Undersea Station: Data Processing

(Updated 15.01.2021 – complete re-edit of chapter; updated concept map) The Digital Data Processing of the station will be of major importance. Beside the conventional functions of the IT systems we should use the opportunity to establish a completely new approach concerning the User Interface (UI) and the system’s interaction with the aquanauts.

Habitat Entrance

The moonpool of habitat Hydrolab
Moonpool of Hydrolab

(Updated 29.11.2020; re-edit of the hatches chapter) Surely one of the most complicated area of an underwater structure for human occupation is the habitat entrance. It is the local water-air interface, vulnerable to changes in pressure by tidal movements on the surface of the sea; its hatches have to bare potential pressure differences between the habitat interior and the surrounding water; no object that is only a little bigger than the greatest diameter of the entrance can be brought into the habitat. It is constantly wet and humid and the only gateway for medical assistance. We divided it into the following sections:

  • Trunk
  • Underwater Acess Space
  • External Hatches
  • Moonpool
  • Wet Room
  • Other General Considerations

Our extensive analysis and proposals are part of the design manual.

Internal Doors and Hatches

This section describes the necessary design of internal doors in an underwater habitat. Doors separate functional areas or modules of the habitat. This chapter was divided into the following sections:

  • Types of hatch or door and its use
  • Opening size and shape of hatch or doorway
  • Operations
  • Location

Our extensive analysis and proposals are part of the design manual.

Housekeeping

Housekeeping in an underwater habitat is a crucial part of habitability. It plays a primary role in maintaining the cleanliness of the habitat and thus the crew’s health and safety, which will consequently boost their morale, comfort, and productivity.

This chapter is divided into the following sections:

  • General Considerations
  • Habitat Specific Risk Areas
  • Contamination Sources
  • Housekeeping Tools
  • Housekeeping Minimization through System Design
  • Past and Present Housekeeping in On-Orbit Operations

Our extensive analysis and proposals are part of the design manual.

Entry image: Rlistmedia, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Stowage & Inventory Management

This section discusses design considerations for the layout and design of stowage systems inside an underwater habitat. It also provides the characteristics of a successful onboard inventory management system design. Such a system can track the quantity, location, and status (e.g., remaining useful life) of inventory items. The inventory management function is one of the primary elements of onboard information management.

This chapter is divided into the following sections:

  • General Considerations
  • Type & Locations
  • Nonstandard Stowage
  • Habitat Resupply
  • Flexibility
  • Central Storage vs. Distributed Storage
  • Operability
  • Accessibility
  • Interference
  • Labelling
  • Inventory Management

Our extensive analysis and proposals are part of the design manual.

[Image: FORTEPAN / Lissák Tivadar / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]


Note: This article contains adaptations from the NASA Human Integration Handbook (HIDH), NASA/SP-2010-3407. Since supplementary transports are not comparable to spaceflight, many considerations do not apply to underwater operations and therefore had been skipped.

Initial & Operational Financing

(Updated 02.04.2023) In this section we defined all potential sectors divided into operations and mission conduction. It contains analysis of similar projects, probabilities, potentials and benefits.

Our extensive analysis and proposals are part of the design manual.

Undersea Station: Water Supply

Water Supply: Image by James Petts from London, England (Stream of water) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons(Updated 04.04.2023: link concerning average need of water for a human being updated) Even though our station is surrounded by water we can not use it for most of our needs. Therefore for some demands we have to establish a sweet water supply. The easiest way is to bring sweet water from the shore and to fill corresponding tanks. Well, what kind of water do we need?

This chapter is divided into the following sections:

  • Drinking Water Supply for Consumption
  • Tap Water; rigid and flexible tanks
  • Raw Water Supply
  • Pressure Maintenance

Our extensive analysis and proposals are part of the design manual.

Image by James Petts from London, England (Stream of water) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Branch & Bound

(Guest article by user Mike, thanks for contributing) By common definition, Branch & Bound is a mathematical algorithm to solve integer optimization problems. But simplified versions of Branch & Bound are also applied to find best fitting technical solutions manually. It is a useful tool for making fundamental decisions, such as the selection of a synthesis route during the project development of a new chemical factory complex.

In the context of CalamarPark, the design of the underwater habitat is such a fundamental decision: Should it be small or large? To operate at what depth? Ambient or atmospheric pressure? A certain design might be perfect at one location, but only second choice at another. Continue reading “Branch & Bound”

HUNUC

The following article was published by CalamarPark on Wikipedia in German. Feel free to correct grammar mistakes of this translation and publish it on Wikipedia in English. The illustration has also been made available by CalamarPark and is accessible on Wikimedia under the Creative Commons Licence [CC BY-SA 4.0].

HUNUC (abbreviation for Habitat of the University of Natal Underwater Club) was South Africas first underwater laboratory. However, the facility was destroyed shortly after its positioning due to conceptual errors and bad weather conditions. Continue reading “HUNUC”

Breathing Gas Processing: Overview

(Update 11.03.2023: structure renewed) This article is intended to define the concept for ensuring the appropriate habitat atmosphere to be used in the Calamar Park modules.

It is divided into the following sections:

  • Guide Value for Electricity Costs
  • Oxygen
  • Oxygen Demand of a Human Being
  • Oxygen Availability
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Normoxic Gas Mixtures (Normox)
  • Air Supply from the Surface
  • Carbon Dioxide Scrubbing by Soda Lime
  • Carbon Dioxide Scrubbing by Monoethanolamine (MEA)
  • Carbon Dioxide Scrubbing by Sea Water
  • Photosynthesis
  • Water-Air Membrane
  • Oxygen by Electrolysis

Our extensive analysis and proposals are part of the design manual.