Endurance increase of autonomous underwater vehicles using polymeric coating technology for effective Arctic seabed exploration and monitoring

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Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are continually playing an increased role for underwater surveying, exploration, and surveillance. This is particularly true for Canada, which has over 200,000 km of coastline (more than double any other nation), and vast regions of Arctic Ocean covered by ice. As such, Canada is somewhat unique in that operational capabilities of the current generation of AUV's are limited by AUV range, which is on the order of hundreds of kilometers. The ability to conduct bathymetric surveys of the Arctic Ocean floor, explore the region for hydrocarbons reserves, and covertly monitor this remote location for international vessels is critical to national security.**The proposed research focuses on reducing the hydrodynamic drag of AUVs to reduce their power consumption and, thus, increases their endurance (range). The drag reduction strategy is based on a novel implementation of drag reducing polymers as a dissolving surface coating. The polymer coating gradually dissolves in seawater, mitigates boundary layer turbulence, and reduces the skin-friction. The drag reducing polymers are environmentally friendly and are also used in irrigation waters and food industry. In order to maximize the AUV endurance, shape and position of the hydroplanes and external instrumentation of the AUV will also be optimized using computational and experimental investigations to also reduce the pressure drag component. The results of the proposed research program also provide design, numerical, and experimental knowledge and expertise required for development of next generation Canadian underwater vehicles specifically designed for operation in the Arctic. ****