AUV buoyancy regulating device design and simulation analysis

Under the influenced of the seawater temperature, salinity and depth, AUV’s buoyancy would change when it works in deep ocean, causing energy consumption and operating performance declining. To deal with this problem, buoyancy regulating device is developed, which is of important significance for the development of large voyage and high submergence depth AUV. An oil capsule buoyancy regulating device is designed in this paper, which utilizes the flexibility of oil capsule. The oil capsule volume changes when absorbing or expulsing oil. The gas volume variation in pressure tank is measured in order to calculate the amount of the buoyancy regulation indirectly. The accuracy and sensitivity for measuring the gas volume variation is analysed. To verify the feasibility of the designed oil capsule buoyancy regulating device, a simulation experiment of this hydraulic system is performed within AMESim