Nautronix

IMCA Annual Seminar 2014
Technical and Safety Advances in Communications for Saturation Diving
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
Nautronix | Presentation Overview
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Introduction
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Existing Technology
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New Technology
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NASDive System
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Benefits
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
Nautronix | Vision
‘Global Leaders in Through Water
Communication and Positioning Technology
for the Offshore Industry’
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
Nautronix | Products and Services
NASNet®
(Nautronix Acoustic Subsea
Positioning System)
NASNet® DPR
(Nautronix Acoustic Subsea
Dynamic Positioning
Reference)
NASNet®
FPR
(Nautronix Acoustic Subsea
FPSO Acoustic Monitoring
System)
NASCoM
NASDrill
NASDive
Survey Services
(Nautronix Acoustic Subsea
Command, Control &
Monitoring Systems)
(Nautronix Acoustic
Subsea Drilling)
(Nautronix Advanced Digital
Diver Communications
System)
A comprehensive range of
survey services to the
offshore construction
industry
NASDrill RS925
NASeBOP
(Nautronix Acoustic
emergency Subsea Blow
Out Preventer)
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NASDrill USBL
-
NASMUX™
Fully digital hardwired
Diver Communication
System
Digitally controlled
Through Water Acoustic
Communication System
− Equipment Rental
− Processing
− Consultancy
− Offshore Crewing
− New Build
(Nautronix Acoustic Subsea
Multiplex)
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
Nautronix Diver Communications
• Standard and bespoke hardwired and throughwater communications
systems for commercial and military diving requirements
• Over 20 years experience of design, manufacture and support
– Industry benchmark systems, to NORSOK Standards
– Over 30 vessel systems supplied
– The clearest Helium Speech Unscramblers
Image courtesy of Subsea 7
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NASDive Technology
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
Existing Diver Communications Technology
• Technology has not changed significantly in last 40 years
• Main advances have been in Helium Speech Unscrambler algorithms,
generally in firmware on a dedicated processor board
• More recent systems have improved user control and routing of
conversations
• Fundamentals of 4 wire analogue signal based communications have not
changed
• Low level analogue signals are susceptible to electrical noise and pickup
• Problem is compounded by
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Long cable runs
Deteriorating cores in umbilical
Slip rings
Junction boxes
Noisy electrical environment
• Problems with communications are the number 1 cause of lost time on dive
vessels
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
Diver Communications Technology – Wish list
• If you were starting from scratch what would you want?
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High Audio Quality
High Unscrambler intelligibility
Good quality emergency Through Water Coms
Intuitive User Interface
Choice of headsets, including wireless for supervisors
Easy Telephone interface
Simplified wiring
Easy fault finding
Standardised Hardware
Image courtesy of Subsea 7
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
Diver Communications Technology – Advances
• Following detailed research, Nautronix identified digital technology as the
way forward for Diver Communications
• Digitising signals at source (coms boxes and bell) avoids many of the
issues associated with existing Diver Communications Systems using
analogue signals
• Such a system has been implemented. It is called NASDive comprising
wired Chamber and Bell coms and Emergency TWC
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
NASDive – Technology Advances
• NASDive is a Fully Digital Diver Communications system and has a
number of advantages over existing technology
• Cabling
− All signalling is Ethernet (Fibre Optic or CAT 5) or VDSL2 (if using twisted pairs)
− Bell umbilical requirement is reduced to 1 stp/FO (+ backup)
− Chamber wiring only requires one CAT5 cable and penetrator into each chamber
• Hardware
− Topside uses telecoms hardware
− Standard telephone interface
− Local control of microphone and headset levels
• Software control of complete system
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Via touch screen display
Remote support via internet connection
Auto switchover to backup systems
Individual HSU for each location
Unscrambling at dive bell for excursion divers
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
NASDive – TWC Technology Advances
Utilising Digital Hardware for the Through Water
Communications System is perhaps the biggest
breakthrough. Advantages include:•
Software defined radio avoids need for tuning
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Fully compatible with standard 25kHz through water
communications
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Signaling is still 25kHz analogue SSB
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Manual / auto squelch on receiver to stop ‘hiss’
when not running
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Digital notch filters for noise reduction (acoustic
Positioning etc)
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Extensive diagnostic access over Ethernet to
commission/test
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Directional Transducer to improve quality and range
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NASDive Components
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
NASDive | System Components
DCU:
• Interface in Sat Control and Dive Control
• Flexible number of stations and buses per screen
• Touch screen supporting up to 100 users
• Helium Speech Unscrambler for each diver
• Wireless Headset capability as standard
• Telephone interface
• Multi-page option
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Unlimited channels on a single screen
Flexible labeling for station/diver etc
Master - Slave Capability
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NORSOK Compliance
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
NASDive | System Components
DCU: User Interface
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
NASDive | System Components
DCU and Helium Speech Unscrambler (HSU)
HSU Operation at 180m:
Scrambled
Unscrambled
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Helium Speech Algorithm improved
Minimal interference
Digitised speech improves performance
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
NASDive | System Components
Communications Station
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Replacing analogue interfaces with Ethernet digital audio for
communication stations
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Station upgrades
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Preamp for microphone
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Power amp for speaker
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Ethernet interface can be used where
infrastructure is available, for improved audio quality
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Local control of functions (volume, entertainment etc)
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
NASDive | System Components
LCU Interface
• Bell & Lifeboat Control
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Provides independent communication system
Up to 4 users
Connects transparently to main control unit
when available
Automatic switch over to local control when
required (umbilical failure, lifeboat launch)
Alphanumeric display
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Allows local configuration and control
Displays fault messages (power fail, loss of
umbilical etc)
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
NASDive | System Components
Bell Electronics Bottle
• Located Externally to Bell
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Contains LCU processing and interface electronics
15kg
Collar diameter = 230mm
Barrel = 200mm
Length overall to cage = 410mm
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NASDive Benefits
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
NASDive | Safety Benefits
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Much improved speech quality
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Unscrambling of speech from all locations
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Auto switch over of coms cores in umbilical
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Continued coms (with unscrambling) between Bell and excursion divers if
umbilical failure
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High quality unscrambled telephone link to all locations (medical
emergencies)
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Direct communications with standby diver via analogue line inputs
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
NASDive | Commercial Benefits
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Reduced bell umbilical re-terminations as a result of poor comms cores
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Reduced Umbilical Cost - only 1 (+ spare) core for bell coms
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Reduced downtime for failed coms – built in continuity checks
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Comms box change out possible by divers – no depressurisation of
chamber or bell
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Simplified wiring – reduced cost for retrofit systems
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Reduced maintenance ( simplified wiring and continuity checks)
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NAUTRONIX
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
www.nautronix.com
NASDive | Operational Benefits
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No communications quality deterioration with time
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High Quality Coms
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Simplified pre dive checks
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Bell coms test box and external electronics bottle simplifies checks and
maintenance
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Spare analogue connections simplify external coms (hyperbaric Lifeboat,
surface diver etc)
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Thank you
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