘TROV’ (1976)
In November 1975, ISE
went to the UK and
made a deal to produce
a surface-powered ROV
~ TROV I to be used to
monitor rock dumping
on the Piper Alpha line
which was laid from
Kirkwall, Orkney to the
Piper Alpha jacket.
This ushered in a new era in subsea work capability
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ROV Uses in Science
MBARI
CSSF
5000M
JAMSTEC 3000M
17
ISE ROV – VENTANA
MBARI Ventana being recovered.
Total Dives to 27 Aug 2014: 3,796
Total Hours to 27 Aug 2014: 15,135hrs 45min
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ISE ROV – VENTANA
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Archaea: Found on Juan de Fuca Ridge
Archaea are not bacteria.
They have a different and
indepen-dent evolutionary
history so they are classified
as a separate domain in the
three domain system.
(Archaea, Bacteria,
Eukaryota)
Archaea is a single celled, rod
shaped microorganisms that
is among the most ancient
forms of life and appeared on
Earth billions of years ago
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Niot TMS
Built by ISE. Operated by
NIOT. Based in Chennai, India.
 5289 meters
 2 degrees 38.98
minutes south
 75 degrees 55.98
minutes east
21
Semi Submersibles
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Semi Subs: ‘DOLPHIN and ‘DORADO
 Propulsion: Diesel Engine
 Counter Rotating Propellers on Dorado only: No torque on
vehicle towing with Dorado
 Free Moving Mast Fairing: No forces and vibration
 Strouhal Number: Vibration
 Drag: Streamlined
 Froude goes away when the body is three meters under water.
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Semi Sub: DORADO MCM
COUNTER ROTATING PROPELLERS
DORADO
L = 27 ft
W = 13,532 lbs.
PROPULSION
450HP CAT
TOWFISH
L = 12.5 ft
W = 900 lbs
Fitted with ACTIVE Towfish.
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AUVs
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The Third Evolution: AUVs
The next part of the undersea vehicle revolution relates to the
development of Autonomous Marine Vehicles.
Although the concept had been around for a while the PC
revolution contributed to feasibility.
There have been some components which have measurably
enabled or improved the function of developments.
“They will be produced capable of acting as if possessed of their
own intelligence and their advent will create a revolution.”
- Nikola Tesla (1898)
26
AUV: ‘ARCS’ Seabed Survey
1986: First ever AUV
Seabed Survey
achieved by ARCS in
Indian Arm.
27
AUV: ‘ARCS’ Obstacle Avoidance
1986: First ever
AUV Obstacle
Avoidance with
ARCS.
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AUV: ‘ARCS’ Obstacle Avoidance
1986: ARCS
circumnavigated
Racoon Island
with Cats Whisker
OAS (Obstacle
Avoidance Sonar)
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AUV: ‘ARCS’ Configurations
THERE ARE SEVERAL CONFIGURATIONS
 Length: 5.2 - 7.0m (modular)
 Diameter: 68.5cm
 Displacement: 700 - 1500kg
 Depth Rating: 600m
 Maximum Speed: 2.5m per second
 Energy Source: 20 kWh Nickel Cadmium; 70 KWh Silver Zinc;
60-100 kWh AI O2 Fuel Cell.
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AUV: Technology Borrowed
From other fields including manned subs, ROVs, boats, battery
industry, computer industry.
 Structure
 Ballast
 Propulsion
- Motors
 Electric Power
- Battery
- Cables
 Control
- PCS
 Navigation
- INS
- TV
- GPS
- USB
- LBL
 Standards
 - ASME
- IEEE
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THESEUS: Testing
32
ISER AUV: THESEUS
THESEUS
under ice in
the Arctic
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VIDEO: AUV THESEUS (1995-1996)
↑
Click to start video
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AUV: ‘THESEUS’ IN ARCTIC
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERISTICS
 Length: 35 feet
(10.7m)
 Diameter: 50 inches
(127cm)
 Displacement: 19000
lbs (8600kg)
 Speed: 4 knots
 Propulsion: 6 hp
brushless DC motor
 Depth: 3280 feet
(1000m).
 Full duplex on the way to
target.
 Operators monitoring progress
see what is going on.
 Auto ballast system to
compensate with weight lost
during cable lay.
 No communications on 25 hour
return trip.
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AUV: ‘EXPLORER’
EXPLORER CHARACTERISTICS
 Length: 14.7 feet (4.5m)
 Diameter: 27 inches (69cm)
 Displacement: up to 4320 lbs
(1960 kg)
 Speed: 4 knots
 Depth: 16400 feet (5000m)
 Range: up to 440km or 82
hours
 Lithium Battery.
36
AUV: NRCan’s Arctic ‘Explorer’
Testing Arctic Explorers to ensure functionality at Nanoose
Torpedo Firing Range.
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Arctic AUV Payload Integrations





RDI Workhorse
Navigation 300 KHz
Depth - Paroscientific
INS - Ixsea Phins
Homing Device – Omnitech Halifax
38
AUV Arctic ‘Explorer’ (2010)
Erin MacNeil
Project Manager
DRDC
(Government of Canada)
Gina Millar
Gina Millar
Control
Systems
Control Systems
Engineer
Engineer
ISE
Ltd.
ISE Ltd.
39
Video: AUV Arctic ‘Explorer’ (2010)
↑
Click to start video
40
AUV: NRCan’s Arctic ‘Explorer’ (2010)
The Arctic EXPLORER AUVs “Yamoria “ [the ancient great
traveller and law maker of the Dene people] and “Qaujisati” [one
who searches] were named by school children in the Arctic.
They were built to gather under ice data to be used in support of
Canada’s submission under Article 76 of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
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Arctic Visitor (2010)
Last Day Visitor at Arctic Mission #1 Ice Hole
42
AUV: Arctic Vehicles
The attributes are
mission driven.
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Conclusion
When I think of the Evolution of Subsea Capability - I think of a song
by Johnny Reid who is a Scottish immigrant to Canada who wrote
and performed the following song:
“Today I’m gonna try and change the world
Gonna take it one day at a time
I’ve made my resolution - I’ve opened up my eyes
Today I’m gonna try and change the world.”
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The Future
“For I dipt into the future, as far as human eyes can see;
Saw the vision of the world and the wonder that would be.”
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson
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