Fleet

© Ifremer

« 3000 metre manned submersible " for direct observation of the seafloor

Cyana is a manned submarine designed for observation at depths reaching 3,000 metres. Since its commissioning in 1969, it has made more than 1,300 dives from various Ifremer research vessels (Suroît, Noroît, Nadir, l'Atalante) or ships of opportunity (Castor, Ravello).

Fields of operation

• Exploration of specific zones
• High precision bathymetry and physical measurements
• Collecting samples and manipulating special tools (hydrothermalism)
• Assistance for offshore assignments
• Cable and pipeline layouts and inspection
• Search, location, investigation and assistance in raising wrecks
• Assistance for submersibles in distress

References

• French and foreign scientific teams
• Oil companies (CFP, IFP, ENI-SAIPEM, SOFREGAZ, ...)
• French Navy
• French and foreign Air Forces (Germany, Holland, Israel)
• International undersea telecommunications companies
• DRASSM (subaquatic and undersea archeology research directorate)

Functionality

The Cyana system provides the following functional features:

• Direct observation, thanks to two portholes and 7 projectors
• Video and still camera shots
• Object detection on panoramic sonar
• Manipulation and sampling using an arm and retractable basket
• Surface positioning using the long baseline (beacons set on seabed) or ultra short baseline (sensor set up on support ship) systems. The vehicle's position is transmitted to the pilot via the underwater telephone
• Acquisition and logging on board the vehicle of measurements taken by its sensors : pressure, temperature, heading, angle, time, plus 6 parameters
• Preparing, monitoring, archiving and examining data with VEMO+ and ADELIE software

Technical specifications

Cyana is highly manoeuvrable thanks to its vertical and horizontal thrusters and its high amplitude attitude control.

• Working depth: 3,000 m
• Weight: 9.30 t
• Dimensions:
  • length: 5.70 m
  • width: 3.20 m
  • height: 2.70 m
• Manned sphere:
  • crew: 3 people
  • inside diameter: 1.94 m
  • material: vascojet 90
  • portholes: 2
• Lead battery power: 380 Ah in 120 V
• Trim adjusted by mercury transfer: + 20°, - 40°
• Main propulsion: 2 electrical 1.5 kW thrusters
  • longitudinal displacement speed: 2 knots
  • range of action: 8 km
• Auxiliary propulsion:
  • 2 hydraulic 0.6 kW thrusters: 1 stern and 1 vertical
• Diving and resurfacing speed: 0.5 m/s
• Autonomy (working on seafloor) : 6 to 10 h
• Hydraulic unit: 1
• Communications:
  • undersea telephone while diving
  • VHF transceiver at surface
• Equipment:
  • 1 altitude sounder
  • 1 panoramic sounder
  • 3 colour video cameras (1 of which is 3-CCD with zoom and one 3-CCD with fixed lens)
  • 3 VCRs (1 Betacam SP and 2 S-VHS)
  • one 800 exposure still camera with image marking, 1 flash 400 J
  • two 400 W HMI flood lights
  • five 650 W iodine flood lights
  • 1 data acquisition and logging unit
  • 1 manipulator arm with 5 degrees of liberty (+ claw open and close)
  • 1 sample basket with 30 l payload
• Payload capacity (including basket contents) : 50 kg
• Safety:
  • additional life support: 120 h
  • 5 emergency pyrotechnic devices
  • 1 emergency locating device

 
© Ifremer

Shipboard installation

The Cyana system can be put on board Ifremer's research vessels Atalante and Nadir or on ships of opportunity with adequate capacities.

The Cyana's gear includes:

• The submersible itself (9.3 t) and its support frame (1.5 t)
• 3 standard containers (6.60 m L x 2.45 m W x 2.6 m H - weight 8 t)
  • mechanics workshop for maintenance, conditioning and control of the submersible
  • electronics maintenance workshop
  • long baseline navigation system, logging and play-back of data
• Additional ballast whose volume will depend on the assignment's duration (uses 400 kg per dive)
• An outside oxygen reserve and an oxygen compressor

Cyana's operational crew includes at least 8 people:

• 2 pilots including 1 operations supervisor
• 2 electronics technicians/co-pilots
• 2 navigation electronics technicians/divers
• 2 navigation electronics technicians/divers

The ship must possess:

• Handling equipment necessary to deploy and retrieve the submersible, i.e.:
  • an A-frame with dynamic capacity of 10 t
  • three constant tension winches: two 1 t lateral winches and one 2 t axial winch
• A moon-pool or Travocean type through-the-hull passage to deploy communication and navigation tranducers.
  This moon-pool isn't necessary if towed devices can be used
• Adequate deck space to accommodate the submersible and its accompanying containers
• Adequate power supplies (electricity: 380 V - 50 Hz / 20 kW and 220 V - 50 Hz / 10 kW, and compressed air 7 bars / 100 m3/h) to operate the system
• A sheltered area for the diving crew

Partners

Cyana is operated and maintained by GENAVIR; Ifremer carries out technical monitoring and developments.

The main industrial partners involved in developing the system are:

• The Chantiers navals de l'Atlantique shipyards for the manned sphere,
• CEMA / OFRS,
• 3 M for the floaters,
• BENTHOS for the flashes,
• CEAC / FULMEN for the batteries,
• JM / LEROY SOMER for the motors,
• AMETEK / STRAZA for the sonar.