Underwater Battery Swap System for Ship Standby Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional underwater power supply systems require surface ships to remain stationary for extended periods, consuming significant fuel while charging batteries for underwater apparatuses, leading to prolonged standby times.
Innovation Solution
An underwater power supply system that allows for the replacement of a first battery unit with a second battery unit while the first unit is being charged, enabling continuous operation of underwater apparatuses and reducing the need for surface ship standby time by using a second battery unit attached to the apparatus before detaching the first unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the surface ship charges the battery of the working apparatus directly, then the battery can be charged, but the surface ship must stand by on the sea for a long period of time consuming a large amount of fuel
Solution Approach 1:
An underwater charging station is introduced as an intermediary between the surface ship and the working apparatus. The charging station receives power from the surface ship and stores it in its own battery, then charges the working apparatus's battery when needed. This mediator eliminates the need for the surface ship to remain stationary during charging operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging station performs preliminary charging of batteries in advance. Instead of charging the working apparatus's battery at the moment of need (which requires surface ship standby), the charging station maintains ready-to-use charged batteries in its storage, allowing immediate deployment to the working apparatus.
2Reliability
If the battery is charged before replacing it in the working apparatus, then the charged battery can be used, but the surface ship must wait for charging completion
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into multiple independent battery units. The charging station has multiple battery storage slots, allowing one battery to be charged while another is in use or being replaced. This segmentation enables parallel operations of charging and working.
Solution Approach 2:
The system ensures continuous useful action by maintaining a ready supply of charged batteries at the charging station. When the working apparatus needs power, a pre-charged battery is immediately provided, ensuring uninterrupted operation without waiting for charging completion.
3Duration of action of moving object
If multiple battery units are used for the working apparatus, then continuous operation is possible, but the complexity of battery management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charging station is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple battery units simultaneously. It can charge, store, and manage multiple batteries through standardized interfaces, making the system scalable without proportionally increasing complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An underwater power supply system includes: a working apparatus arranged underwater and including at least one power receiving pad; a first battery unit detachably attached to the working apparatus and including a power supplying pad and a battery, the power supplying pad being configured to supply electric power to the power receiving pad in a non-contact state, the battery being electrically connected to the power supplying pad; and an underwater sailing body configured to shuttle between the working apparatus and a surface ship or between the working apparatus and an underwater station suspended from the surface ship, the underwater sailing body being configured to carry a second battery unit to the working apparatus, detach the first battery unit from the working apparatus, and attach the second battery unit to the working apparatus, the second battery unit including a power supplying pad and a battery, the power supplying pad being configured to supply the electric power to the power receiving pad in a non-contact state, the battery being electrically connected to the power supplying pad.