Practical Hydrodynamic-based Model of AUV Thruster Dynamics for Use in Closed-loop Control of Vehicle Motions.

摘要

LONG-TERM GOALS. The long-term objective of this research program is to improve the automatic control of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) through the incorporation of thruster hydrodynamics into control algorithms. OBJECTIVES. The scientific and technical objectives of this research are to develop an accurate hydrodynamic model of an AUV thruster, incorporate the model into a vehicle control system, and demonstrate accurate closed-loop thruster control in unsteady conditions. Previous, research on propeller modeling has centered almost exclusively on in-flows that are steady in time but vary spatially. This research focuses on the temporally varying hydrodynamics caused by changes in the thruster s angular velocity. These conditions are typical of an underwater vehicle that is maneuvering or holding position in a current.