Development of a snorkel for unmanned underwater vehicles

Abstract

The development of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) has provided a bevy of opportunities for the exploration of the ocean. However, one limitation has kept UUVs from truly becoming mass produced, its limited range. The problem with traditional snorkel designs built for submarines is that they are far too large to be effective on a small underwater vehicle. This paper thus explores the design and development of an air snorkel for a hybrid power system for UUVs. The process beginning with concept generation and ending with manufacture will be discussed. Features discussed include the outer shell, float mechanism, and filtration system. The goal is to provide further advancement on snorkel design because through the development of a hybrid power system, UUVs will be able to perform a larger variety of tasks that are limited due to the low energy density of battery powered systems.