The ROV Challenge

1. The ROV Challenge

2. What is an ROV? • ROV = Remotely Operated Vehicle • Unoccupied, remote controlled submersible vehicle • Used in deep and shallow underwater applications

3. What parts does an ROV have? • Body/Chassis • Umbilical • Carries power, control signals, video feeds, and data. • Arms/manipulators • NavigationEquipment • Sonar • Cameras • Lights • Sample Collection systems Umbilical Control box Battery ROV

4. Our Arctic is Opening Up • The Arctic is facing major challenges as the ice melts • More shipping and oil and gas exploration are happening • An oil spill in the arctic would be a huge disaster • Many plants and animals would be harmed http://www.protect-the-arctic.com/

5. What is it like in the Arctic? • Remote • Dark • Extreme weather • Shallow water • Ice covered water • Ice can be unpredictable • Freezing conditions http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2010/ http://www.polarfield.com/blog http://www.arcticscience.org/whyStudy.php

6. Oil Exploration During a recent exploratory oil drilling mission the Black Gold Oil Company (BGOC) successfully located an offshore, ice-covered oil reserve and started extracting. Then… A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck and part of the pumping equipment separated under the ice.

7. BGOC has contracted your company to build an ROV • Perform a scouting mission to search for pools of oil trapped under the ice • Take a sample from a pool of oil under the ice • Return the sample to an analyzing station • Transport a piece of surface equipment • Respond to the open water spill in the polynya and remove oil from the surface

8. Materials • Structure- A variety of PVC joints and lengths of pipe (3, 4, 6, & 12 inch). • Zip Ties and Electrical Tape for attaching motors, floats, and ballast. • Motor Unit- Includes a control box, umbilical cable, and 3 bilge pump motors. • Shears for cutting floats, zip ties, and tape. • DO NOT cut your PVC Pipe!

9. Materials

10. The Challenges • Task 1 – Perform scouting mission to search for pools of oil trapped under the ice. • Drive ROV back and forth 20 feet out and back. • Task 2 – Take a sample from a pool of oil in the ice. • Surface ROV inside a large floating ring and hold position for 5 seconds. • Task 3 – Return sample and have it analyzed. • Position ROV in front of an underwater square • Hold position for 5 seconds

11. The Challenges • Task 4 – Transport floating equipment • Engage a beach ball floating in the pool • Return the beach ball to the side of the pool • Task 5 – Respond to a surface oil patch in a polynya • Use ROV to gather floating ping pong balls and return to poolside • Task 6 – Deliver equipment to an underwater work station • Fly ROV back and forth through a large stationary underwater ring • Pick up a small underwater ring. • Deposit the small ring on a piece of anchored PVC pipe.

12. Challenge Diagram

13. Operation • You will be by the pool – you are not to go in the pool! • Keep batteries away from water • Do not drop control box in water • The ROV Operator holds the control box while the Tether Manager controls the tether. • The Operator will pass the control box to the Tether Manager when his/her turn is up. • The next person in line becomes the Tether Manager.

15. Teamwork Points • All team members participate in design, build, and break down ROV. • All team members drive ROV during challenge. • Team members give each other positive encouragement. • Team members observe and obey all safety rules.

16. Possible Demerits • Team member bickers, argues, or acts with disrespect. • Pool-side structural modification after challenges have begun. • Team pulls tether to move ROV. • Use of pool “seal” after challenges have begun.

17. Structure • Think of what the ROV must do to accomplish the tasks • Bigger ≠ Better • Distribute weight evenly http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2179/1519760291_a9bcb213a6.jpg?v=0

18. Purpose • What are the specific tasks of the challenge? • Where in the water column does your ROV need to operate (at the surface or down in the water? • What shapes/attachments/tools does your ROV need to accomplish the tasks? Collect and retrieve objects floating at the surface. ‘Fly’ through large rings suspended underwater. Collect a small ring and deposit it on an arm.

20. Motor Placement • Attach motors with zip ties  • The propellers should not be able to hit a wall or floor • Motors must be underwater when the ROV is at the surface • Up/down motor is best placed as close to the center of the ROV as possible • Side motors can be placed at front, middle or back of ROV • Test motors so you know which way they spin before attaching them to the frame

22. Up/down motor is best placed as close to the center of the ROV as possible. • Side motors can be placed at front, middle or back of ROV. • Test motors so you know which way they spin before attaching them to the frame.

23. Buoyancy • Attach floatation with zip ties • The top of the ROV should float level just at the surface • Think of where your weight is • You want floatation over the weight • Balance floatation so ROV doesn’t tilt side to side or point up/down • You can attach ballast (additional weight) if needed

25. Let’s Build an ROV! Control Box Float Float ROV Motors Ballast

26. REMEMBER! • DO NOT… • Share or modify parts of your kit. • Go in the pool. • Get batteries or control box wet. • DO… • Show good sportsmanship. • Learn something. • Have fun!