Method for deep water operation of an electrodynamic transducer

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of electric transducer deep water working implementation methods, by electric transducer, pressure balancing device, gas-electric hybrid umbilical cable Deepwater electric transducer sound simulator system is formed, when working, electric transducer cooperates with pressure balancing device to realize the complete balance of internal and external pressure of electric transducer, gas-electric hybrid umbilical cable is the transmission medium of gas-electric signal;Deepwater electric transducer sound simulator system before working sets the pressure difference upper and lower limit value of pressure balancing device to carry out pressure charging and pressure releasing operation;Electric transducer is by exciter, radiating cover plate, shell, decoupling sealing ring, balance rubber capsule is formed, and internal air pressure sensor and external water pressure sensor are installed on the electric transducer.The application cooperates with pressure balancing device and balance rubber capsule, and working water depth can reach the pressure limit of rubber capsule material itself, can realize the complete balance of internal and external pressure of electric transducer under deep water condition, improves the working water depth of electric transducer, with wide use prospect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of pressure compensation technology, specifically a method for realizing deep-water operation of an electric transducer. Background Technology

[0002] Electrodynamic transducers are ideal for achieving broadband low-frequency sound radiation, but they also have the problem of shallow operating water depth and large variations in acoustic performance with varying water depth.

[0003] With the continuous development of fields such as underwater acoustic measurement, underwater noise simulation, and deep-sea exploration, the demand for low-frequency transmitting electric transducers is increasing, and the requirements for the operating water depth of electric transducers are also becoming higher.

[0004] Electrodynamic transducers have unique advantages in achieving low-frequency broadband transmission, especially for low-frequency sound signals below 100Hz, which mostly use electrodynamic transducers as a stable output sound source.

[0005] Domestic reports indicate that the acoustic performance of electric transducers in shallow water is comparable to that of foreign counterparts, but the designed operating depth does not exceed 100m. In contrast, foreign electric transducers can operate at depths up to 200m, and no reports have been found of electric transducers operating at depths exceeding 200m, either domestically or internationally.

[0006] Patent CN102075828B discloses an underwater very low frequency broadband sound source, in which a rubber airbag is installed inside the rear section of the electric transducer housing, and the airbag performs pressure adaptive balancing of the electric transducer.

[0007] Patent CN104038862B discloses an electric underwater acoustic transmitter and an electric transducer. It uses an external air pressure control system to regulate the internal air pressure of the electric transducer. The internal air pressure of the air spring is adjusted according to the output of the displacement sensor so that the piston radiation surface is in the equilibrium position.

[0008] Most existing electric transducers employ a passive airbag-type pressure compensation method. The airbag is positioned at the tail end of the transducer. As the water depth increases, the airbag is gradually forced into the middle section of the shell by external water pressure. In extreme cases, the airbag is completely forced into the middle section of the shell. The reduction in internal gas volume of the electric transducer is the sum of the reductions at the tail and middle sections of the shell. Let the cavity volumes at the front, middle, and tail ends of the shell be defined as Vq, Vz, and Vw, respectively. Then, according to the ideal gas law (ignoring temperature changes), the ultimate internal pressure of the electric transducer can be obtained as:

[0009]

[0010] p0 is the initial internal pressure of the electric transducer.

[0011] To increase the ultimate pressure that an electric transducer can withstand, in addition to increasing the initial pressure, it is also necessary to consider increasing the volume of the gas supply section (middle section and tail end of the housing) and reducing the cavity volume of the working section (front end of the housing). The support for the moving part at the front end of the electric transducer is flexible. If the initial pressure inside the electric transducer is too high, it will damage the support structure. Therefore, the increase in initial pressure is extremely limited. To ensure the low-frequency performance of the electric transducer, the radiation cover plate must have a certain axial movement space, such as 10mm. This will result in a cavity volume of at least 10mm at the front end of the electric transducer. If we want to further increase the working water depth of the electric transducer, we can only consider increasing the volume of the tail section airbag. Increasing the volume of the tail section airbag will inevitably increase the overall size of the electric transducer. For example, if the cavity volume at the front end of the electric transducer is 1L, to achieve the pressure resistance capability of the electric transducer at a water depth of 1000m, the airbag volume will be as high as 1000L. This is inconvenient for the manufacture, transportation and use of the electric transducer.

[0012] External pressure control systems can only control the pressure difference between the inside and outside of an electric transducer within a certain range, but cannot achieve complete balance. For electric transducers, the lower limit of the operating frequency depends on the stiffness of its internal support structure; the lower the stiffness, the lower the operating frequency. Lower stiffness also makes the support structure more prone to deformation under pressure differences. Excessive deformation will cause the moving coil to move out of the linear operating region, resulting in significant nonlinear distortion and, in severe cases, damage to the support structure. Therefore, for electric transducers with low operating frequencies, if only an external pressure control system is used for pressure balance adjustment, the pressure difference must be controlled within a very small range. The control system needs to issue pressure adjustment commands based on information returned by displacement sensors. Pressure adjustment requires a certain amount of time, such as 10 seconds. If the electric transducer operates in a rough sea environment with large heaves and short heave cycles (e.g., 5 seconds), the control system speed will not be able to keep up with the heave rate, leading to instability of the pressure difference and the transducer's inability to function properly.

[0013] By combining an external pressure control system with an internal airbag, the working water depth of the electric transducer can be increased, while effectively solving the problem of unstable pressure difference between the inside and outside of the electric transducer.

[0014] If the internal pressure of the electric transducer is adjusted entirely by a pressure balancing device, and the tail of the electric transducer uses a rigid shell, the balancing system cannot achieve complete balance because the internal and external pressure difference is adjusted within a range. For example, if the internal and external pressure difference is 0.01 MPa and the diameter of the radiation cover plate is 200 mm, the radiation cover plate will bear a pressure of 314 N. If the driving force of the electric transducer is 500 N, the actual excitation force will only be 186 N, which will seriously affect the radiation efficiency. If the internal and external pressure difference reaches 0.02 MPa, the radiation cover plate will bear a pressure of 628 N. The driving force of the electric transducer will not be able to overcome the pressure, and the electric transducer will not work.

[0015] If pressure is balanced entirely using a balancing rubber bladder, the volume of the bladder is limited (e.g., 20L). To ensure sound radiation, the electric transducer needs to have a certain amount of space at the end (e.g., 1L). If the rubber bladder is completely flattened, the air compression ratio is 21:1. The initial pressure inside the electric transducer is measured in one atmosphere. The maximum water depth at which the electric transducer can operate is 210m. Summary of the Invention

[0016] To address the aforementioned technical shortcomings, the present invention aims to provide a method for enabling electric transducers to operate in deep water. Through the cooperation of a pressure balancing device and a balancing rubber bladder, the operating water depth can reach the pressure resistance limit of the rubber bladder material itself. This allows for complete balance of internal and external pressures of the electric transducer under deep water conditions, significantly increasing the operating water depth of the electric transducer and demonstrating broad application prospects.

[0017] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a method for realizing deep-water operation of an electric transducer, comprising an electric transducer, a pressure balancing device, and a gas-electric hybrid umbilical cable to form a deep-water electric acoustic simulator system. During operation, the electric transducer, in conjunction with the pressure balancing device, achieves complete pressure balance between the inside and outside of the electric transducer. The gas-electric hybrid umbilical cable serves as the transmission medium for gas-electric signals. Before the deep-water electric acoustic simulator system operates, the pressure balancing device is set with upper and lower limits for the pressure difference during pressurization and depressurization operations. The electric transducer consists of a vibrator, a radiation cover plate, a shell, a decoupling sealing ring, and a balancing rubber bladder. Furthermore, the electric transducer is equipped with an internal air pressure sensor and an external water pressure sensor, possessing a certain resistance to internal and external pressures.

[0018] Preferably, the pressure balancing device consists of an air compressor, an air tank, a controller, a control panel, a pressurizing valve, and a pressure relief valve. The air compressor can inject high-pressure gas into the air tank. The control panel screen can display the external water pressure, internal air pressure, and depth of the underwater equipment, as well as the pressure of the air tank and the pressure balancing range. Human-machine interaction is performed through the control panel to set the air pump start pressure, set the air pump stop pressure, and set the upper and lower limits of the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the underwater equipment.

[0019] Preferably, when the deep-sea electric acoustic simulator system is working, when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the electric transducer is less than the lower limit, the inflation valve is briefly opened, connecting the air tank to the electric transducer. High-pressure gas in the air tank is injected into the electric transducer through the gas-electric hybrid umbilical cable, increasing the internal air pressure of the electric transducer. When the pressure difference is greater than the upper limit, the pressure relief valve is briefly opened, connecting the electric transducer to the atmosphere. Excess gas inside the electric transducer is discharged into the atmosphere through the gas-electric hybrid umbilical cable, reducing the internal pressure of the electric transducer. Through inflation and deflation, the electric transducer is always kept in a slightly positive pressure state.

[0020] Preferably, the upper and lower limits of the pressure difference for the pressure balancing device to perform pressurization and depressurization operations are 0.01 to 0.03 MPa.

[0021] Preferably, for electric transducers with low support structure stiffness, a limiting structure is installed at a certain distance outside the radiating cover to limit excessive displacement of the radiating cover.

[0022] Preferably, if the expected working water depth of the electric transducer is 300m, it can be lowered to 290m. At this time, the internal pressure of the electric transducer is 2.91-2.93 MPa. Then, the pressure balancing device is turned off, and the electric transducer is released to 300m. During the release process, the external pressure gradually exceeds the internal pressure. At this time, the balancing rubber bladder is compressed, the cavity of the electric transducer is compressed, and the internal air pressure and the external pressure reach complete balance.

[0023] Preferably, the electric transducer is balanced at a water depth of 7-9m using a balancing rubber bladder. When the electric transducer experiences depth fluctuations of ±5m due to the external environment, the pressure of the rubber bladder can be adjusted to maintain the electric transducer in a state of internal and external pressure balance.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects achieved by the present invention are as follows: through the cooperation of the pressure balancing device and the balancing rubber bladder, the working water depth can reach the pressure resistance limit of the rubber bladder material itself, and the internal and external pressure of the electric transducer can be completely balanced under deep water conditions, which greatly improves the working water depth of the electric transducer and has broad application prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the workflow of the deep-sea electric acoustic simulator system in this invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electric transducer in this invention;

[0027] The components are: 1. vibrator, 2. radiation cover plate, 3. head shell, 4. intermediate shell, 5. tail shell, 6. decoupling rubber ring, and 7. balance rubber bladder. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] Example 1

[0030] A method for enabling deep-water operation of an electric transducer, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the deep-sea electric acoustic simulator system consists of an electric transducer, a pressure balancing device, and a gas-electric hybrid umbilical cable. During operation, the electric transducer works with the pressure balancing device to achieve complete pressure balance inside and outside the electric transducer, and the gas-electric hybrid umbilical cable serves as the transmission medium for gas-electric signals.

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown, the electric transducer consists of an exciter 1, a radiation cover 2, a housing, a decoupling seal 6, and a balancing rubber bladder 7. An internal air pressure sensor and an external water pressure sensor are installed on the electric transducer. The electric transducer has a certain resistance to internal and external pressures (e.g., 0.1 MPa). The housing includes a head housing 3, a middle housing 4, and a tail housing 5.

[0032] The pressure balancing device consists of an air compressor, an air tank, a controller, a control panel, a pressurization valve, and a pressure relief valve. The air compressor injects high-pressure gas into the air tank. The control panel screen displays the external water pressure, internal air pressure, and depth of the underwater equipment, as well as the air tank pressure and the pressure balancing range. Human-machine interaction is achieved through the control panel, allowing users to set the air pump start pressure, set the air pump stop pressure, and set the upper and lower limits of the pressure difference between the underwater equipment and its surroundings.

[0033] Example 2

[0034] Before the deep-sea electric acoustic simulator system is put into operation, a pressure balancing device is set to determine the upper and lower limits of the pressure difference during pressurization and depressurization operations, for example, 0.01 to 0.03 MPa.

[0035] When the deep-sea electro-acoustic simulator system is operating, if the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the electro-electric transducer is less than 0.01 MPa, the inflation valve briefly opens, connecting the air tank to the electro-electric transducer. High-pressure gas from the air tank is then forced into the electro-electric transducer through the air cable, increasing the internal pressure. If the pressure difference exceeds 0.03 MPa, the pressure relief valve briefly opens, connecting the electro-electric transducer to the atmosphere. Excess gas inside the transducer is then released into the atmosphere through the air cable, reducing the internal pressure. This inflation and deflation process ensures that the electro-electric transducer is always under a slightly positive pressure. For electro-electric transducers with low support structure rigidity, a limiting structure can be installed at a certain distance outside the radiating cover to restrict excessive displacement of the radiating cover.

[0036] Considering the expected operating water depth of the electric transducer, such as 300m, it can be lowered to 290m. At this depth, the internal pressure of the electric transducer is 2.91–2.93 MPa. Then, the balancing device is turned off, and the electric transducer is further lowered to 300m. During the release process, the external pressure gradually exceeds the internal pressure. At this point, the balancing rubber bladder is compressed, and the cavity of the electric transducer is compressed, achieving complete equilibrium between the internal and external pressures. The electric transducer is balanced in water depths of 7–9m using the balancing rubber bladder. When the depth of the electric transducer fluctuates due to external environmental factors, such as ±5m, the pressure of the rubber bladder can be adjusted to maintain the electric transducer in a state of internal and external pressure balance.

[0037] The main innovative points of this invention are as follows:

[0038] 1. The present invention uses a pressure balancing device to adjust the internal pressure of the electric transducer, ensuring that the internal and external pressures of the electric transducer are always in a near-balanced state at different water depths, thus avoiding damage to the electric transducer due to excessive internal and external pressure differences.

[0039] 2. The electric transducer of this invention is equipped with an internal air pressure sensor and an external water pressure sensor; it has a certain resistance to internal and external pressure.

[0040] 3. The present invention uses a balancing rubber bladder to finely adjust the internal pressure of the electric transducer, ensuring that the electric transducer is always in a state of internal and external pressure balance during operation, thereby improving the working efficiency of the electric transducer.

[0041] 4. In this invention, the internal and external pressure difference is set to a positive value during the deployment and retraction of the electric transducer to prevent the rubber bladder from being crushed and damaging the internal structure of the electric transducer.

[0042] 5. When the electric transducer of the present invention is lowered to near the working water depth, the pressure balancing device is turned off, and then it is lowered to the working water depth. The pressure is regulated by compressing the rubber bladder to ensure that the electric transducer is in a state of complete pressure balance.

[0043] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these specific embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for realizing deep-water operation of an electric transducer, characterized in that, The deep-sea electric acoustic simulator system consists of an electric transducer, a pressure balancing device, and a gas-electric hybrid umbilical cable. During operation, the electric transducer, in conjunction with the pressure balancing device, achieves complete pressure balance inside and outside the transducer. The gas-electric hybrid umbilical cable serves as the transmission medium for gas-electric signals. Before operation, the pressure balancing device is set to control the upper and lower limits of the pressure difference during pressurization and depressurization. The electric transducer comprises a vibrator, a radiation cover, a shell, a decoupling seal, and a balancing rubber bladder. An internal air pressure sensor and an external water pressure sensor are installed on the electric transducer, giving it a certain resistance to internal and external pressures. The pressure balancing device consists of an air compressor, an air tank, a controller, a control panel, a pressure charging valve, and a pressure relief valve. The air compressor can inject high-pressure gas into the air tank. The control panel screen can display the external water pressure, internal air pressure, and depth of the underwater equipment, as well as the pressure of the air tank and the pressure balancing range. The human-computer interaction is performed through the control panel, which sets the air pump start pressure, the air pump stop pressure, and the upper and lower limits of the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the underwater equipment. When the deep-sea electric acoustic simulator system is working, when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the electric transducer is less than the lower limit, the inflation valve opens briefly, connecting the air tank to the electric transducer. High-pressure gas in the air tank is injected into the electric transducer through the gas-electric hybrid umbilical cable, increasing the internal air pressure of the electric transducer. When the pressure difference is greater than the upper limit, the pressure relief valve opens briefly, connecting the electric transducer to the atmosphere. Excess gas inside the electric transducer is discharged into the atmosphere through the gas-electric hybrid umbilical cable, reducing the internal pressure of the electric transducer. Through inflation and deflation, the electric transducer is always kept in a slightly positive pressure state. When the electric transducer is lowered to near the expected working water depth, the pressure balancing device is turned off, and the electric transducer is released to the expected working water depth. During the release process, the external pressure gradually exceeds the internal pressure. At this time, the balancing rubber bladder is compressed, the cavity of the electric transducer is compressed, and the internal air pressure and the external pressure reach complete equilibrium.

2. The method for realizing deep-water operation of an electric transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper and lower limits of the pressure difference for pressurization and depressurization operations using a pressure balancing device are 0.01~0.03 MPa.

3. The method for realizing deep-water operation of an electric transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that: For electric transducers with low support structure stiffness, consider installing a limiting structure at a certain distance outside the radiating cover to restrict excessive displacement of the radiating cover.

4. The method for realizing deep-water operation of an electric transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that: If the expected working water depth of the electric transducer is 300m, it can be lowered to 290m. At this time, the internal pressure of the electric transducer is 2.91~2.93Mpa. Then, the pressure balancing device is turned off, and the electric transducer is released to 300m. During the release process, the external pressure gradually exceeds the internal pressure. At this time, the balancing rubber bladder is compressed, the cavity of the electric transducer is compressed, and the internal air pressure and the external pressure reach complete equilibrium.

5. A method for realizing deep-water operation of an electric transducer according to claim 4, characterized in that: The electric transducer is balanced in water depths of 7-9m using a balancing rubber bladder. When the depth of the electric transducer fluctuates by ±5m due to external environmental factors, the pressure of the rubber bladder can be adjusted to keep the electric transducer in a state of internal and external pressure balance.

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