© Ifremer
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A new robot to explore the deep ocean floors
Victor, dedicated to scientific ocean research, is a deepwater, remote-controlled
system. It is instrumented and modular and can perform high quality optical imaging and
can carry and operate various equipment and scientific tools.
The lower part of the vehicle is composed of an instrumented scientific module which
can be changed according to the type of assignment. It contains most of the
instrumentation as well as the sampling basket. This modular system can also be enhanced
and used as a technological platform for new equipment.
Vehicle's technical specifications
- Thrust: 200 kg in all directions
- Speed: 1.5 knots
- Cameras:
- 1 main 3-CCD camera with zoom and direction-finder
- 2 piloting cameras
- 5 additional colour cameras
- Lighting: 8 flood lights totalling 5 kW
- Sensors:
- attitude
- pressure depth
- altitude
- sonar
- log
- Manipulators:
- one 7-function manipulator arm, lifting 100 kg
- one 5-function grasping arm, lifting 100 kg
- Variable ballast system: 70 litres at 2 litres/mn at 600 bars
On-board system overview
The VICTOR 6000 can be taken aboard the 2 French research vessels L'Atalante and La
Thalassa or on ships of opportunity.
Concept Victor 6000 © Ifremer - Alris Communication
The VICTOR 6000 gear includes:
- A direct-winding hydraulic winch, the 8,500 m 20 mm umbilical, weighing in all: 30
tonnes(1)
- The vehicle 3.1 x 1.8 x 2.1 m, weight 4 tonnes and 600 kg for the module (2)
- The hard ballast 1.5 x 0.8 x 0.5 m, weight 1.2 tonne (3)
- The tether measuring from 100 to 300 m 35 mm (4)
- 5 20-ft containers (5):
- vehicle power
- winch's hydraulic unit
- control room
- mechanics
- storage
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© Ifremer
The 110-tonne set of gear can be transported in 20-ft containers. Power requirements:
- 50 kVA - 380 V - stabilized 50 Hz for the vehicle
- 2 x 160 kVA - 380 v -50 Hz for the winch
- 60 kW - 220 V et 380 V for the other equipment
- Compressed air and water
Basic sampling and scientific module
Victor 6000 has a basic sampling module composed of the following elements:
- 3 temperature probes which can be manipulated
- 8-sample fauna suction device
- Water sampling pump (19 x 200 ml)
- Titanium sampling tubes (4 x 740 ml)
- Sediment corers (d=53 mm, l=400 mm)
- 6 drifter markers
- Mobile 0.6 m basket
- Grab sampler
- Sample boxes
© Ifremer
Scientific module interface specifications:
- Dimensions:
- length: 2.5 m
- beam: 1.85 m
- height: 0.7 m
- weight in water 100 tp 150 daN
- Power:
- 24 V DC/200W
- 240 V DC/5 kW
- hydraulics: 3 kW à P=210 bars maxi
- Communications:
- 2 RS 422 links at 38400 bauds
- 1 RS 232 link at 9600 bauds
- 1 video channel (CCIR standard)
© Ifremer
Navigational system
The vehicle's positioning is ensured by the POSIDONIA
ultra-short baseline system developed for Ifremer by Thomson
Marconi Sonar and Mors Environnement.
POSIDONIA makes it possible to position several mobiles and targets at depths down to
6,000 m. The real-time trajectory-plotting and navigation aid are provided by the
VEMO+ software.
Data centralization system
The data (vehicle, module, navigation, ship) are centralized on a server and can be
disseminated on CD-ROMs. They are compatible with the ADELIE
set of software for displaying, handling and enhancing data, images and videos recorded
from Ifremer submersibles.
Control room
The control room which is built into a 20-ft container, provides piloting of the
vehicle and control for the entire system.
It has three operator stations:
- The pilot
- The operational coordinator
- The researcher
Partners
The Victor is operated and maintained by GENAVIR; Ifremer carries out technical
monitoring and developments.
The main industrial partners involved in developing the submersible are:
- CRP for the floater
- CYBERNETIX for the MAESTRO computer-aided,
manipulator arm
- DEFREANE for vehicle's power
- DE REGT for the tether
- HYTEC for the digital still camera
- GENISEA for electronic set-up in pressure vessels
- JM MOTEURS for propulsion
- SCHLUMBERGERfor the electric and optic umbilical
- THALES, Ixsea Oceano for the POSIDONIA positioning system
Industrial architect
Publications
- “First deployment of the French ROV VICTOR 6000 from board the German Research
Icebreaker RV POLARSTERN"; Sea Technology, 41 (4): 51-53, april 2000.
- “French-German cooperation in artic deep sea
research : Experiences in the joint use of the deep sea ROV -VICTOR 6000- at a long term arctic station”;
InWater Tec 2001, Kiel, Germany.
- “Evaluation
of the 1st year of scientific use of the French ROV VICTOR 6000”;
Underwater Technology 2002, pp. 11-16, Tokyo,
Japan.
- “The Expedition AWI
of RV L'Atalante in 2001”, Reports on Polar and Marine Research 422, 65 pp.,
2002.
- VITAL: the Victor 6000 takes part in
evaluating the fish reserves
- Victor 6000: Design, Utilization and First
Improvements, thirteenth (2003) International Offshore and Polar Engineering
Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, May 25-30, 2003
Fleet
