Page 56: of Marine Technology Magazine (May 2020)

Tech Files

Innovative products, technologies and concepts

EvoLogics Modems for USN Use

MacArtney All-Electric LARS

ANU listing granted after favorable USBL accuracy tests

EvoLogics underwater acoustic modems were recently listed as Autho- rized for Navy Use (ANU), following a period of testing and technical eval- uation by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and The Emergency

Ship Salvage Material (ESSM) System. The ANU Program provides a list of selected diving equipment, tools and accessories which have undergone design safety reviews, testing and evaluation to ensure diver safety and ac- ceptability. Engineers at ESSM who conducted the testing of the EvoLogics 18/34 kHz USBL modem system concluded “the system to be more accu- rate than our ability to physically measure the angle and distances between

Image: MacArtney the USBL and the modem…these tests gave us confdence in the system.”

Manufacturing has now begun and the frst

The investigation of EvoLogics USBL positioning system was driven eLARS system, expected to come out of pro- by ESSM in hopes of more effciently locating fuel tanks in submerged duction in summer 2020, is underway. shipwrecks for oil salvage. Specifcally, ESSM were hopeful to use the

The all-electric eLARS, developed in collabo- system to locate fuel tanks on the wreck of the Prinz Eugen (shown below), ration with MacArtney customers, features a a German battleship sunk in 1946 at Bikini Atoll.

number of eco-friendly benefts. Zero pres-

ESSM tested the EvoLogics USBL system in Yorktown, PA using con- surized oil over water signifcantly reduces crete foating piers. The USBL receiver was mounted in a fxed-location the risk of oil spillage, and energy effciency for the duration of the tests, suspended on a pole affxed to the side of the is improved by more than 30% compared to pier about 4 ft. below the surface. Repeated trials were conducted with the hydraulic systems. downside beacon modem moved to various positions to simulate a diver

The new eLARS provides a low cost of locating specifc points on the hull of a vessel. EvoLogics modems utilize ownership with Plug-and-Play mobilization, proprietary Spread-Spectrum Communication (S2C) technology, which maintenance work reduced by up to 50% and stems from bionic concepts and allows for data delivery in challenging, cost-effcient spares with minimum lead times. shallow water conditions for a wide range of subsea applications. The Evo-

Designed with a high degree of integrity, the

Logics system repeatedly demonstrated the necessary accuracy necessary actuation of the system is based on tried and to locate specifc points on the hull. tested MacArtney technology with built-in system redundancy and an emergency recovery mode. According to MacArtney the eLARS, surpasses existing LARS key performance criteria, boasts a compact design to increase workspace on the skid and is fully scalable to support any payload.

The all-electric eLARS includes the new

MERMAC eA scalable A-frame, an a-Frame designed to meet any customer specifcations.

Winch options with the eLARS include the

MERMAC R ROV winch series, the MERMAC

S multipurpose winch series, the MERMAC Q stainless steel winch series and MERMAC M modular stainless steel winch series or custom winch options.

The frst eLARS in production is designed to accommodate a wide range of Inspection and Observation Class ROV’s and is designed around an ISO 20 ft. High Cube container size for easy transport and installation. SWL (Safe

Working Load) is 3500 kg with a cable capacity covering a range from 3500m of Ø17 mm cable to 1250m of Ø31 mm cable.

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY LEIGHAHN FERRARI, CHIEF MATE, U.S. NAVAL SHIP SALVOR May 2020 56

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