Browsing by Author "MOREIRA, DAVID RIBEIRO"
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- Development and validation of an underwater image perception systemPublication . MOREIRA, DAVID RIBEIRO; Campilho, Raul Duarte Salgueiral GomesWith the aggravation of climate change, the production of green energy has become a global priority. In this context, the industry has invested in offshore wind turbines, designed to convert wind’s kinetic energy into electrical power. However, due to the remote and hard-to-access locations of these structures, the use of underwater vehicles equipped with perception systems and inspection or intervention tools is essential, enabling operations to be carried out either autonomously or under remote control, while reducing the costs associated with using dedicated personnel. Perception systems in this context face significant challenges, not only due to environmental limitations such as light attenuation, turbidity, and acoustic distortions, but also because of strict constraints on size, weight, and energy consumption, which directly affect the vehicle’s buoyancy, manoeuvrability, and autonomy. This dissertation aims to develop an underwater perception system, together with a coupling system that allows its simultaneous use with other inspection or intervention equipment. The main objective is to reduce the volume and weight of an existing perception system, MARESye, thereby improving its hydrodynamic performance and reducing the acting forces when mounted on a robotic arm. Furthermore, the system must be capable of operating at depths of up to 300 m and be integrated into a multifunctional coupling system. At an initial stage, existing systems are analysed, and their limitations are identified, associating them with the objectives of the project. Subsequently, the working methodology is defined and structured into sequential steps to enable a more effective product development. A pre-design study is then carried out, in which several iterations are evaluated and, through the Ashby selection method, the solution that best meets the project requirements is selected. This is followed by the design phase, based on philosophies of excellence, in which the materials are defined, the sizing is performed, and the necessary structural verifications are conducted. The results of the static analyses demonstrate that the perception system can withstand depths of up to 300 m, while the coupling system ensures the precise simultaneous use of other equipment. The dynamic analyses further reveal a significant reduction in hydrodynamic forces compared with the previous version (-34.78%), resulting in improved hydrodynamic performance of the new solution. Additionally, a considerable reduction in both weight (-67.82%) and volume (-60.22%) of the underwater perception system was achieved.