Method for the measurement of turbulence by using reciprocating ocean microstructure profiler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9593947-B2
Application number	US-201414567049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2014
Priority date	Jun 9, 2014
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

The method for the measurement of turbulence by using reciprocating ocean microstructure profiler includes the following procedures: 1) system startup; 2) detection of the profile data of ocean dynamic environment information: a. temperature detection; b. shear detection; c. depth detection; and d. current and temperature & conductivity detection; e. gesture sensing; 3) control of ascending and descending operations of the profiler: a. uprising control; b. redirection operation; and c. sinking control; and 4) sleep mode. The method doesn't consume labor several times and the equipment is capable of providing long-time continuous profile measurement at a fixed area along a steel cable; and the entire system can ascend and descend steadily after hydrodynamic optimized layout, eliminating the measurement errors contributable to water flow fluctuation during detection, thus obtaining accurate ocean microstructure observation in vertical with higher precision.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for the measurement of turbulence using a reciprocating ocean microstructure profiler, wherein the profiler comprises:
a first profiler subunit,
a second profiler subunit, and
a central stand having a central axis,
a cable,
a controller,
wherein the first and second profiler subunits are secured to opposite sides of the central stand, respectively,
a cable penetration hole for connecting the cable to the central stand is provided at the central axis of the central stand to enable the cable to longitudinally penetrate the central stand via the cable penetration hole, and the central stand is configured to slide up and down along the cable,
an upper limit part and a lower limit part are provided on the cable to limit the sliding distance of the central stand,
the first profiler subunit is provided with a first buoyancy drive part and a first observation part,
the first buoyancy drive part is configured to perform ascending and descending operations of the profiler, and is provided with a first floating compartment holding a first top oil bladder, a first drive compartment holding a first bottom oil bladder, and a first pressure compartment holding a first drive pump assembly and a first solenoid valve,
the first drive pump assembly connects the first top oil bladder to the first bottom oil bladder via a first oil outlet line,
the first solenoid valve connects the first top oil bladder to the first bottom oil bladder via a first oil return line,
the first observation part is electrically connected to the controller, which is electrically connected to the first drive pump assembly and the first solenoid valve,
the second profiler subunit is provided with a second buoyancy drive part and a second observation part,
the second buoyancy drive part is configured to perform ascending and descending operations of the profiler, and is provided with a second floating compartment holding a second top oil bladder, a second drive compartment holding a second bottom oil bladder, and a second pressure compartment holding a second drive pump assembly and a second solenoid valve,
the second drive pump assembly connects the second top oil bladder to the second bottom oil bladder via a second oil outlet line,
the second solenoid valve connects the second top oil bladder to the second bottom oil bladder via a second oil return line,
the second observation part is electrically connected to the controller which is electrically connected to the second drive pump assembly and the second solenoid valve,
the first observation part includes:
a temperature probe having a common temperature detection module and a fast temperature detection module,
a shear probe having a shear detection module for detecting a high-frequency fluctuating velocity of the current, wherein a turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate is directly derived from a shear value of the high-frequency fluctuating velocity, and
a depth probe having a pressure detection module for measuring a depth of the profiler in water is measured by a pressure detection module located in the depth probe, thus obtaining a descent or ascent rate so as to calculate the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate,

the second observation part includes:
a current meter having a current sensing module to measure temperature, conductivity and pressure data, and
a thermohaline sensing module located in a conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) profiler,

wherein the controller is configured to control ascending and descending operations of the profiler by controlling transfer of hydraulic oil from the first and second bottom oil bladders to the first and second top oil bladders, respectively,
and the controller is also configured to generate a go to sleep mode command when each detecting device reaches or is close to its predefined lower limit position so as to wait for a next startup signal,
wherein the method comprises:
connecting the cable through the cable penetration hole to the central stand to enable the central stand to slide up and down along the cable,
performing ascending and descending operations of the profiler with the first and second buoyancy drive parts,
measuring an ocean temperature profile by the temperature probe,
detecting the high-frequency fluctuating velocity of the current, wherein the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate is directly derived from the shear value of high-frequency fluctuating velocity,
detecting a depth of the profiler in water by the pressure detection module located in the depth probe, thus obtaining the descent or ascent rate and calculating the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate,
measuring temperature, conductivity and pressure data, and
controlling ascending and descending operations of the profiler by controlling transfer of hydraulic oil from the first and second bottom oil bladders to the first and second top oil bladders, respectively,
and generating a go to sleep mode command when each detecting device reaches or is close to its predefined lower limit position so as to wait for the next startup signal.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
signal a command via a serial port to a buoyancy drive control module which controls a buoyancy of the two profiler subunits so that the buoyancy is controlled by an H-bridge circuit to drive the first and second drive pumps to transfer the hydraulic oil from the bottom oil bladders to the top oil bladders so as to achieve uprising of the profiler,
when a depth is determined to be at or close to a predefined upper limit position, send a notice via a serial port to the buoyancy drive control module and signals the command of changing from an uprising mode to a sinking mode, and
signal a command via a serial port to the buoyancy drive control module which controls the buoyancy of the two profiler subunits to transfer the hydraulic oil from the top oil bladders to the bottom oil bladders so as to achieve sinking of the profiler.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein, for a high-frequency gradient signal of the fluctuating velocity measured by the said shear probe, the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate, ε, can be derived from the observed high-frequency fluctuating velocity shear

∂

u
i
′

∂

x
j

in the dissipation sub-range under the assumption of isotropy of turbulence with the following equation:

ɛ
=

1
2

⁢
v
⁢

〈

∂

u
i
′

∂

x
j

⁢

∂

u

Assignees

• Ocean Univ China

Inventors

• Tian Jiwei
• Zhao Wei
• Song Dalei
• Yang Qingxuan
• Xu Ming

Classifications

• G01N33/1886 Primary

  using probes, e.g. submersible probes, buoys · CPC title

• G01C13/00 Primary

  Surveying specially adapted to open water, e.g. sea, lake, river or canal (liquid level metering G01F) · CPC title

• B63C11/52

  Tools specially adapted for working underwater, not otherwise provided for · CPC title