Underwater Engineering Laboratory

Located on Minhang Campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the underwater engineering laboratory is composed of a general laboratory, a hydraulic laboratory, a strong current laboratory and an electrical control laboratory. It is one of the domestic highest level deep-sea technology and equipment research institutions. The research objects mainly include deep sea unmanned ROVs, underwater heavy load operation equipment and new concept submersibles, with their representing models being Hailong unmanned ROV, trencher series and horizontal directional drill, and underwater reconfigurable robot, respectively. The research scope covers generality, fluid, electromechanics, control, structure, hydraulics and underwater operation relating to underwater equipment.    

(1) The General Research Laboratory includes an ROV test tank and a deep-sea environment simulator cluster. 

● The ROV test tank is 12m long, 8m wide and 10m deep. It is equipped with functions of current generation, 3,000V power supply, lifting false bottom, camera observation, underwater lighting system, water circulation, etc. This test facility can also be used to carry out systematic testing of maneuvering control, propulsion and underwater operation; 

● The deep sea environment simulator cluster composed of simulators for 2,000m, 4,000m, 12,000m and 18,000m levels can realize a full sea depth environment simulation and carry out the structural safety evaluation for pressure withstanding from shallow to super large depth. 

(2) The hydraulic laboratory is composed of a portable hydraulic system performance testing and troubleshooting platform, a 4,000m deep sea operation comprehensive research platform and a propeller servo control test platform. 

● The portable hydraulic system performance testing and troubleshooting platform provides portable site testing and troubleshooting equipment for the underwater hydraulic system so as to realize its offshore quick analysis and troubleshooting.

● The 4,000m deep sea operation comprehensive research platform provides the most direct experimental conditions for general design, underwater hydraulic system design, hydraulic tool interface extension, pressure proof and sealing technology of hydraulic system and underwater operating tools.

● The propeller servo control test platform has the most basic signal collection, display and analysis functions, high precision pressure and flow sensors and a multifunctional testing valve stand, and it is also equipped with professional underwater propulsion test benches. 

(3) The strong current laboratory is composed of underwater strong current servo control simulation test platform and a portable strong current integrated test platform.

● The underwater strong current servo control simulation test platform is used for the laboratory simulation and research of underwater electrical propulsion, underwater electrical jet flushing, electrical deck heave compensation, etc. It can realize high voltage 3,000 VAC remote power supply and control, and high power, high insulation remote servo control and driving.

● The portable strong current integrated test platform can be used, in the laboratory or on the site, to carry out the online dynamic testing and recording of electrical parameters (voltage, current and insulation impedance of power system) of high voltage power system and support its debugging and testing.

(4) The electrical control laboratory has various types of virtual experiment equipment such as electromechanical experiment devices, visual experiment devices, acoustic experiment devices, DSpace semi-physical experiment devices, Vega, Multgen and large stereo screen as well as  deep sea virtual simulation software for submersibles. 

For many years, the Underwater Engineering Laboratory has always kept a stable professional research and development team specializing in the implementation and site services of large engineering projects, providing a solid teamwork foundation for undertaking and servicing large engineering projects. The laboratory has independently carried out or led the research and development of more than ten large submersibles and underwater facilities, won four national scientific and technological progress prizes (three for project leading and one for project participation), one national technical invention prize (participation), and created several records in domestic underwater equipment research and development, among which Hailong unmanned ROV was listed among 2011 National University Top Ten Scientific and Technological Progresses and won the 2nd prize of 2012 National Scientific and Technological Progress, and the 10,000m level deep sea ROV has successfully achieved breakthrough in its key technology. Presently, as an important research base for underwater equipment in China, the laboratory is undertaking several research and development projects of large submersibles and heavy load operation equipment.