VEHICLE
[Specifications
| Deep System Animation | User
Manual]
[General
| Shallow | Mid-Depth | Deep]
This system was designed as a self contained launch and recovery platform with operating depth of 2500 meters. It uses a 30,000 Lbs (13,636 Kg) LARS and a 33,150 Lbs (15,068 Kg) umbilical winch to safely and efficiently deploy the vehicle with minimal crew requirement.
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This system offers
several advantages:
- Increased
sea-state operations. The crane uses a passive heave compensation mechanism
and can be mounted at mid-ship where the effects of the ship's heave
are greatly reduced. Provided the vessel can hold station, ROV operations can contiune in sea states 5 to 6.
- Minimal
ship's crew requirements. The LARS allows us to get close
to the water and securely latch the vehicle without the use of tag-lines.
Typically two members of the ship's deck crew are all that is requiered for launch and recovery.
-
4000
lbs through-frame lift. This system allows the vehicle to be used to recover or deploy heavy packages to a depth of 2500 meters. This ability is unique to the ROPOS mid-depth system and has been successfully used to recover instruments weighing in excess of 2000lbs and is the backbone of the ROCLS sub-sea cable laying system.
- Ship
independent. With several mounting configuration and no need
for a ship's A-frame, this system can be shipped and adapted to vessels
all around the world. Moreover, this autonomy frees up deck equipment
which allows the science party to perform other science ventures that
could not have previously been possible with an ROV onboard.
Additional Ship requirements:
- 1x 200A 480 VAC service (LARS / Winch HPU)
- 1x 100A 480 VAC service (Vehicle / Control Power)
- 200 ft^2 (minimum) heated lab space (control room) in close proximity to working deck.
- Space for up to 3 20’ ISO shipping containers. Minimum requirement is one. Containers can be stacked.
- Clear deck space for vehicle maintenance and equipment stores.
Details and
Drawings:
General
Arrangement (Crane and Winch). Please note that there are other
mounting options for this configuration.
Mid-Depth
Winch (LARS). This drawing shows the mid-depth winch when configured
to be used with the LARS.
Mid-Depth
Winch (A-frame). This drawing shows the mid-depth winch when
configured to be used with an A-frame. This configuration is available
if the vessel cannot accommodate our crane but has a suitable A-frame.
LARS
Details:
The LARS (launch and recovery system) is designed for the ROV tether to feed through the pedestal to the turret center sheave and then to the docking/swing frame. This is accomplished by using the UNOLS AGOR style turret, which is higher than the standard 18 ton style. The turret is further modified to allow the use of longer lifting cylinders, which helps the lifting capacity of the crane, while maintaining 86 deg. boom articulation, without contacting the turret structure. Since the cable is centered on the LARS's rotation axis, the crane can slew up to 360 deg during handling operations. The pedestal sheave is designed with 10 deg of flagging or fair-leading capability. The pedestal and turret sheaves are designed with split block bearing mounts for removal during mobilization and shipping.
LARS mounting requirements:
Past ROPOS LARS installations have used existing crane bases fitted with adaptors to suit individual requirements (CCGS Hudson). With the addition of the LARS base deck adaptor system, the LARS can easily be mounted directly to the working deck of the vessel by way of either directly bolting to an existing deck (UNOLS Thomas G. Thompson) or by fitting a welded doubler plate directly to the deck (CCGS J.P. Tully). The LARS’ outboard range can be limited to decrease its turning moment and allowing for fitments in areas where the maximum turning moment of the LARS exceeds the safe working load of the ships structure.
LARS base adapted to existing crane pedestal, CCGS Hudson
ROPOS LARS fitted to the Tully Focsle deck
ROPOS Launch from the CCGS Hudson
Instrument recovery UNOLS T.G. Thompson
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