Publication Date:
2022-05-25
Description:
This report documents the work performed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the Battelle Memorial
Institute from August 1988 to December 1992 in the NSF sponsored development of an Integrated Seawater Sampler and Data
Acquisition Prototype. After a 6-month initial design study, a prototype underwater profiing unit was designed and constructed,
containing the water acquisition subsystem, CTD and altimeter, control circuitry and batteries. A standard WHOI CTD was adapted
for use in the underwater unit and was interfaced to the underwater controller which had a telemetry module connecting ít with a deck
control unit. This enabled CTD data to be logged in normal fashion on shipboard while additional commands and diagnostics were
sent over the telemetry link to command the underwater unit's water sampling process and receive diagnostic information on system
performance.
The water sampling subsystem consisted of 36 trays, each containing a plastic sample bag, the pump and control circuitry. The
sample bags, initially sealed in a chemically clean environment, were opened by pumping the water out of the tray, thus forcing
water into the bag by ambient pressure. The command system could select any bag, and control the water sampling procss from the
surface with diagnostic information on system altitude, depth, orientation and cable tension displayed in real time for operator information.
At sea tests confirmed the operation of the electrical and control system. Problems were encountered with the bags and seals which
were partially solved by further post cruise efforts. However, the bag closing mechanism requires further development, and numerous
small system improvements identified during the cruises need to be implemented to produce an operational water sampler. Finally,
initial design tor a water sampler handling and storage unit and water extraction system were developed but not implemented. The
detailed discussion of the prototype water sampler design, testing and evaluation, and new bag testing result are presented.
Description:
Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation through
Grant No. OCE8821977.
Keywords:
Seawater sampler
;
Shipboard profiing system
;
Chemical free sample bags
Repository Name:
Woods Hole Open Access Server
Type:
Technical Report
Format:
11215258 bytes
Format:
application/pdf
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