KONGSBERG HiPAP System Operation and Maintenance Guide

Possible reasons:

Fiber optic breakage or connector contamination.

The power supply of the receiving and transmitting unit is faulty.

The internal board of the transceiver unit is overheating.

Solution steps:

Check the indicator light on the receiving and transmitting unit panel: The PWR (power supply) should be constantly on; The status should flash. If it doesn't light up, measure the input voltage (24VDC or 110/230VAC depending on the model).

Test the attenuation of fiber optic links using an optical power meter. If the loss is greater than 15dB, clean the connector end face (with a dedicated cleaning tape) or replace the optical cable.

If the transceiver unit overheats (such as poor ventilation in the cabinet), suspend operation and force cooling to check if the fan is running.

Spare parts suggestion: Keep a fiber optic jumper between the transceiver unit and APOS, as well as a transceiver unit power module.

6.5 Fault 5: DP system unable to lock HiPAP position

Phenomenon: The HiPAP reference value on the DP console fluctuates too much, causing DP to frequently refuse to use.

Possible reasons:

The filter parameters of the DP system do not match the HiPAP update rate.

The language or verification method of the data output by HiPAP is incorrect.

External sensor time delay not compensated.

Solution steps:

Check if the communication protocol of HiPAP is set to "Raw data" (recommended) in the DP system. DP should perform its own Kalman filtering instead of using the internally smoothed data from HiPAP.

Confirm that the output rate of HiPAP is consistent with the expected DP (usually 1-2Hz).

If using NMEA format, check for checksum errors. APOS can output standard NMEA statements with verification.

Measure the total delay (usually 0.5-2 seconds) from acoustic signal emission to DP data reception, and set the corresponding delay compensation in the DP system.

Dual HiPAP system and HAIN integrated navigation

7.1 Dual transducer configuration

On DP3 class vessels or drilling platforms that require extremely high reliability, two independent HiPAP transducers (such as port and starboard) can be installed. Advantage:

Electrical redundancy: One set fails and the other seamlessly connects.

Acoustic redundancy: One of the transducers may be located in quieter waters or avoid reflectors.

Accuracy improvement: By using specialized software to statistically fuse the positions of two independent systems, SSBL accuracy can be improved by a factor of one/two1/ two.

7.2 HAIN (Underwater Acoustic Assisted Inertial Navigation)

HAIN combines the absolute drift free position of HiPAP with the high-frequency and low-noise characteristics of the inertial navigation system (IMU). Especially valuable for ROV and deepwater operations:

Improve position update rate: Between two acoustic positioning operations, the IMU calculates the position and outputs a smooth trajectory.

Extend the battery life of the responder: It can reduce the acoustic positioning frequency to once every 10-30 seconds, while still maintaining stable display through IMU.

Availability during acoustic interruption: When the signal is obstructed by obstacles or encounters strong noise, HAIN continues to provide position with drift much smaller than pure inertial navigation.

Deep water accuracy improvement: After the water depth exceeds 3000 meters, the acoustic positioning update rate decreases to once every few seconds, filling the gap with HAIN.

All HiPAP systems can be integrated with HAIN and are divided into:

HAIN Subsea: Inertial module installed on ROV.

HAIN Reference: A reference system installed on a vessel or platform.

Model selection suggestions and upgrade path

Model: transducer structure, beamwidth, maximum working depth, typical application can be upgraded to

HiPAP 501 spherical, 241 elements with top precision of 10 ° 4000 m, omnidirectional coverage-

HiPAP 451, similar to the 501 sphere, only activates the bottom 46 elements with a 15 ° 3000 m medium precision, and can be fully upgraded to HiPAP 501

HiPAP 351 spherical bottom 46 elements 15 ° 3000 m economical, compatible with old 355mm gate valve, non upgradable

HiPAP 351P portable, equipped with MRU and compass 15 ° 2000 m for temporary installation and chartering operations-

HiPAP 101 low-frequency, mechanical tilting directional 6500 m ultra deep water, ROV tracking-

Upgrade suggestion: Purchase HiPAP 451 instead of directly purchasing 351, as the former can be upgraded to 501 performance through software and adding a transceiver board, protecting investment.

Regular maintenance and daily inspections

9.1 Monthly maintenance items

Check the lifting function of the hull unit, lubricate the screws and seals.

Play back the 'System Log' in APOS to check for frequent communication errors or responder lockout records.

Perform noise spectrum analysis: Record the noise level of typical frequency bands, compare it with historical data, and determine whether there are new interference sources (such as frequency converter harmonics).

9.2 Maintenance every six months/year

Raise the transducer and clean the surface (use a soft bristled brush and fresh water, do not direct high-pressure water gun directly onto the ceramic surface).