Apparatus and method for determining the adhesive strength of biofilms on underwater protective coatings
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsWayne C. Tucker, Lucie Maranda, Edward P. Baker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining the adhesive strength of a biofilm formed on an underwater optical surface and for determining the pressure, velocity and configuration of a water jet directed at the biofilm to wash away the biofilm and restore hydrophobicity to the optical surface, with a view to providing removal of such biofilms by underwater travel of a submarine without a need to surface for biofilm removal.
Claims15
Apparatus for determining the adhesive strength of biofilms on protective coatings on underwater optical devices, and for determining water jet pressures and water jet speeds and configurations required to remove the biofilms and restore clarity to the optical devices, the apparatus comprising:
- a tank adapted to receive and retain a selected quantity of water, said tank being of a rectangular configuration with side and end walls upstanding from a planar bottom;
- rails mounted proximate upper edges of the side walls of said tank;
- a slide member slidably mounted on each of said rails and movable on said rails;
- rails extending widthwise of said tank and interconnecting said slide members;
- a nozzle carriage slidably disposed on said widthwise extending rails;
- a water delivery pipe extending upwardly from said nozzle carriage and in communication with a water delivery conduit;
- a water pressure regulator in communication with said water delivery conduit and adapted for connection to a water source;
- whereby said nozzle carriage is adapted to be moved lengthwise of said tank on said rails mounted proximate the side walls of said tank and is adapted to be moved widthwise of said tank on said rails extending widthwise of said tank;
- a discharge pipe extending from said nozzle carriage and toward said tank bottom, said discharge pipe being in communication with said delivery pipe;
- a nozzle of a selected size and configuration disposed on an end of said discharge pipe;
- and
- a test slide mount assembly disposed on the bottom of said tank whereby water is flowable through said water delivery conduit to said water pressure regulator;
- wherein a pressure sensor transducer is housed within said test slide mount assembly in order to calibrate a nozzle pressure, wherein the water pressure is limited to a selected range, thence to said water delivery pipe, said nozzle carriage, said discharge pipe, and said nozzle, to direct water at a selected pressure and exit stream configuration and velocity toward said test slide mount, whereby to impinge upon a test slide mounted on said test slide mount, said test slide being a replica of a surface of an underwater optical device having a protective coating and also covered by a biofilm, to determine the adhesive strength of the biofilm and the extent to which the selected water pressure and water stream configuration are adapted to remove the biofilm from the protective coating on the test slide.
A method for determining sufficient water pressure and water stream configuration to remove biofilms on protective coatings on underwater optical devices, the method composing the steps of:
- providing a watertight test tank having parallel side walls, end walls, a bottom wall, a test slide mount disposed on the bottom wall, and a movable nozzle carriage mounted on the side walls and movable lengthwise and widthwise of the tank;
- joining a water delivery pipe to the nozzle carriage, wherein said water delivery pipe is fixed thereto and in communication with a water source;
- providing a discharge pipe extending from the nozzle carriage toward the test slide mount;
- and
- directing a stream of water from the discharge pipe, through a nozzle of selected size and configuration, and at a selected pressure and velocity onto a test slide mounted on said test slide mount, said test slide being a replica of a surface of an underwater optical device having a protective coating and also covered by a biofilm, wherein said stream of water impinges on the biofilm to determine the parameters of water pressure and configuration of the stream of water most suited for removal of the biofilm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.