TRANSMITTAL
Florida Institute of Technology
Department of Marine and Environmental Systems
Marine Field Project
TO:
Dr. Stephen Wood, P.E.
Program Chair, Ocean Engineering
Department of Marine and Environmental Systems
Florida Institute of Technology
150 West University Blvd.
Melbourne, FL 32901
FROM:
Steven Meyer
Sanjukta Misra
John Velasco
RE:
Marine Field Project Final Report: Wave Glider
DATE:
July 19, 2012
Dr. Wood,
Please review the attached final report for the Ocean Engineering Wave Glider team for
the 2012 Marine Field Projects. The report details the motivations for the Wave Glider project,
basic theory and background information, all procedures, designs, engineering specifications,
testing and deployment results. The project and report have been the individual designs and work
of the team and any supplemental material has been referenced.
Marine Field Project 2012:
Wave Glider
Prepared for:
Dr. Stephen Wood, P.E.
Program Chair, Ocean Engineering
DMES
Prepared by:
Steven Meyer, Student
Sanjukta Misra, Student
John Velasco, Student
19 July 2012
FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
[Acknowledgements]
We would like to thank Dr. Wood and the rest of the DMES faculty for their help and support
during the duration of this project. We would also like to extend thanks to the other senior
design teams including NARWHALES, TURTLES, and the Wave-Energy team, the machine
shop faculty and the Florida Institute of Technology for their help. We would like to give Matt
Jordan special thanks for working out the electrical system.
Table of Contents
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. 5
List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. 5
List of Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... 7
1.0 Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 8
2.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 9
Task ............................................................................................................................................. 9
Estimated Time ........................................................................................................................... 9
Start Date ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Team member ............................................................................................................................ 10
Role ........................................................................................................................................... 10
Topics ........................................................................................................................................ 10
3.0 Background ............................................................................................................................. 11
3.1 Historical Background......................................................................................................... 11
3.2 Liquid Robotics Wave Glider ............................................................................................. 18
4.0 Procedures ............................................................................................................................... 24
4.1 Customer Requirements ...................................................................................................... 24
4.2 Preliminary Designs ............................................................................................................ 24
4.3 Engineering Specifications and Computer Models ............................................................. 28
4.4 Function Decomposition Structure...................................................................................... 34
4.5 Construction ........................................................................................................................ 35
5.0 Results ..................................................................................................................................... 43
6.0 Discussion ............................................................................................................................... 47
7.0 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 49
8.0 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 49
9.0 References ............................................................................................................................... 52
10.0 Appendices ............................................................................................................................ 54
10.1 Safety Report and MSDS .................................................................................................. 54
Project Description ................................................................................................................ 54
Hazard Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 55
4
Human Safety Analysis ......................................................................................................... 58
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis ...................................................................................... 59
List of Figures
Figure 1: Challenger Expedition (10)
Figure 2: Data Buoy (13)
Figure 3: AUV on mission (16)
Figure 4: Military AUV (5)
Figure 5: MIT’s Odyssey II (13)
Figure 6: Basic Design Patent (18)
Figure 7: Autonomous Steering Setup (18)
Figure 8: How the Wave Glider Moves (15)
Figure 9: Wave Glider on its mobile platform (6)
Figure 10: PACX mission from San Francisco to Hawaii (12)
Figure 11: Wave Glider Specifications (9)
Figure 12: First Float Design
Figure 13: Second Float Design
Figure 14: Intermediate Designs for Comparison
Figure 15: Simple Designs for Testing
Figure 16: Inductive Mooring System (17)
Figure 17: Inner foam of the float
Figure 18: Final View of Fiberglass Float
Figure 19: Wing System Design
Figure 20: Wing System Design
Figure 21: Harken Winch for Wings (11)
Figure 22: Rudder Design and Ideal Angle of Attack
Figure 23: Rudder design in Pro-E
Figure 24: Coordinate Plot for Rudder Design
12
13
15
16
17
19
19
20
21
22
22
24
25
25
26
28
29
29
30
30
31
32
33
33
List of Tables
Table 1: Project Timeline................................................................................................................ 9
Table 2: Team Members and Responsibilities .............................................................................. 10
Table 3: PacX Routes taken by Wave Gliders (9) ........................................................................ 23
Table 4: Surface Component Specifications ................................................................................. 28
Table 5: Wing Specifications ........................................................................................................ 29
5
Table 6: Winch System Specifications ......................................................................................... 30
Table 7: Rudder Calculations........................................................................................................ 31
Table 8: Rudder Motor Options ................................................................................................... 34
6
List of Abbreviations
DMES
FIT
ADCP
CTD
NOAA
NDBC
NWS
AUV
ROV
Department of Environmental Systems
Florida Institute of Technology
Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler
Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Data Buoy Center
National Weather Service
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
Remotely Operated Vehicle
7
1.0 Executive Summary
The purpose of the Wave Glider project was to increase the efficiency and functionality of
Liquid Robotics’ wave glider. The 2012 Wave Glider Senior Design project focuses on the
optimization and modification of the current Wave Glider built and designed by Liquid
Robotics in Sunnyvale, CA. The Wave Glider is an autonomous unmanned vehicle (AUV)
which uses the power of the ocean to propel itself: a technological leap from typical AUVs
powered by motors and buoys with expensive mooring systems. The objectives of the project
included analyzing the current wave glider design to make it faster and more maneuverable.
Initial design changes involved figuring out how to make the surface instrument float in
different directions with respect to the subsurface propulsion wings. Another objective was to
make the depth of the subsurface propulsion adjustable from 10 to 150 feet. With
consideration to the material used for the system, a complete safety report was made and
followed for all construction procedures. Analysis of fluid flow around the surface platform
and subsurface propulsion system was conducted to ensure an efficient design with less drag
acting on the structure. The overall design changes make the system more adaptive to
different conditions while maintaining the simplicity of the system and its deployment.
8
2.0 Introduction
Oceans cover over 71% (19) of the planet’s surface. Traversing the oceans to record data is
very important for keeping track of meteorological and oceanographic phenomenon. A new
way to explore the oceans is needed. With improvements to current exploratory systems, a
safer and more efficient method can be achieved.
The motivation for the senior design project “Wave Glider” came from the team members’
desire to replicate the wave glider designed by Liquid Robotics and enhance some of its
aspects to make it more practical and reliable. The team members wanted to
make various
improvements to the mechanism of the glider that would make it possible to collect a more
diverse range of data and use a wide variety of instruments.
The oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface but majority of the ocean is yet to be explored.
However, new technology is being designed to explore the dark seas and unmanned vehicles
have been successful by the use of computers and technological advancements. The Wave
Glider project focuses on a prototype of the glider designed by Liquid Robotics and the
enhancement of its features, making it capable of changing the length of the cable by remote
operation and having the capacity to employ more instruments with the help of Inductive
Mooring.
Table 1: Project Timeline
Task
Estimated Time
Start Date
Design Wave Glider
3 months
January 10th, 2012
CNC Foam cutout
1 week
April 4th, 2012
Construct model
Drag Test
9
Task
Estimated Time
Instal remote-control
2 weeks
Start Date
mechanism
Pressure Housing
3 weeks
MFP Cruise
3 days
June 6th, 2012
1 day
July 18th, 2012
Testing of model
Senior Design Symposium
Final Report
The Wave Glider team uniformly decided on a unique system in which each member would
work on their concentrated skill and area of interest in ocean engineering and then share with
the team the progress of their specified task. Steve Meyer was chosen as the team leader and
was placed in charge of the design of the hull and the pulley mechanism while John Velasco
was in charge of designing the wings and rudder of the Glider. Sanjukta was put in charge of
the electrical circuits dealing with the solar panels and the remote operation of the winch
system. Each team member contributed while writing the assigned reports.
Table 2: Team Members and Responsibilities
Team member
Role
Topics
Steve Meyer
Team Leader
Naval architecture
Hull Designer
Sanjukta Misra
Electronics Designer
Underwater
technology
John Velasco
Wings Designer
10
The Wave Glider is a surface vehicle with an attached sub-surface wing system. The wing
system is comprised of six individual wings that adjust to the current, speed, and direction of
passing waves. This system propels the surface component forward, negating the need for a
motor. The Wave Glider can be programmed for travel or to keep station at a certain location,
which is hopeful in the need for replacement of buoys with expensive mooring systems. The
Wave Glider has instruments on the surface component that can be customized for ADCP and
CTD measurements, passive monitoring of marine life, and other commercial and defense
applications. The instruments are powered by solar panels on the surface component, making
the Wave Glider a self-sustaining vehicle. The vehicle transmits data to land in real-time
sequence, allowing for accurate and easy monitoring of the vehicle’s trip and the data
collected.
The goal of the 2012 Senior Design project is to optimize and modify certain aspects of the
current Wave Glider design. Through research, collaboration, and use of modeling software
for new designs, several aspects of the original Wave Glider were altered to reflect the group’s
own engineering intuition with hopes of improving the current model. The hull (surface
component) design was modified, along with the design of the wing system (subsurface
component). The new wing system is designed to be sleeker, more streamlined, and have a
greater wing area with more flexible wings. The system was designed with the notion of
creating a smoother “ride” for the vehicle with less jerking motion from the waves. Another
modification is the attachment of the wing system to the surface component of the vehicle.
The current model has a 7-meter tether connecting the two components. This has been
modified with a retractable cable that allows the wing system to glide at a range of depths.
The wiring of electronics has also been modified to allow for an adjustable rudder on the
subsurface wing component.
3.0 Background
3.1 Historical Background
Gathering data from the seas has been a focus since 1872. The HMS Challenger set out
between 1872 and 1876 to gather information on ocean temperatures, chemistry, currents,
11
marine life and seafloor geology. The Challenger’s first voyage set off from England and
traveled through the Atlantic Ocean around the Cape of Good Hope. It traveled though the
Antarctic Circle, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific visiting New Zealand, Australia, and the
Hawaiian Islands before returning back to England in 1876. (4)
Figure 1: Challenger Expedition (10)
The Challenger discovered the Marianas Trench and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It also revealed
the first outline of the Atlantic Ocean. From data provided by the Challenger, scientists were
able to map some of the currents and temperature distributions. The discoveries of the
Challenger paved the way for studying the oceans and led many other countries to take
interest and start other expeditions. (4)
An American scientist, Mathew Fontaine Maury, noticed patterns in all of the data. From this
data he was able to make charts of the ocean currents and wind patterns allowing captains to
plan the best routes for travel. In return Maury requested ships to keep logs of data and throw
bottles with notes overboard. By using the location of the found bottles and additional data
Maury was able to create more detailed patterns of ocean currents. (4)
In the late 1800s into the 1900s, Prince Albert of Monaco used a method similar to Maury’s
method to figure out the Gulf Stream’s location and travel as it traveled along the Eastern
seaboard of North America and across the Atlantic to Europe. Prince Albert determined that
the Gulf Stream split into two currents and one traveled to the United Kingdom and one
headed south towards Spain and Africa before heading west again. Prince Albert’s
information allowed authorities to predict where mines would drift in World War 1, giving
them enough information to find and disarm them. (4)
12
Technology has led to a new era in ocean exploration in which ships are not needed. Long
term observation can be taken using many sensors and instruments to make continuous
measurements of many ocean properties. The data can then be transmitted to scientists
through underwater cables linked to moored buoys and transmitted to satellites in real time.
(4)
The three most common methods of getting data are remotely operated vehicles (ROVs),
autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and buoys. The use of these instruments has
greatly increased the reach of oceanographers in the line of research and knowledge of the
oceans. (4)
Buoys are one of the most common systems for obtaining data. They measure and transmit
data automatically and transmit them in real time through different systems. The observations
from buoys have led to significant advances in modeling and understanding global weather
and climate systems on every space and time scale. (3)
Buoys are one of the most cost effective means for obtaining meteorological and
oceanographic data. Two types of buoys exist. Depending on the needed application, a
drifting buoy or a moored buoy can be used. (3)
Figure 2: Data Buoy (13)
Drifting buoys are generally attached to an anchor or a drogue. They are easy to deploy and
can measure the atmospheric and ocean conditions for an average of 18 months. They have
been around since the 1970s and are still being used currently. One type of drifting buoy is a
13
Lagrangian drifter which measures the velocity of currents at the depth of its drogue while
also collecting surface and other subsurface measurements. The Lagrangian drifter was
standardized in 1991 to provide reliable data. (3)
Moored buoys are stationary and do not move. They are generally much larger, with some of
them being over 12 meters in breadth. They serve forecasting needs, record surface
measurements including sea surface temperature and salinity, record subsurface measure past
500 meters in some cases, and also serve maritime safety needs. The buoys are very difficult
to deploy due to the size, and they also require a robust mooring system to keep them from
setting adrift during times of large waves and stormy conditions. These buoys are also very
expensive due to their service needs and the bulky materials required for their construction.
(3)
Two different types of moored buoys exist. Tropical moored buoys are set up in large arrays
and measure large scale phenomenon including El Niño, the Southern Oscillation, and the
North Atlantic Oscillation. These show annual variability in global climate changes. The
other type of moored buoy is known as a wave buoy. Wave buoys record the free surface of
the waves, allowing waves to be models. They measure the frequency, amplitude, height,
period, and celerity of waves. The wave buoys can incorporate data to predict storms and
changes in offshore wind patterns. (3)
The AUV definition comes from the oil and gas industry. The oil industry developed the first
conceivable untethered underwater vehicle which was a self-propelled torpedo in 1868. The
more traditional history begins with Dimitri Rebikoff’s Sea Spook in 1960. The next AUVs
created were the Applied Physics Laboratory’s Self Propelled Underwater Research Vehicles
developed in 1963 and 1973, followed by the Unmanned Arctic Research Submersible
(UARS) in 1972. AUV developments after 1973 were slow until the late 1980s when
significant advances in energy, computing, and navigation were developed. Advanced AUVs
started appearing, funded primarily by the US Navy, and Applied Remote Technology’s
XP21. During the 1990s major advances came through in computers, batteries, and sensors,
leading to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute’s Autonomous Benthic Explorer and Florida
Atlantic University’s Ocean Voyager. The AUV industry has since branched from military
use and the ocean exploring community into the commercial offshore survey market (14).
14
Figure 3: AUV on mission (16)
AUVs are programmable robotic vehicles that drift, cruise, or glide through the ocean. They
are untethered and loaded with actuators, onboard sensors, and in some cases, onboard
intelligence. They do not need any real time control. The AUV can be programmed to go
anywhere and record data throughout the entire journey or only at certain points. Some
AUVS can make their own decisions based on the data that they receive and interpret along
the way. They are very simple to deploy and easy to control from a ship or land-based control
center. AUVs communicate periodically through underwater beacons or real-time via
satellite. (7)
The main reason for using AUVs is that they are the most cost effective way to obtain a large
series of data. AUVs usually offer the best or only option for many missions due to the low
cost and high level of safety. They are the newest technology for obtaining data and many
advancements are still underway. The lack of a tether provides a much more mobile vessel
that requires a smaller crew, easier deployment, and little to no vessel time. The only
downfalls include the necessity of the vehicle’s ability to efficiently and safely act on its own
since there are no humans to interfere in the case of a problem, and also the difficulty of
underwater transmission for submerged AUVs; they must be able to act completely
independent from human involvement at times. (7)
AUVs have not been proven to be cost effective at abyssal depths. Three AUVs have gone to
depths greater than 6000 meters, including the Naval Ocean Systems Center’s Underwater
Search System (AUSS), the French vehicle EPAULARD, and the Soviet Union’s MT-88.
The deep water AUV systems proved to be too expensive in terms of equipment and
operational costs due to the complexity and size required to reach those depths. (7)
15
A large portion of research and development in the United States has been for military
purposes. Vehicles weighing an excess of 6 metric tons have been built. They cost millions
of dollars and require large support vessels and have limited handling capabilities. The
Navy’s main concern is littoral warfare, so AUV research and development has moved away
from the large expensive systems and shifted towards small vessels that are designed for
shallow water use; the smaller AUV systems are relatively low cost and have stealthy
abilities. (7)
Figure 4: Military AUV (5)
Small AUVs were previously thought of as impractical because they did not have the
capacity, durability or range that was required. In recent years the scientific community has
seen a need for small, high performance, low cost AUVs. The lower cost of the AUVs allows
scientists to deploy greater numbers of them. This results in a larger number of data points
being collected for analysis. The cheaper AUVs also allow more dangerous missions to be
attempted without the fear of losing extremely expensive pieces of equipment. (6)
In 1991 and 1992 MIT Sea Grant College Program’s AUV Laboratory constructed a vehicle
called the Odyssey; it underwent trials in the Atlantic Ocean off of New England before being
deployed from the Nathaniel B. Palmer off of Antarctica in early 1993. The work of the
Odyssey was supported and monitored by the Sea Grant College Program, MIT, the National
Science Foundation, and the National Underwater Research Program. Because of the success
of this program, a second generation of the Odyssey was created: the Odyssey II. The
Odyssey II also proved to be very successful in autonomously taking measurements up to
1,400 meters under Arctic sea-ice. (1)
16
In 1995, four vehicles were built by the Office of Naval Research and named the Odyssey IIb. The four new AUVs were loaned to Woods Hole, the Navy’s Research and Development
center, and Electronic Design Consultants in Chapel Hill, NC. The vehicles were all very
simple to use and conducted many experiments over the course of a month. Two of the
Odyssey II-b vehicles were used to conduct studies on the dynamics of frontal mixing in the
Haro Strait and were equipped with water quality sensors, a side-scan sonar, and water current
profilers. All of the Odyssey II-b vehicles were recovered successfully after performing many
dives. (1)
In 1997 the Sea Grant College Program’s AUV lab primarily focused on developing an
Autonomous Ocean Sampling Network that would collaborate the data collected by many
AUVs over many trials. Between Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute’s system that allowed
the AUVs to dock, recharge their batteries, and download data, and the additional mooring
and communication systems put in place, the Ocean Sampling Network became a reality by
2000. The integrated system conducted research and searches all over the oceans and proved
to be very successful before being disbanded in August of 2000. The Odyssey II-c was
developed after the Odyssey II-b. The Odyssey II-c was mechanically the same as the
Odyssey II-b but was upgraded with new computers, sensors, and software. The Odyssey II-c
was much more advanced and was aimed towards the commercial market. The main
commercial application of the Odyssey II-c was aimed at the offshore oil and gas market for
exploration and surveying to find new deposits. (1)
Figure 5: MIT’s Odyssey II (13)
17
Bluefin Robotics was developed in 1997, and opened a manufacturing facility in 1999. The
commercial industry soared with the growth of Bluefin Robotics. The transition led to an
increase in AUV technology and yielded a mobile network for ocean observation. (1)
AUVs are usually shaped similar to a torpedo. They can be buoyancy driven, driven by a
battery with a propeller, a motor with a propeller, wave energy driven, or solar-driven in
conjunction with batteries and a propeller. (14)
3.2 Liquid Robotics Wave Glider
Liquid Robotics has developed a completely autonomous vehicle that draws all of its power
from the sun and the sea. The propulsion works primarily off of the buoyancy of a surface
float that pulls the wings upward, and the negative buoyancy of the wings causing them to
sink. The up and down motion of the wing system through the water and the wings’ freely
pitching cause the wings to excel forward, pulling the float by its 22-foot tether. The Wave
Glider therefore does not need to be fueled. The electrical system on board is powered by
solar panels on the floating surface component of the system. The solar panels power the
remote control and onboard instruments that allow the Wave Glider to constantly monitor and
test different aspects of the ocean. (9)
Liquid robotics has patented the system which comprises the fin system, tether, and float. The
patent number 7371136, titled Wave Power. The subsurface wing system, called the
swimmer, has a frame on a longitudinal axis, and fins that rotate about the axis. The fins are
laminar and the frame consists of a rigid bar. The fin system is comprised of 3 to 10 identical
laminar fins. The fins are generally elastically deformable. The original claim is that if the
system is placed in wave bearing water the vertical motion will result in the fins moving about
their axis and horizontal motion being achieved. The swimmer is attached to a tether in front
of the center of drag. The steering actuator is a rudder that is attached to the float. The three
parts work together as a unitary body. The float contains a system for satellite communication
and tracking, which allows for steering using the rudder. The tether comprises of a device to
detect twisting and another device to correct the twisting.
18
Figure 6: Basic Design Patent (18)
11. Float
21. Swimmer
31. Tether
111. Float Body
112. Solar Panels
113. GPS Receiver
114. Antenna
115. Electronics Box
116. Rudder
211. Body
212. Nose Cone
213. Fin
214. Fin System
215. Electrical Passthrough
216. Batteries
217. Control Electronics
Figure 7: Autonomous Steering Setup (18)
19
218. Rudder servo
mechanism
219. Rudder control passthrough
220. Rudder Control
221. Rudder Arm
222. Rudder
311. Tensile Member
Figure 8: How the Wave Glider Moves (15)
Because the Wave Glider offers a cheaper, more economical, and environmentally sound
method of monitoring the seas compared to other AUVs, scientists are able to obtain much
greater amounts of information at much lower costs. The wave glider is commonly fitted with
an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), an acoustic modem, vessel automation
identification system receivers, passive acoustics for animal monitoring, and a few other
instruments to measure meteorological and oceanographic conditions. (9)
The Wave Glider is fit to replace many AUVs for a variety of applications. The government
could use the Wave Glider for intelligence, surveillance, monitoring exclusive economic
zones for fishing, and other economic resources that are very important to coastal countries.
Monitoring of coastal waters normally requires large amounts of expensive surveillance. The
Wave Glider does away with the large crews required for monitoring, cutting down the costs
substantially. The Wave Glider also has a variety of applications in the commercial sector.
They can be used to find and research resources and fisheries at a fraction of the cost of other
methods. Since the Wave Glider can either be programmed for a journey or to keep station, it
is looked at as an alternative for expensive moored buoys. (9)
Because the Wave Glider is relatively inexpensive, many of them can be deployed to monitor
the vast oceans. Wave gliders have the capabilities of a 3-meter moored buoy but are mobile
with real-time data transmission; this means the Gliders have no need for ship time, mooring
20
lines, and at-sea servicing. Because the Wave Gliders are mobile they can be deployed from
any port or harbor, complete their long missions, and return back to any port or harbor to be
serviced. (9)
Figure 9: Wave Glider on its mobile platform (6)
The first Wave Gliders were delivered in 2008. In 2011, NOAA’s NDBC deployed the first
operational Wave Gliders to monitor real time observations throughout the Gulf of Mexico.
They also released a second Wave Glider to record tsunami observations and data. The Wave
Glider has helped the NDBC enhance maritime safety, coastline inundation, oceanographic
and meteorological observations. (9)
Liquid Robotics has proved the success of the Wave Glider with a 60,000-kilometer journey
called PacX. Four Wave Gliders traveled from San Francisco to Hawaii and then broke into
two pairs. One pair proceeded to Australia while the other traveled to Japan. Table 3
describes the record-breaking journey and PacX routes. (9)
21
Figure 10: PACX mission from San Francisco to Hawaii (12)
Figure 11: Wave Glider Specifications (9)
22
Table 3: PacX Routes taken by Wave Gliders (9)
Glider
Mission
Route Description
Mission Objective and Results
Red
Early
January 9–18, 2009. 9-
This successful engineering test demonstrated the Wave
Flash
Endurance
day mission to
Glider’s ability to operate in offshore waters over extended
Trial
circumnavigate the
periods. Circling Hawaii provided exposure to a variety of
island of Hawaii.
conditions.
Average speed: 1.57
knots. Maximum Sea
State: 10 foot waves,
15 knot winds
Red
Extended
August 13-September
This successful engineering test demonstrated the Wave
Flash
Coastal
23, 2009. 41 day
Glider’s ability to operate in offshore waters and varying
Voyage
mission from Monterey
conditions. The test concluded after the vehicle was
Bay to Alaska. Average
successfully passed through a severe storm and sea state 6
speed: 1.5 knots.
conditions.
Maximum sea state: 20
foot waves, 40 knot
winds
Stripes
Offshore
Loiter offshore Hawaii,
Demonstrated the wave gliders exceptional endurance.
Hawaii
launched December 16,
Exposed a single wave glider to ocean conditions for over one
2008
year. After being brought in, slight maintenance was done
and the wave glider was redeployed.
Red
Monterey
April, 2010, test
Test to evaluate the Wave Gliders ability to take
Flash
Bay
operations
measurements with a CTD. The test was successful,
demonstrating the Wave Glider’s ability to take oceanographic
surveys at the air-sea surface.
Honu
Hawaii to
April-June, 2009, 82
Demonstrated the Wave Gliders ability to cross long distances
and
California
day trip from Hawaii to
in the open ocean. The Wave Gliders returned in excellent
San Diego, over 2500
condition
Kohala
miles
23
4.0 Procedures
Extensive background research was done on the current Wave Glider design and general
engineering specifications of AUVs. After coming up with initial ideas and design objectives
to improve the current model, the task of figuring out how to employ such changes on the
current model so that the system remained mechanically sound was undertaken as a
collaborative effort.
4.1 Customer Requirements
The Wave Glider must work as efficiently as the one Liquid Robotics created but must be
lighter, easier to deploy, and have wings that reach adjustable depths. The lighter weight can
be obtained by creating a lighter float that is near hollow, and a severe reduction of materials
used in the wings. The forces on most of the materials are small enough to be able to use
much less material while retaining an appropriate safety factor.
The Wave Glider must be deployable from the Thunder Force or similar ship. This means that
the Wave Glider must be able to be lifted by a winch and deployed or recovered easily.
Control of the rudder and the winching systems to make the wings adjustable must be via
remote control from the Thunder Force. All power must be obtained from wave energy and
solar energy to power all of the systems on the Wave Glider. It should be able to be deployed
and functioning for a minimum of a few hours.
4.2 Preliminary Designs
Figure 12: First Float Design
24
Figure 13: Second Float Design
Figure 14: Intermediate Designs for Comparison
25
Figure 15: Simple Designs for Testing
After reviewing all of the designs for the surface component of the system, it turned out that
the machine shop does not have machinery capable of cutting out extremely complex shapes.
The simple shapes encountered excessive drag while moving through the water so some
intermediate shapes (between too simple and too complex) were considered. The intermediate
shapes offered the best combination of buoyancy, platform area, stability, efficiency, and
ruggedness. Hydrodynamic calculations were made to be sure of the correct choice of shape
and hull for the surface float.
The wings were designed to remain stable while adjusting to different depths, which is why
weight was added to give the subsurface system negative buoyancy. The wing system was
also designed so that when the winch rescinds the cable toward the surface float, pulling the
wings upward, it will not pull the float underwater possibly damaging some of the
instruments. The design calls for much thinner materials making it lighter and more flexible.
The wings will also pitch 26 degrees in motion, as this angle proved to be the best angle of
attack for creating forward propulsion from vertical motion.
The winch system was designed so that the wings could be retracted to fit directly underneath
the float for deployment and retrieval; this provides a very simple and safe deployment and
ease of transport compared to the original Wave Glider. The current Wave Glider is on a
stationary tether that is not adjustable or retractable, making it very dangerous to deploy and
retrieve in high seas. The retractable wings would also make it simpler to deploy the Wave
Glider from shallow water such as that of a harbor or bay with shallow depth. The wings
26
could also be integrated at a later date so that they would be able to adapt to the water column
which would increase the overall speed or station-keeping abilities.
The rudder is designed to create a small turning radius while inhibiting the forward motion as
little as possible. The rudder is driven by a motor encased in the wing system. The electrical
system will run from two solar panels that constantly charge a battery. The setup was
designed because the winch draws more power than the solar panels can deliver. The battery
will be charged from the panels and have the electrical output to drive the winch and rudder
when needed.
Direct cable connections were generally the preferred choice for underwater to surface data
transmission but the advancement of technology has made it possible to use new methods like
inductive mooring that allows up to 100 instruments to be positioned or repositioned at any
desired depth. The Wave Glider team incorporated the idea of inductive mooring in the
proposed design to make it more economical and flexible. The Inductive Mooring system
employs transformers to couple data to the mooring cable and sensor data is applied to the
primary winding of a toroidal transformer. The mooring cable is passed through the toroid
forming a single turn secondary that conveys the data to the surface. The toroids can be
conveniently split into halves so that they can be clamped around the cable without the need
to “thread” the cable through. The data transmission is done with the help of a high frequency
carrier onto which the data is impressed. If a bigger budget could be acquired for the Wave
Glider project, the “Preferred IM configuration” would be used. In this configuration, the ends
of the mooring cable are grounded to the seawater, which causes a current to flow through the
mooring wire and seawater. The Inductive Cable Coupler (ICC) senses this current and
provides a voltage to the Surface Inductive Modem. The instruments can be easily clamped on
the mooring cable at any point, without having to cause a break in the cable at the instrument
position or having to provide any electrical connection between instrument and cable.
27
Figure 16: Inductive Mooring System (17)
After researching an inductive mooring system for the Wave Glider, it was determined that
such an apparatus was far too expensive and advanced to be purchased and used for the Wave
Glider.
4.3 Engineering Specifications and Computer Models
Table 4: Surface Component Specifications
Width
30”
Height
6”
Length
52”
Weight
140 lbs w/ winch and battery
Buoyancy
290 lbs
28
Figure 17: Inner foam of the float
Figure 18: Final View of Fiberglass Float
Table 5: Wing Specifications
Width
43”
Height
18”
Length
72.5”
Thickness
0.375”
Bearings
Bones Ceramic Red Bearings
Stabilizing Material
10 lbs Lead
Main Material
Aluminum
Weight
47 lbs total
29
Buoyancy
32 lbs
Max Drag (V=1m/s vertical)
136 lbs
Figure 19: Wing System Design
Figure 20: Wing System Design
Table 6: Winch System Specifications
Model
Harken Rewind Radial Electric Winch
Height
8.5”
Width
7.5” Radial
Draw
12 volts/700 Watts
Cut off Power
1874 lbs
Weight
26.5 lbs
30
Figure 21: Harken Winch for Wings (11)
Javafoil was used to design and analyze the rudder to be used on the subsurface wing
component. Analysis of the rudder was critical because the right motor for the control of its
movement had to be determined. The motor needs to have enough power to control the rudder
against the drag and forces that act on it without wasting any power or taking too much energy
from the battery. Table 7 entails the forces acting on the cambered plate of the rudder at
angles of attack of 45°, 30°, and 20°. The Reynolds number used for calculation was 40,000
and the area of the rudder is 0.02065 m.
Table 7: Rudder Calculations
Angle of
Coefficient
Coefficient
Force
Force
Turning
Turning
Attack
of Lift (
of Drag
(Lift) [N]
(drag) [N]
Torque
Torque
[kg-m]
[oz-in]
(
45
0.835
1.5354
35.2979
64.9059
0.01857
25.7903
30
1.248
0.6682
52.7566
28.2468
0.02776
38.5465
20
1.34
0.2928
56.6457
12.3775
0.02980
41.3881
The coefficients of lift and drag were obtained through the use of the modeling software
Javafoil. Using an aluminum plate for the rudder limited the Reynolds Number to 40,000
which is the highest number that can expected for optimum performance with its simplistic
shape. The area of the rudder was determined by designing an appropriate body-to-rudder
ratio and the performance of the designed area can only be fully analyzed through model
testing. Calculations for drag forces and lift forces on the plate were determined by the
following equations:
Equation 1
31
Equation 2
(
Equation 3
Figure 22: Rudder Design and Ideal Angle of Attack
32
Figure 23: Rudder design in Pro-E
Figure 24: Coordinate Plot for Rudder Design
Due to the calculations in Table 7, the motor needed to control the rudder must have the
specified turning torque power to be sufficient for use in the system. After determining that a
servo motor should be used instead of a stepper motor, due to the capabilities needed of the
motor and its ease of use, a few options were considered:
33

Hitec HS-5086WP Waterproof Micro Servo
USD $49.99
The Hitec HS-5086WP Waterproof Micro Servo features 38.9 oz-in torque
@ 4.8 Volts and 44.4 oz-in Torque @ 6.0 Volts. The speed is 0.18 sec/60
degree (4.8 Volts) and 0.15 sec/60 degree (6.0 Volts).

Hitec HS-5646WP Waterproof, High Torque Digital Servo
USD $54.99
The Hitec HS-5646WP Waterproof, High Torque Digital Servo features
97.2 oz-in torque @ 4.8 Volts and 116.7 oz-in Torque @ 6.0 Volts. The
speed is 0.26 sec/60 degree (4.8 Volts) and 0.22 sec/60 degree (6.0 Volts).
Table 8: Rudder Motor Options
Servo
Speed [sec/60°]
Torque [oz-in]
Size [in]
Weight
Gear
[oz]
Type
1.22 x 0.60 x 1.22
0.78
Metal
1.65 x 0.83 x 1.57
2.05
Metal
Model
HS-
0.18 (4.8V)
38.9 (4.8V)
5086WP
0.15 (6.0V)
44.4 (6.0V)
HS-
0.26 (4.8V)
97.2 (4.8V)
5646WP
0.22 (6.0V)
116.7 (6.0V)
If only considering a 20° turn radius, or angle of attack, then the ideal servo motor to choose
would be the HS-5086, not only because it meets the torque requirements of the rudder but it is
smaller and lighter than the HS-5645. Taking into account whether or not the rudder will actually
be limited to a 20° angle of movement, it would be safer to go with the HS-5646 but a sacrifice
in space is needed. Overall, the HS-5086's torque capacity meets the needed power for the rudder
from the calculations in Table 7, but gives no room for safety. For a small increase in size the
HS-5646WP in any circumstance is the safest option to prevent failure in the rudder component.
4.4 Function Decomposition Structure for Original Design
The float will be constructed of high density closed-cell foam and vinyl ester resin fiberglass.
The fiberglass will be laid over the frame of the foam. This will create a rigid float that will be
very durable and not susceptible to salt water. The winch being used will be one made for lifting
sails on sailboats; it is very durable as long as the electrical components are encased.
34
The wings will be made out of a marine-grade aluminum that will sustain for many years in
salt water. The bearings being used are rust-resistant ceramic skateboard bearings that will
last long enough to test the Wave Glider. They have no record of being used in salt water but
are the best bearings that can be afforded. The bearings can be replaced with a very small
amount of work if failure were to occur. The material used to connect the winch to the wings
will be a 5/16’’ spectra fiber rope that has a tensile strength of 3,663 pounds. The rope is very
tough, flexible, and resistant to the salt water environment.
All electrical equipment will be covered by attached plastic to keep the system watertight.
The motor for the rudder will be enclosed in the wing system and sealed with a gasket sealer
to ensure that the motor to control the rudder remains dry at all times.
4.5 Construction
Float:
The float was constructed through many steps. The first step was obtaining the high density
foam that was used as the core. The original plan was to have the float core cut on a CNC
(computer numerical control) router. Due to time constraints the core had to be constructed
by hand. The foam was layered into two layers and cut to 52”x30”x6” using the band saw at
the Florida tech machine shop. The next step was using a routing bit with a mill to get the
rough dimensions of the float and cut out the center grove. The foam was then sanded to
smooth dimensions using 40,80, and 120 grit sand paper.
35
Figure 25-Smoothing out the foam core
To make the foam lighter a 1.25” diameter speed bit was used to drill 104 5” deep holes.
After the foam core was completed an air hose and compressed air was used to strip the core
of all dust. The core was then coated with two layers of fiberglass cloth and vinyl ester resin.
The fiberglass clothe was a type of e-glass with a 24 ounce specification.
Figure 26-Fiberglass curing at FIT machine shop
Once the fiberglass was cured a grinder was used to remove all of the sharp edges, followed
by sanding. The bulk of the sanding was done with sixty grit sand paper on a belt sander with
36
the rest being done with compressed air rotary sanders and 120 grit sand paper. Once the
fiberglass was smooth batches of resin were mixed and coated onto the float to smooth out the
model. This process was repeated four times for the top and bottom of the float. The float
was then sanded again. I final coat of west systems 207 epoxy resin was coated on and
sanded with 320 grit sand paper on the rotary sanders.
Figure 27-Applying layers of resin for smooth surface
The next step was using one quart of West Marine white gel coat with a tube of West Marine
blue coloring agent. The coloring agent came in a tube the mixed 1 tube of coloring agent to
one quart of gel coat. The final result was a baby blue color. In order to increase visibility
stencils were constructed and FIT-DMES-OE was painted on the port and starboard sides. On
the bow of the wave glider a wave was stenciled on along with our project name in script,
Radical-V.
37
Figure 28-Bow stenciling and gel coat color
The float is constructed out of high density foam, fiber glass, vinyl ester resin, epoxy resin,
and gel coat. The high density foam is susceptible to sun damage but is completely enclosed.
The vinyl ester resin is water resistant but not waterproof. To deal with this we put a layer of
epoxy resin on and two layers of finishing gel-coat. The float should have a service life of at
least 30 years assuming no structural damage is encountered. If any structural damage is
encountered it could be fixed by anyone experienced in fiber glassing.
Wing System:
The Wing-Frame was pre-fabricated by Alro to 43”x0.375”x18” (wxlxh) with an extra two
43”x0.375”x4” Aluminum plates that would clamp together parallel to the top of the system to
add strength to the structure. Six 1” holes (evenly distributed along the width) were drilled
through the three eighth-of-an-inch aluminum plates that would later serve as casings for dual
ceramic bearings. Twelve identical aluminum “wings” were also prefabricated by Alro to a
measurement of 62.5”x4”x0.375”.
38
Figure 29-Pre-fabriscated parts from Alro in Orlando, Fl
Six 5/16“ Aluminum rods were later welded to the wings to keep them together through the
bearings. Originally the wings were set for an extra 10” in Length, but after a reconsideration
in facilitating portability the extra length was dismissed to create a more modular design that
would fit with the float. In order to limit the angle of attack of the wings two aluminum rods
were added above and beneath every wing to limit their movement to 30 degrees (after
approximately 28 degrees there is more resistance than thrust). The wings were also modified
near the base by cutting the edges so they wouldn’t cause friction with the frame. An inch
think hole was drilled through the top of the frame using the center of gravity as its location,
an inch bolt would be passed through the hole so it could serve as a lifting point for the winch.
Modifications of the frame for the rudder’s motor were necessary, and in consequence, a
perfect fit. On the “tail” of the wing-frame a detailed shape was cut through the three
aluminum layers to serve as a casing to the motor. A stainless steel half inch screw was
inserted a few inches below the motor’s casing to serve as a second support for the rudder to
relieve unnecessary axial stress from the motor. All welds and cuts received appropriate
aftershave grinding.
39
Figure 30-Completed wings before priming and painting
Winch:
For mounting the winch on the Float, two sheets of aluminum were obtained and with the help
of the band saw, the sheet was cut according to the desired shape and dimensions. The two
sheets were then clamped together so that Bill, from the Machine Shop could weld them
together.
Figure 31-Connecting the aluminum plates
40
This was done so that the frame on which the winch is positioned would be strong and not
buckle under the weight of the winch and give a more refined appearance to the Float. After
the sheets were welded together, small holes were drilled along the length of the aluminum
sheet so that it could be firmly attached to the Float with screws. Another piece of aluminum
was placed diagonally across the square part of the bigger sheet. This was strategically done
so that the winch could be placed in a manner that would not affect the balance the Float and
cause it to tip in any particular direction. The winch was then bolted down to prevent its
displacement due to large waves or any other sudden movement. A hole was drilled in the
Float to allow the passage of the winch cable so that it can be attached to the Sub, which
serves as a frame for the wings.
Figure 32-Winch bolted to reinforcing plate
41
Battery:
For the placement of the battery, a section of the Float was drilled out from the surface for a
snug fitting. The section drilled out was however, larger than the battery size by a few
centimeters so that the battery could be quickly removed in case of electrical issues. After the
section was drilled out, a sander was used to create a smooth surface to enable the battery to
be placed correctly. After the battery was properly placed, it was firmly glued using a spray
foam to prevent it from being damaged due to sudden movements.
Figure 33-Battery used for final project
Solar Panel:
For installing the solar panel on the Radical V, four small holes were drilled on the Float,
corresponding to the pre-drilled points for mounting on the solar panel. Four rods were
installed at those points so that the solar panel could comfortable balanced on the four rods at
the four corners.
RC Transmitter / Receiver:
The RC transmitter / receiver used in the Radical V needed to be configured and Mathew
Jordan helped to make the electrical connections and hook up the servos in the Radical V so
42
that it could be radio controlled. The electric circuit configuration in the winch control box
had to be modified so that the servo could be installed in it to allow the radio-controlled up
and down motion of the winch cable. Another servo was connected to the rudder in the glider
part of the Radical V so that the rudder could also be operated by the transmitter.
5.0 Results
Pool Testing
Pool testing was conducted on both the float and the wings. The wings were tested
independently from the rest of the system. The Florida Institute of Technology allowed for
the parts to be tested in the pool located at South Gate. The wings were transported in a
student’s vehicle (Mallory Bonds 2007 Toyota Rav4). The Wings were tested by moving
them up and down roughly one foot at a period of 3 seconds. The wings were successful in
that the wings were able to provide a forward motion to themselves and a 180 pound student.
Figure 34-Wing Testing
The float was also tested in the pool. Radical-V and TURTLES met at South Gate pool where
the float was to be tested for stability, buoyancy, and durability. The float was tested under
the load of a 180 pound student which is much larger than the weight that later went on the
float. The float was then pushed and pulled across the pool to examine how it reacted with
motion. The float maintained a steady course due to the pontoon style. Waves were also
43
generated using tubes and the float reacted extremely well in the choppy style water. Overall
the pool testing of both the wings and the float went extremely well encouraging the
unification of the system and testing it as a whole.
Figure 35-Float testing with TURTLES
Ocean Testing
A 1998 Mercedes Benz ML320 (courtesy of Trier Perry) offered a perfect fit while
transporting the wave glider to Melbourne Beach. Once arrived, two wooden beams were
lifted by four students as they were hooked to the four lifting points on the float.
44
Figure 36-Transporting the glider for ocean testing
On shore we had realized that a plastic gear had shred inside the rudder motor making it
incapable of turning; the remote control was accidentally left turned on while the joystick for
rudder control was pressed during the car ride, due to limited space the forced rudder was
resisting to turn as it was already pressed against an object. Before we deployed the wing
wave a short-circuit occurred in the receiver causing the winch to have a mind of its own, but
the problem was resolved by manually controlling the winch. As the Wave glider was
deployed students mounted their kayaks to keep a close view on the glider as it thrusted
forward through the waves. Overall, the Ocean Testing was a complete success. The float kept
its course and buoyancy as it sustained the nature of the ocean (1-2 foot choppy waves), and
the submersible system attained its goal by continuously thrusting the float onward. For future
Ocean testing, it is recommended that the aluminum rods be replaced by steel rods to prevent
any accidental bending, and a more efficient waterproof casing must be used for the
instruments on the float as ours had leakage.
45
Figure 37- Testing Radical-V in the ocean
Comparison to the Original Wave Glider:
The wave glider, designed by Liquid Robotics, Inc. consists of a fixed 6m (20ft) tether that
connects the submerged glider and surface float. On the other hand, the Radical V has an
adjustable tether due to the winch system installed on the surface float which makes it easy to
deploy and retrieve. The Liquid Robotics wave glider weighs 200 lbs while the Radical
weighs 170 lbs. This 30 lbs difference makes it easier to transport and deploy the Radical V.
Also, unlike the Wave Glider which uses springs to restrict the movement of the underwater
“wings” or fins, the Radical V has rods positioned at a specific angle to stop the wings from
rotating too far. Since the rods are external, they can be repaired easily if any damage occurs.
This design makes it more practical and cost-efficient in case of any malfunctions.
46
6.0 Discussion
Many of the implications in the design came from a lack of time and money. The design phase
was delayed and started two weeks behind schedule. Overall the team worked very hard splitting
up the work and getting everything done on a fast timely basis. The construction of the float was
difficult as most students do not have extensive experience working with the foam on a large
scale and the fiber glassing.
The foam core was supposed to be cut out at Structural
Composites in Melbourne, Fl, but due to time constraints and the need to get the core built it had
to be done by hand. This was done in very unconventional ways. All of the teams brainstormed
how the core could be built and between the class ideas the core was built quickly and came out
looking very good.
The wings were going to be ordered as solid sheets of metal and cut to the dimensions that were
needed. Due to the need for high tolerances and the time constraints the Radical-V team sent
AutoCad drawings to Alro Metals in Orlando, Fl where all of the pieces were cut with a Flow Jet
and delivered two days later. The parts came and were exactly what was needed allowing for the
team to transition into the construction of the wings immediately. The wings system had to be
altered. The wing blades were cut to a small size to provide less resistance and the original
design was changed. The original plan was to use aluminum rods but they could not be welded
to the wing blades without snapping. This resulted in resurfacing the wing blades and using steel
rods. Since aluminum cannot be welded to steel each blade was bolted to the rods using three
bolts. Overlooking the issues from welding and hitting that road bump resulted in the team
developing a better system where the wings could be unbolted easily.
The electronics proved to be too difficult for undergraduate students. The Radical-V team was
going to install toggle switches to control the electronics until Matt Jordan, a graduate student in
Dr. Woods Underwater Robotics Lab stepped in and set up the remote control to power the
winch and the rudder. This saved the team a lot of time and proved to be effective.
The pool testing went extremely well. With the help of other students and the permission of
Florida Tech the float and wings were tested in Southgate pools. Everything worked out very
smoothly. In fact, everything worked much better than expected for the first test trials.
47
After the pool testing the Radical-V team tested the wave glider in the ocean. It was transported
in the back of a mid-sized sport utility vehicle proving the mobility of the system. The radio
controls acted up and the system had to be tested by manually controlling the winch. It was later
discovered that this occurred due to solder joints that broke. The problem is an easy fix and the
system could easily be repaired and re-tested. The help of the TURTLES team was very
appreciated on this day. The testing proved to be a large attraction with many people at
Melbourne Beach inquiring about the project, ocean engineering, and Florida Tech.
Figure 38-Spectators inquiring about Radical-V
48
7.0 Conclusion
The Radical-V wave glider progressed extremely far over the six months that it was conceived
and built. Overall the project was a great success for the first year. Very few road blocks were
hit during the duration of the project and all problems encountered were quickly resolved and
repaired. This project has the capabilities of providing the next generation of data acquisition
through its light, modular, simplistic, and reliable base. This project will be very successful in
the years to come and should change the face of the current technology.
Figure 39-Radical-V in the symposium
8.0 Recommendations
For future students working on this project many things could be done to improve the project.
The first and foremost would be to develop a plastic molded float. The problem with the
fiberglass is that it needed a core and multiple layers of resin and glass in order to make it
durable enough to withstand slamming into other objects. The plastic is much more flexible then
the fiberglass which is more important then the rigidity of the fiberglass. This would allow for a
much lighter float, which would allow for more instruments and a smaller float size.
The mounting frame for the winch could also be changed depending on the winch used. The
winch we used was rated for 2000 pounds and was rather bulky. A more compact, lower draw,
and more waterproof sailing winch could be used if it fit in the budget. The required winch
strength is 200 pounds, ten times less then what we used. A smaller winch would allow for a
49
smaller battery, and a smaller mounting plate, further reducing the weight and increasing the
mobility and efficiency of the glider.
The electrical system should also be improved. All of the electronics should be placed in a
small, neat looking electronic housing within the float. The wires should be increased in size as
some of the solder joints came apart before testing limiting the testing of the project. The battery
that powers the winch should be changed to the main battery with a voltage reducer instead of
running off of a separate non-rechargeable battery pack. The most important electrical change
would be a different electrical tether. This would allow the steel cable that supports the wings to
not catch the Cat-5 wire that we used.
Figure 40-Electronics
The wave glider should be deployed on different days so the speed and performance of the wave
glider could be analyzed in different wave height and period waves to establish possible routes
and expected performance characteristics.
Last off, the wave glider could also be set up to be completely autonomous. With some satellite
communications and a GPS the wave glider could be set up and deployed for long periods of
time under the control of Florida Tech students and faculty. The Wave glider should also be set
up with instruments to observe oceanographic and meteorological phenomenon.
50
Appendices




Safety report and references, already included
Cruise Planning Report
Florida Tech Project approval Plan
All other forms/ charts/ and relevant things
51
9.0 References
1. Bellingham, James G. "An Overview of AUVs." AUV Laboratory at MIT Sea Grant.
Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://auvlab.mit.edu/research/AUVoverview.html>.
2. Bo, Gregory, and Robert E. Randall. "In Select Applications, AUVs Work Faster,
Cheaper than Tethered Vehicles." Offshore. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://www.offshoremag.com/articles/print/volume-62/issue-1/news/in-select-applications-auvs-workfaster-cheaper-than-tethered-vehicles.html>.
3. "Data Buoy Types." JCOMM in Situ Observing Platform Support Centre. Web. 24 Mar.
2012. <http://www.jcommops.org/dbcp/platforms/types.html>.
4. "Dive and Discover : History of Oceanography." Dive and Discover : Expeditions to the
Seafloor. 2005. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/historyocean/challenger.html>.
5. "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
(AUV)."Marine Insight. Web. 24 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.marineinsight.com/marine/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-aboutautonomous-underwater-vehicle-auv/>.
6. Hiembuch, Jaymi. "Wave Glider Robots Set Out on Record-Setting
Journey." TreeHugger. 21 Nov. 2011. Web. 24 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.treehugger.com/solar-technology/wave-glider-robots-set-out-on-recordsetting-journey.html>.
7. "History : AUV Laboratory at MIT Sea Grant." AUV Laboratory at MIT Sea Grant. Web.
24 Mar. 2012. <http://auvlab.mit.edu/history.html>.
8. "LIQUID ROBOTICS FLEET OF SELF-PROPELLED, SOLAR-POWERED, OCEANGOING ROBOTS RAISES $22 MILLION IN VENTURE CAPITAL." PBT Consulting. 08 Sept.
2011. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://tommytoy.typepad.com/tommy-toy-pbtconsultin/2011/08/liquid-robotics-fleet-of-self-propelled-solar-powered-ocean-goingrobots-raises-22-million-in-ventur.html>.
9. "Liquid Robotics." Liquid Robotics. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://liquidr.com/>.
10. "Mountains in the Sea: The Route of HMS Challenger." NOAA, Ocean Explorer. Web.
24 Mar. 2012. <http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/03
mountains/background/challenger/media/route.html>.
11. "Odyssey IV Robot Submarine by MIT | Geekie Gadgets." Cool New Gadgets, Hi Tech
52
Gizmos, Weird and Unique Gifts, Latest Technology, Buy Online Gadgets Shop.26 Nov.
2008. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://www.geekiegadgets.com/2008/odyssey-iv-robotsubmarine-by-mit/>.
12. P-"PacX, Wave Gliders - Robots on the Ocean." Squidoo. Web. 24 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.squidoo.com/marine-robot-wave-glider>.
13. "SAIC Tsunami Buoy Systems." SAIC: Marine: Tsunami Buoy (STB) System: Overview.
Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://www.saic.com/products/marine/tsunami-buoy/>.
14. Stonecypher, Lamar. "Autonomous Underwater Vehicle - A Deep Sea Robot." Bright
Hub. 29 Apr. 2010. Web. 24 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.brighthub.com/engineering/marine/articles/69930.aspx>.
15. "The Wave Glider Technology - Diagram - Ocean Robots Journey Across Pacific Ocean
for New Scientific Discoveries." The Wave Glider Technology. Web. 24 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.charterworld.com/news/ocean-robots-journey-pacific-ocean-scientificdiscoveries/the-wave-glider-technology-diagram>.
16. "Teledyne RDI DVLs for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs)..." Teledyne RD
Instruments. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://www.rdinstruments.com/nav_app_auv.aspx>.
17. Sea-Bird Electronics, Inc. Real-Time Oceanography with Inductive Moorings. Sea-Bird
Electronics, 1999. PDF. <http://www.comm-tec.com/Library/Tutorials/CTD/RealTime%20Oceanography%20with%20Inductive%20Moorings.pdf>
18. Hine, Roger G., Derek L. Hine, Joseph D. Rizzi, Kurt A.F Kiesow, Robert Burcham, and William A.
Stutz. Wave Poer. Liquid Robotics Inc., assignee. Patent 7371136. 26 July 2007. Print.
19. "Ocean." NOAA. Web. 04 May 2012. <http://www.noaa.gov/ocean.html>.
53
10.0 Appendices
10.1 Safety Report and MSDS
Project Description
The 2012 Wave Glider Senior Design project focuses on the optimization and modification of the
current Wave Glider built and designed by Liquid Robotics in Sunnyvale, CA. The Wave Glider is an
autonomous unmanned vehicle (AUV) which uses the power of the ocean to propel itself: a
technological leap from typical AUVs powered by motors and buoys with expensive mooring
systems.
The Wave Glider is a surface vehicle with an attached sub-surface wing system. The wing system is
comprised of six individual wings that adjust to the current, speed, and direction of passing waves.
This system propels the surface component forward, negating the need for a motor. The Wave
Glider can be programmed for travel or to keep station at a certain location, which is hopeful in the
need for replacement of buoys with expensive mooring systems. The Wave Glider has instruments
on the surface component that can be customized for ADCP and CTD measurements, passive
monitoring of marine life, and other commercial and defense applications. The instruments are
powered by solar panels on the surface component, making the Wave Glider a self-sustaining
vehicle. The vehicle transmits data to land in real-time sequence, allowing for accurate and easy
monitoring of the vehicle’s trip and the data collected.
The goal of the 2012 Senior Design project is to optimize and modify certain aspects of the current
Wave Glider design. Through research, collaboration, and use of modeling software for new designs,
several aspects of the original Wave Glider were altered to reflect the group’s own engineering
intuition with hopes of improving the current model. The hull (surface component) design was
modified, along with the design of the wing system (subsurface component). The new wing system
is designed to be sleeker, more streamlined, and have a greater wing area with more flexible wings.
The system was designed with the notion of creating a smoother “ride” for the vehicle with less
jerking motion from the waves. Another modification is the attachment of the wing system to the
surface component of the vehicle. The current model has a 7-meter tether connecting the two
components. This has been modified with a retractable cable that allows the wing system to glide at
a range of depths. The wiring of electronics has also been modified to allow for an adjustable rudder
on the subsurface wing component.
After finalizing all of the designs and modifications on modeling software, a small model will be
made for testing in the Florida Tech Wave Tank Laboratory. Upon completion of the model testing
and any ensuing calculations or modifications, the process of building the full-scale system will
begin. The final designs will be taken to Structural Composites (owned by Dr. Ronnal Reichard) to be
cut out since the machines at the Florida Tech Machine Shop do not allow for the large size of the
system. After initially cutting the foam for the surface component and the aluminum for the subsurface wing system, the foam will then be coated with fiberglass. The instruments will then be
mounted to the surface (solar panels, battery, crank pulley, servo motor) and the wing system will
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be assembled with stainless steel ceramic bearings. The rudder will be attached to a stepper motor
to allow for adjustment during testing. Finally, the crank system that attaches the two components
will be assembled and attached. The final system will then be taken on the DMES cruise for final
testing.
2012 Wave Glider Team:
Team Member
Chelsea Sherman
Steven Meyer
Sanjukta Misra
John Velasco
Phone
410-310-1562
732-687-0753
321-216-5957
443-983-7554
Email
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Hazard Analysis
Some materials used in the course of this project contain hazards to humans and the environment if
not handled, used, or disposed of properly. Hazardous materials that will be used include syntactic
foam, aluminum, polyester resin, and NOROX MEKP hardener, along with the methods of cutting
and assembling the system that may contain hazards and dangers. MSDS for all materials are
attached to this Safety Plan, and the hazards are discussed here.
 Syntactic Foam
Hazardous Components: None
Dusts generated during machining should be treated as nuisance dusts
Airborne limit for nuisance dusts: OSHA PEL=15
Fire and Explosion Hazard Data:
 Extinguishing media: Carbon dioxide, dry chemical, foam, water fog
 Firefighters should wear self-contained breathing apparatus
 Toxic fumes may evolve upon exposure to excess 150°F heat or open flame.
Reactivity Data:
 Stable, Avoid excessive heat (above 150°F) and open flame
 Materials to Avoid: None
 Hazardous Decomposition of Byproducts: Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide,
Hydrocarbons, Aryl Compounds, Dense Smoke
Health Hazard Data:
 Possible to be inhaled or ingested
 Inhalation of dust from machining may be irritating to eyes, nose, throat
 Certain individuals may develop skin irritation
 Emergency/First Aid: Remove to fresh air
WASTE DISPOSAL: Approved Land Fill
Dust filter masks and eye protection will be worn during all machining. Machining will be
done in a well-ventilated area and dust to be cleaned/removed promptly.
 Aluminum (sheet)
Hazards Identification
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

Slightly hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant). Non-irritating to the eyes.
Non-hazardous in case of ingestion.
 Toxic to lungs. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce
target organ damage. Repeated exposure to a highly toxic material may produce
general deterioration of health by an accumulation in one or many organs.
First Aid Measures
 Eye contact: Check for and remove contact lenses. In case of contact,
immediately flush eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. Get medical
attention if irritation occurs.
 Skin contact: Wash with soap and water. Cover the irritated skin with an
emollient. Get medical attention if irritation develops.
 Inhalation: Remove to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If
breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Get medical attention immediately.
 Ingestion: Do NOT induce vomiting unless directed to do so by medical
personnel. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. If large
quantities are swallowed, call physician immediately. Loosen tight clothing such
as collar, tie, belt, etc.
Fire and Explosion Hazard Data:
 Non-flammable.
 Products of Combustion: Some metallic oxides.
 Extinguishing media: Small fire- use Dry chemical powder. Large fire- use water
spray, fog or foam. Do not use water jet.
Stability and Reactivity Data
 The product is stable. Incompatibility with various substances includes oxidizing
agents, acids, and alkalis. The product reacts vigorously with Sodium Hydroxide.
Ecological Information
 Products of Biodegradation: Possibly hazardous short term degradation
products are not likely. However, long term degradation products may arise.
 Toxicity of Products of Biodegradation: less toxic than the product itself.
 WASTE DISPOSAL: In accordance with federal, state, local regulations
 Any unused/scrap aluminum will be taken to the Florida Tech Machine
shop to use as inventory or recycled properly.
Polyester Resin
Fire and Explosion Hazard Data:
 Boiling Range: 180-415 F
 Extinguishing media: Use foam, carbon dioxide or chemical fire fighting
apparatus.
 Keep containers tightly closed. Isolate from heat, electrical equipment, sparks
and open flame. Closed containers may explode when exposed to extreme heat.
Health Hazard Data/Emergency and First Aid Procedures
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

Eye contact: severe irritation, redness, tearing and blurred vision. Flush with
clean, lukewarm water for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting the eyelids.
Obtain medical attention.
 Skin contact: Prolonged or repeated exposure can cause moderate irritation,
defatting, dermatitis, and sensitization. Remove contaminated clothing. Wash
affected skin areas thoroughly with soap and water. Wash contaminated
clothing thoroughly before re-use.
 Inhalation: Excessive inhalation of vapors can cause nasal respiratory irritation,
dizziness, weakness, fatigue, nausea and headache. High concentrations may
result in narcosis. (Central Nervous System depression) Remove to fresh air.
Apply artificial respiration or administer oxygen, if necessary. Call a physician
immediately.
 Ingestion: Can cause gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Aspiration of material into lungs can cause chemical pneumonitis which can be
fatal. Keep person warm, quiet, and get immediate medical attention. Do not
induce vomiting, because aspiration of material into lungs from vomiting can
cause chemical pneumonitis.
 Chronic exposure may cause damage to Central Nervous System, Respiratory
System, Lungs, Eyes, Skin, Gastrointestinal Tract, Liver, Spleen, and Kidneys.
Reactivity Data
 Stable under normal conditions. Avoid exposure to excessive heat.
 Avoid contact with strong mineral acids, peroxides, and polymerization
catalysts. Hazardous Polymerization can occur.
 Thermal decomposition may yield carbon dioxide and/or monoxide.
Spill or Leak Procedures
 In case material is released or spilled: Evacuate all non-essential personnel.
Remove all sources of ignition. Ventilate the area. Equip employees with
appropriate protection equipment. Dike around spilled material. Cover spill with
inert absorbent material and shovel with non-sparking tools into container.
Remove containers to a safe area and seal.
 WASTE DISPOSAL: must be in accordance with federal, state, and local
regulation.
 Product waste will be cured and disposed of in an approved landfill for
solid wastes.
Handling and storing
 Drums- protect against physical damage. Bulk- Storage should be in standard
flammable liquid storage tanks.
 All equipment should be grounded and bonded to reduce static electricity
hazard; use non-sparking tools.
NOROX MEKP-925 Hardener (Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide)
Hazard Identification/ First-Aid Measures
 Physical Hazards: Organic Peroxide. Decomposition
57


Health Hazards: Severe Irritant
Exposure Limits: The ACGIH Ceiling STEL is 1.5
for Methyl Ethyl Ketone
Peroxide.
 Skin contact: Severe skin irritant, causes redness, blistering, edema.
Immediately remove any contaminated clothing. Wash contaminated area
thoroughly with soap and copious amounts of water for at least 15 minutes. If
irritation or adverse symptoms develop seek medical attention.
 Eye contact: causes severe corrosion and may cause blindness. Remove any
contact lenses at once. Flush eyes with water for at least 15 minutes. Ensure
adequate flushing by separating eyelids with fingers. Seek medical attention.
 Ingestion: Human systemic effects- changes in structure or function of
esophagus, nausea, or vomiting, and other gastrointestinal effects. Do NOT
induce vomiting. Drink plenty of water. Immediately call a physician or Poison
Control Center.
 Inhalation: Moderately toxic. Remove to fresh air. If coughing, breathing
becomes labored, seek medical attention at once even if several hours after
exposure.
Handling and Storage
 The product is stable when kept in its original, closed container, out of direct
sunlight and below 80°F. Conditions that should be avoided include
contamination, direct sunlight, open flames, and prolonged storage at high
temperatures. The product should not be stored near flammable or combustible
materials. All containers should be kept closed to avoid contamination and kept
away from heat, sparks, or flame. Do not use the product near food or drink and
wash thoroughly after handling. To store the product, storage at 80°F or below
is recommended for longer shelf life and stability. The product should not be
kept or spilled into any drains, sewers, or streams. If it is spilled, the material
should be wet with water and absorbed with sand, then transferred to a
polyethylene drum or pail.
 WASTE DISPOSAL: Any waste acquired from the procedure will be disposed of
at a RCRA approved hazardous waste management facility. According the the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Patrick Air Force Base has a
treatment/disposal facility for hazardous wastes. The contact for this location
is Thomas Thoben at 321-494-2899.
Human Safety Analysis
The personal protection equipment needed during the construction process of the system include
protective eye goggles, dust filter masks, gloves, aprons, impervious clothing, boots, and an
approved respirator. The materials that present the most hazard/danger to humans are the
polyester resin and the NOROX MEKP. While using the polyester resin, the respirator will need to be
used along with goggles, impervious clothing, boots, and polyvinyl alcohol gloves and apron. While
58
using the NOROX MEKP, a respirator also needs to be used along with safety goggles and protective
gloves. There needs to be an eye bath and safety shower nearby while using both materials. Dust
filter masks and eye protection must be worn when cutting the foam and aluminum sheets.
Inhalation and eye contact are the biggest risks with these two materials. All materials need to be
handled in a well-ventilated area. Dust acquired from cutting the materials needs to be disposed of
accordingly. Any contact, inhalation, or ingestion will be handled as discussed in section 2.0. Safety
goggles will always be used in and around the machine shop and any machinery. Use of the
respirator must be in accordance with OSHA’s 29CFR 1910.134. Any work done outside of Florida
Tech’s campus will be done at Dr. Reichard’s company, Structural Composites.
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
There are many possible ways that the project or testing could fail. The wench on the system that
retracts the cable connected to the wings could get caught, which is a hazard for fingers and hands.
To prevent this, the wench will be sure to be fully encased. The electronics on the system could also
short-circuit, causing electrocution, sparks, or fire. To prevent this failure, all wires, cables, and
electronics will be fully encased with no components open to sea-water. The motor and/or battery
operating on the system could experience failure by overheating or leaking. To prevent this, the
appropriate battery and motor will be chosen according to the calculation and the power needed for
the system. All cables will be checked as to not run too much or too little current into any
component. The wings on the sub-surface component will be thin and may have sharp edges. In the
machine shop the component will be checked for any rough or sharp edges that can be smoothed.
While the system is in use, any persons swimming around the wing component should be wise to
not catch any fingers in the wings because they can move up and down at a fast rate. During
deployment of the system on the ship, objects could swing mid-air and strike anyone near the
system. All persons nearby will need to use caution and wear appropriate gear such as closed-toe
shoes and lifejackets. During any transport of the system, the sub-surface wing component will
always be fastened to the surface component to prevent any damage. While deployed, any persons
nearby the system will need to be certified AAUS divers. Caution should be used when swimming
around the system because it could catch on limbs and submerge, which is a risk for drowning. In
conclusion, all necessary precautionary measures will be taken to ensure total safety of the system
and anyone around it.
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