ROPOS
Encyclopedia
ROPOS is an ROV
used primarily for scientific research. It was originally build in Vancouver
by International Submarine Engineering and purchased by the Canadian federal government. This government program also operated the Pisces IV
manned submersible. Pisces IV is now in Hawaii
being run by HURL (they found the long-lost two-man Japanese sub which heralded the attack on Pearl Harbor
). The funding for the Canadian submersible program eventually dried up but by that time the user group had been established and long term experiments put in place on the sea floor. The Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility (CSSF) was formed and leased ROPOS from the government for several years before finally purchasing the ROV a few years ago. In 2005 the vehicle was extensively rebuilt and now boasts a 4000 pounds (1,814.4 kg) thru-frame lift capability.
The ROV is controlled and powered from a surface vessel. Electrical power is supplied through an umbilical or tether, which also has an optical fibre for telemetry and data. The technology for this cable is actually quite impressive all by itself. In the vehicle the electrical power is used to power components such as lights and cameras but most of the energy is used in an electric motor to drive a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump in turn powers the thrusters and hydraulic components of the ROV. This is referred to as an electro-hydraulic system. Most ROVs work in this way but some are purely electrical, using another interesting invention—electric thrusters.
ROPOS is unusual in a few other ways as well.
Rov
Rov is a Talmudic concept which means the majority.It is based on the passage in Exodus 23;2: "after the majority to wrest" , which in Rabbinic interpretation means, that you shall accept things as the majority....
used primarily for scientific research. It was originally build in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
by International Submarine Engineering and purchased by the Canadian federal government. This government program also operated the Pisces IV
Pisces IV
Pisces IV is a three-person, battery-powered Deep Submergence Vehicle , with a maximum operating depth of . The craft was built by Hyco International Hydrodynamics in Vancouver, and is currently owned by the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric...
manned submersible. Pisces IV is now in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
being run by HURL (they found the long-lost two-man Japanese sub which heralded the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
). The funding for the Canadian submersible program eventually dried up but by that time the user group had been established and long term experiments put in place on the sea floor. The Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility (CSSF) was formed and leased ROPOS from the government for several years before finally purchasing the ROV a few years ago. In 2005 the vehicle was extensively rebuilt and now boasts a 4000 pounds (1,814.4 kg) thru-frame lift capability.
Thru-frame lift
This is a unique feature for ROPOS. It is possible to lift 4000 pounds (1,814.4 kg) off the sea floor though this ROV. The ROV does not actually lift the weight but the load is attached to the ROV. The load is lifted by the mid-depth system LARS (launch and recovery system—an enhanced crane modified to accommodate the ROV).The ROV is controlled and powered from a surface vessel. Electrical power is supplied through an umbilical or tether, which also has an optical fibre for telemetry and data. The technology for this cable is actually quite impressive all by itself. In the vehicle the electrical power is used to power components such as lights and cameras but most of the energy is used in an electric motor to drive a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump in turn powers the thrusters and hydraulic components of the ROV. This is referred to as an electro-hydraulic system. Most ROVs work in this way but some are purely electrical, using another interesting invention—electric thrusters.
ROPOS is unusual in a few other ways as well.
- Operating depth: Most ROVs are set up for only one operating depth, 2,000 m (1,080 fathomFathomA fathom is a unit of length in the imperial and the U.S. customary systems, used especially for measuring the depth of water.There are 2 yards in an imperial or U.S. fathom...
s) for example. ROPOS is routinely modified to work in three different ranges : 1000 m (540 fathoms), 2,500 m (1,350 fathoms) and (rarely) 5,000 m (2,700 fathoms). Each set up is progressively larger. - Plug and play equipment: As a scientific tool, it is important for the vehicle to be able to handle the power and data requirements of the scientific instruments which scientists want to use on the sea floor. The hot fluid sampler (HFS) is a good example of this: it is about 200 pounds (90.7 kg) and requires 120 V AC and a data line to function. The ROV has a junction box with a multitude of different data and power connections. It also has a number of different hydraulic functions which are available for science gear. Most scientific ROVs utilize this 'Swiss army knife' style, such as the Woods Hole vehicles Jason and Jason 2.