In-situ powered submersible apparatus

By using in-situ powered underwater buoys in marine monitoring equipment, which generate electricity from seawater and seabed silt, and combining them with marine mud batteries or seawater magnesium batteries, the problems of limited offshore operation and frequent battery replacement of existing equipment have been solved, enabling long-term operation and low-cost maintenance.

CN224681668UActive Publication Date: 2026-08-25THE 23RD RES INST OF CHINA ELECTRONICS TECH GRP CORP
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202522447803.8
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Utility models(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-11-18
Publication Date
2026-08-25
Estimated Expiration
2035-11-18

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Among existing marine monitoring equipment, shore-based detection equipment has limited working distance from the shore, and buoy/submarine mooring detection equipment requires frequent battery replacements, resulting in high operating and maintenance costs.

Method used

The underwater glider is powered in situ, using seawater and seabed silt to generate electricity. It combines sea mud batteries or seawater magnesium batteries to provide power. The sensor array and demodulation device are integrated or separate, and are equipped with underwater glider anchor blocks for fixation. It uses batteries for stable power supply.

Benefits of technology

It enables long-term operation, reduces maintenance frequency and costs, and ensures continuous monitoring capabilities in offshore environments.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The application provides an in-situ powered submarine device, which comprises a submarine body and an in-situ power supply. The submarine body comprises a sensing array and a demodulation device. The sensing array comprises a plurality of sensors arranged in a circular truncated cone shape. The sensors are electrically connected to the demodulation device. At least part of the in-situ power supply is located outside the submarine body. The in-situ power supply comprises a positive electrode located in seawater and a negative electrode located in seabed silt. The in-situ power supply is electrically connected to at least one of the sensing array or the demodulation device. The embodiment of the application can generate power by using the marine environment including seawater and seabed silt and maintain the operation of the submarine device, thereby guaranteeing the long-time power demand of the submarine device in an offshore environment, prolonging the maintenance interval of the submarine device and reducing the maintenance cost of the submarine device.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of marine monitoring equipment technology, and in particular to an in-situ powered underwater mooring device. Background Technology

[0002] In marine monitoring technology, detection methods are mainly divided into fixed underwater detection equipment and mobile detection equipment. Fixed underwater detection equipment is further divided into shore-based detection equipment and buoy / moor-based detection equipment. Among these technologies, shore-based detection equipment requires power from a shore station, has limited operating distance from the shore, and cannot achieve real-time and effective monitoring of the surrounding waters; while buoy / moor-based detection equipment relies on its own battery power, requiring frequent manual battery replacement, resulting in high operating and maintenance costs. Utility Model Content

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a submersible buoy device capable of long-term operation with in-situ power supply.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows:

[0005] This application provides an in-situ powered underwater mooring device, which includes a mooring body and an in-situ power source. The mooring body includes a sensor array and a demodulation device. The sensor array includes multiple sensors arranged in a frustum shape, and the sensors are electrically connected to the demodulation device. At least part of the in-situ power source is located outside the mooring body. The in-situ power source includes a positive terminal located in seawater and a negative terminal located in seabed silt. The in-situ power source is electrically connected to at least one of the sensor array or the demodulation device.

[0006] Furthermore, the in-situ power source and the buoy body are integrated into one unit, and the weight ratio of the in-situ power source to the buoy body is 6 to 8.

[0007] Furthermore, the in-situ power supply and the buoy body are separate components. The buoy equipment also includes a buoy anchor block, and the weight ratio of the anchor block to the buoy body is 6 to 8.

[0008] Furthermore, the underwater glider device also includes a battery electrically connected to an in-situ power source, and the battery is also electrically connected to at least one of the sensor array or demodulation device.

[0009] Furthermore, the in-situ power source includes at least one of a marine mud battery or a seawater magnesium battery.

[0010] Furthermore, the sensor array also includes an array frame, which is frustum-shaped. The diameter of the top of the array frame is smaller than the diameter of the bottom of the array frame. A portion of the sensors are evenly arranged at the top of the array frame, and the remaining sensors are evenly arranged at the bottom of the array frame.

[0011] Furthermore, the array frame includes a top frame, a bottom frame, and connectors, which are respectively connected to the top frame and the bottom frame.

[0012] Furthermore, the diameter of the top frame is 0.8m to 1.0m, and the diameter of the bottom frame is 1.0m to 1.4m; 6 to 10 sensors are installed on the top frame and 6 to 10 sensors are installed on the bottom frame.

[0013] Furthermore, the sensor is a fiber optic hydrophone.

[0014] Furthermore, the mooring body also includes a mooring shell and a sealed chamber. The sealed chamber is located inside the mooring shell, the demodulation device is located inside the sealed chamber, and the sensor array is located inside the mooring shell, on the upper side or the outer side of the sealed chamber.

[0015] This application embodiment utilizes the marine environment, including seawater and seabed silt, to generate electricity and maintain the operation of the underwater mooring equipment by setting up an in-situ power source. This ensures the long-term power needs of the underwater mooring equipment in an offshore environment, extends the maintenance interval of the underwater mooring equipment, and reduces the maintenance cost of the underwater mooring equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first structure of the underwater mooring device provided in the embodiments of this application (the double-dotted line at the top represents the sea level, and the double-dotted line at the bottom represents the boundary of the seabed silt layer, the same below);

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a second structure of the underwater glider device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a third structure of the underwater glider device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the fourth structure of the underwater glider device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the fifth structure of the underwater glider device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0021] In the diagram: 100, 11, 111, 111, 1111, 1112, 1112a, 1112b, 1112c, 1122, 112, 122, 122, 121, 122, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 10, 10, 11, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 10, 10, 11, 10, 11, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 10, Detailed Implementation

[0022] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in specific embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] It should be noted that the terms "a" or "one" and similar words used in this application specification and claims do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. "A plurality" or "several" indicates at least two. Unless otherwise stated, terms such as "front," "back," "left," "right," "lower," and / or "upper" are for illustrative purposes only and are not limited to a single location or spatial orientation. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" indicate that the elements or objects preceding "comprising" encompass the elements or objects listed following "comprising" or "including" and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect.

[0024] The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application specification and appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0025] This application provides an embodiment of, as follows: Figure 1 The in-situ powered underwater mooring device 100 shown includes a mooring body 11 and an in-situ power supply 12. The mooring body 11 is used to acquire, process, and transmit the required monitoring data. The in-situ power supply 12 is mainly used to generate electrical energy in-situ and power the mooring body 11 to maintain the operation of its various components. The mooring body 11 includes a sensor array 111 and a demodulation device 112. The sensor array 111 can receive information about changes in the marine environment using the sensors 1111 and transmit this information to the demodulation device 112. The demodulation device 112 can receive the information from the sensors 1111 and process it to obtain monitoring data. Multiple sensors 1111 are arranged in a specific pattern within the sensor array 111. Specifically, the multiple sensors 1111 are arranged in a frustum shape within the sensor array 111.

[0026] At least a portion of the in-situ power supply 12 is located outside the mooring body 11. Specifically, a portion of the in-situ power supply 12 may be located inside the mooring body 11, meaning that the in-situ power supply 12 partially overlaps with the mooring body 11. This arrangement reduces the overall size of the mooring device 100 without affecting the operation of the mooring body 11. Alternatively, the in-situ power supply 12 may not overlap with the mooring body 11 at all. This arrangement increases the flexibility in the placement of the in-situ power supply 12, ensuring that the in-situ power supply 12 and the mooring body 11 do not interfere with each other. The in-situ power supply 12 includes a positive terminal 121 and a negative terminal 122. The positive terminal 121 is substantially located in seawater, while the negative terminal 122 is substantially located in seabed silt. The positive terminal 121 and the negative terminal 122 are electrically connected and work together to generate electrical energy to power the mooring body 11. The in-situ power supply 12 is electrically connected to at least one location of the sensor array 111 or the demodulation device 112. The in-situ power supply 12 can directly power both the sensor array 111 and the demodulation device 112. Alternatively, the in-situ power supply 12 can directly power either the sensor array 111 or the demodulation device 112, and then power the other device via an electrical connection between the sensor array 111 and the demodulation device 112. Furthermore, for certain sensors 1111 that do not require power, the in-situ power supply 12 can also power only the demodulation device 112.

[0027] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 1 As shown, the in-situ power supply 12 and the mooring body 11 are integrally integrated, and the weight ratio of the in-situ power supply 12 to the mooring body 11 is 6 to 8. In this embodiment, the integral integration of the in-situ power supply 12 and the mooring body 11 specifically means that, in addition to being electrically connected via cables, the in-situ power supply 12 and the mooring body 11 are also connected by structural components, ensuring that their relative positions do not change during use. This integral integration increases the stability and reliability of the electrical connection between the in-situ power supply 12 and the mooring body 11. It also allows the weight of the in-situ power supply 12 to act as an anchor, limiting the range of motion of the mooring body 11 and preventing significant positional changes due to seawater currents. Furthermore, the integrated integration of the in-situ power supply 12 and the mooring body 11 reduces the overall size of the mooring device 100. By setting the weight of the in-situ power supply 12 to 6 to 8 times the weight of the mooring body 11, the in-situ power supply 12 can be used as an anchor block for the mooring body 11, thereby fixing the mooring body 11 and preventing it from being washed away by the water flow.

[0028] As an optional implementation, the in-situ power supply 12 and the mooring body 11 are separate components. The mooring device 100 also includes a mooring anchor block 13, the weight of which is 6 to 8 times the weight of the mooring body 11. When the in-situ power supply 12 and the mooring body 11 are separate components, they are electrically connected only by a cable. The mooring anchor block 13 is separately configured for the mooring body 11 to fix it and prevent it from being swept away by the water flow. Furthermore, the separate configuration of the in-situ power supply 12 and the mooring body 11 increases the freedom of positioning the mooring body 11, allowing it to be freed from the constraints of the in-situ power supply 12 and its detection position to be set according to actual needs. Setting the weight of the mooring anchor block 13 to 6 to 8 times the weight of the mooring body 11 effectively fixes it and prevents it from being swept away by the water flow.

[0029] As an optional implementation, the in-situ power source 12 includes at least one of a marine mud battery or a seawater magnesium battery. Marine mud batteries are a technology that can generate electricity by in-situ extracting and utilizing energy from seabed sediments, offering advantages such as long-term sustainability, in-situ power extraction, and environmental friendliness. Seawater magnesium batteries are a type of metal-seawater dissolved oxygen battery. The positive electrode of the seawater magnesium battery is a dissolved oxygen reduction electrode from seawater, and the negative electrode is a high-negative-potential metal alloy anode. Seawater serves as the electrolyte, utilizing ocean currents to achieve oxygen transport and eliminate byproducts, thus forming a pollution-free, renewable marine distributed power source. Both marine mud batteries and seawater magnesium batteries can achieve in-situ power supply, significantly extending the operating time of the mooring body 11, reducing the power supply replacement cycle, and lowering usage and maintenance costs.

[0030] As an optional implementation, the underwater glider device 100 also includes a battery 14, which is electrically connected to the in-situ power supply 12 and also electrically connected to at least one of the sensor array 111 or demodulation device 112. Directly powering the sensor array 111 or demodulation device 112 with the in-situ power supply 12 can lead to unstable power generation due to environmental changes. Although the in-situ power supply 12 can be stabilized through relevant settings, this method has limited resilience and may not be able to handle large fluctuations in power generation. By placing the battery 14 between the in-situ power supply 12 and the sensor array 111 or demodulation device 112 as a transition, the electricity generated by the in-situ power supply 12 is temporarily stored in the battery 14, and then used to power the sensor array 111 or demodulation device 112. This improves the stability of the power supply and better addresses large fluctuations in the power generation of the in-situ power supply 12.

[0031] As an optional implementation, the sensor array 111 further includes an array frame 1112. The array frame 1112 is frustum-shaped, with the diameter of its top smaller than its bottom. A portion of the sensors 1111 are evenly arranged on the top of the array frame 1112, and the remaining sensors 1111 are evenly arranged on the bottom. The array frame 1112 provides the placement and fixing positions for the sensors 1111 in the sensor array 111. The frustum shape of the array frame 1112 corresponds to the frustum-shaped arrangement of the sensors 1111. After the sensors 1111 are fixed to the frustum-shaped array frame 1112, they can form a frustum-shaped arrangement. Placing the sensors 1111 at the top and bottom of the frustum-shaped array frame 1112 can enrich the placement positions and environment of the sensors 1111, thereby improving the accuracy of information acquisition to a certain extent.

[0032] As an optional implementation, the array frame 1112 includes a top frame 1112a, a bottom frame 1112b, and a connector 1112c, with the connector 1112c connected to both the top frame 1112a and the bottom frame 1112b. This arrangement forms a frustum-shaped array frame 1112, while also enhancing the strength of the array frame 1112 and improving the overall stability of the underwater glider device 100.

[0033] As an optional implementation, the diameter of the top frame 1112a is 0.8m to 1.0m, and the diameter of the bottom frame 1112b is 1.0m to 1.4m; 6 to 10 sensors 1111 are arranged on the top frame 1112a, and 6 to 10 sensors 1111 are arranged on the bottom frame 1112b. This arrangement can improve the rationality of the placement of the sensors 1111 on the top frame 1112a and the bottom frame 1112b, and improve the efficiency and accuracy of the sensors 1111 in acquiring information.

[0034] As an optional implementation, sensor 1111 is a fiber optic hydrophone. The principle of a fiber optic hydrophone is that the stress of underwater sound waves on the optical fiber changes the refractive index or length of the fiber core, causing a change in the optical path of the beam propagating in the fiber, resulting in a phase change. This phase change can be detected using interferometry, thus obtaining information about the underwater sound. Fiber optic hydrophones utilize phase interference of light as a detection method, exhibiting extremely high detection sensitivity and a wide response bandwidth. Using optical fiber as the information sensing and transmission medium, and with light as the carrier, the information is neither susceptible to electromagnetic interference nor prone to leakage. Furthermore, fiber optic hydrophones do not require a power supply, reducing the power consumption of the entire underwater buoy device 100.

[0035] As an optional implementation, the mooring body 11 also includes a mooring shell 15 and a sealed chamber 16. The sealed chamber 16 is located inside the mooring shell 15, the demodulation device 112 is located inside the sealed chamber 16, and the sensor array 111 is located inside the mooring shell 15, either above or outside the sealed chamber 16. The mooring shell 15 protects the sensor array 111 and the sealed chamber 16 inside the mooring shell 15 from damage. The sealed chamber 16 provides a stable environment for the demodulation device 112, preventing damage and interference from seawater and other impurities in the seawater, thus improving the operational stability of the demodulation device 112. The sensor array 111 is fitted onto the outside of the sealed chamber 16, reducing the distance between the sensor array 111 and the demodulation device 112 in the sealed chamber 16, decreasing the cable length between the sensor array 111 and the demodulation device 112, and improving the efficiency and stability of information transmission. The sensor array 111 is positioned on the upper side of the sealed chamber 16, which can reduce mutual interference between the sensor array 111 and the sealed chamber 16 during installation, and avoid restricting the installation position and size of the sealed chamber 16 by the sensor array 111. The installation of the sealed chamber 16 has greater flexibility and freedom.

[0036] Finally, it should be noted that the above are only some preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A submersible buoy device with in-situ power supply, characterized in that, include: The underwater mooring body includes a sensor array and a demodulation device. The sensor array includes multiple sensors arranged in a frustum shape, and the sensors are electrically connected to the demodulation device. An in-situ power source, at least a portion of which is located outside the buoy body, comprising a positive terminal in seawater and a negative terminal in seabed silt, and electrically connected to at least one of the sensor array or the demodulation device.

2. The underwater glider device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The in-situ power source and the mooring body are integrally formed, and the weight ratio of the in-situ power source to the mooring body is 6 to 8.

3. The underwater glider device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The in-situ power supply and the mooring body are separate components. The mooring device also includes a mooring anchor block, and the weight ratio of the anchor block to the mooring body is 6 to 8.

4. The underwater glider device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The underwater glider also includes a battery electrically connected to the in-situ power source, and the battery is also electrically connected to at least one of the sensor array or the demodulation device.

5. The underwater glider device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The in-situ power source includes at least one of a marine mud battery or a seawater magnesium battery.

6. The underwater glider device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor array also includes an array frame, which is frustum-shaped. The diameter of the top of the array frame is smaller than the diameter of the bottom of the array frame. A portion of the sensors are uniformly arranged on the top of the array frame, and the remaining sensors are uniformly arranged on the bottom of the array frame.

7. The underwater glider device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The array frame includes a top frame, a bottom frame, and connectors, which are respectively connected to the top frame and the bottom frame.

8. The underwater glider device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The diameter of the top frame is 0.8m to 1.0m, and the diameter of the bottom frame is 1.0m to 1.4m; Six to ten sensors are installed on the top frame and six to ten sensors are installed on the bottom frame.

9. The underwater glider device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor is a fiber optic hydrophone.

10. The underwater glider device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mooring body also includes a mooring shell and a sealed chamber. The sealed chamber is located inside the mooring shell, the demodulation device is located inside the sealed chamber, and the sensor array is located inside the mooring shell, or on the upper or outer side of the sealed chamber.