Revolutionizing Coast Guarding with Buoyant Capsule Technology

[Raama]

Hi friends,
This is an innovative idea from me. Please give me your ideas and point out the flaws in this.

This is a coast guarding system. Separate buoyant capsules equipped with SONAR, radio tag sensor, GPS and radio communication is floated at the end of the coastal line(for India 12 nautical mile from coast). Whenever a ship enters it senses the radio tag in the front and the end of the ship and identifies it. If an unidentified ship enters then it informs the coast guard through radio communication. SONAR is used to detect the ship before it enters and if an unidentified ship enters, it keeps track of it.For submarines the capsule is shaped like a hemisphere in bottom and the SONAR is placed in hemisphere and the submarine is sensed. GPS is used to position itself automatically and not move along with waves.

If the ship comes straight to the capsule, the capsule sinks and comes up after the ship has passed. Source of power is Solar.

Please friends tell me your idea

 

[JaredJames]

1. Is solar power going to provide enough energy to run all of those systems? All of them, including propulsion are power heavy.

2. SONAR generally requires an operator. There's a lot of noise out there and you need to be able to sort through it.

3. The SONAR systems run the risk of interfering with each other.

4. Is there any reason you left RADAR out? So far as above water goes it's one of the best ways to 'see'.

There's a start for you.

EDIT: I also note that despite being advised to use one of the engineering forums you have posted this in Classical Physics. This is not really an appropriate forum for this.

 

[Naty1]

Your idea should theoretically work.

I had the same thought as post #2...why SONAR and not radar. In theory your system can work...the issue is whether there is a better more economical system.

I suspect that for coastal defense and detection purposes land based radar is an existing method...since Navy ships can fire missles and shells at say 30 miles to hit other targets... radar has a LONG range...

In most major harbors radar management is a mandatory part of traffic control...

see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vessel_traffic_service

When I traveled from Maine (US) to Nova Scotia (Canada) in my own boat I was required to communicate my course and speed to Canadian VTS services...I don't know whether they could see my relatively small recreational vessel on RADAR but I did not want to risk getting run down by a big ship in the FOG on the way to Nova Scotia.

The US used to have underwater detectors SOSUS to detect submarines:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOSUS

Maybe that can be used to detect surface ships...but apparently is not considered important.

 

[JaredJames]

I had the same thought as post #2...why SONAR and not radar. In theory your system can work...the issue is whether there is a better more economical system.

RADAR is only good above water being the main issue.

I'd also add the cost of the system. How much to build, maintain and operate it?

Personally, I just see a lot of false alarms being generated.

 

[Naty1]

Raama..are your trying to detect underwater ships, thta is submarines, above water surface ships or both? If just submarines then of course SONAR is the tool rather than radar...

in which case you may want to check to see how SONAR can be negated, like stealthtechnology can reduce RADAR cross section...

Is this a military "innovation": If so SONAR won't likely work against hovercraft...and maybe not hydrofoils either...

also SONAR is active, you might consider just passive listening...which is not detectable...active SONAR provides it's own location and can be destroyed...

 

[JaredJames]

Raama..are your trying to detect underwater ships, thta is submarines, above water surface ships or both? If just submarines then of course SONAR is the tool rather than radar...

As per the OP, it's both.

in which case you may want to check to see how SONAR can be negated, like stealthtechnology can reduce RADAR cross section...

Correct. But then is the number of subs going around out there that major and as such, the threat posed so great, that they can justify such a system?

Is this a military "innovation": If so SONAR won't likely work against hovercraft...and maybe not hydrofoils either...

Hovercraft mainly come under the 'above water' issue - hence the need for radar detection as well.

also SONAR is active, you might consider just passive listening...which is not detectable...active SONAR provides it's own location and can be destroyed...

Again, you'd need someone monitoring constantly. Remember, if I know there's a big ship passing one of these stations and I want to sneak in, the easiest thing to do would be get close and 'tag along'. Very difficult to spot a small ship next to a much larger one with SONAR.

 

[Raama]

Thank you for all your replies.

1. Is solar power going to provide enough energy to run all of those systems? All of them, including propulsion are power heavy.

I am too considering your problem. But only if we use a renewable source of energy, it will be easy. How many times batteries can be changes or up to how much distance will cables be laid?

2. SONAR generally requires an operator. There's a lot of noise out there and you need to be able to sort through it.

Cant it be programed such that it monitors on its own. We may have to add a microprocessor to the capsule

3. The SONAR systems run the risk of interfering with each other.

If the capsules are placed at a comfortable distance from each other it can be avoided. Moreover we aren't going to send SONAR sideways.

4. Is there any reason you left RADAR out? So far as above water goes it's one of the best ways to 'see'.

I think RADAR uses more power than SONAR right? Even though if we install, it will be small considered to that on land. Then the range will be small.

There's a start for you.

Thanks

EDIT: I also note that despite being advised to use one of the engineering forums you have posted this in Classical Physics. This is not really an appropriate forum for this.

Sorry, I will post it correctly next time.

@Naty1:I consider your problem about hovercraft. But I think hovercrafts are used only for transport purposes and not for combat purposes right. Any way I will think it over.

Thank you all once more. Please tell me your ideas of modifying this project

 

[JaredJames]

I am too considering your problem. But only if we use a renewable source of energy, it will be easy. How many times batteries can be changes or up to how much distance will cables be laid?

Cables are impossible. It would cause a major hazard to passing vessels.

Cant it be programed such that it monitors on its own. We may have to add a microprocessor to the capsule

You'd need more than a microprocessor. Simply, no, it can't monitor itself. It could certainly detect things itself but you'd need human input.

If the capsules are placed at a comfortable distance from each other it can be avoided. Moreover we aren't going to send SONAR sideways.

It doesn't matter where you send it, it's where it comes back to that matters.

I think RADAR uses more power than SONAR right? Even though if we install, it will be small considered to that on land. Then the range will be small.

Radar is still far more effective for surface vessels than SONAR.

@Naty1:I consider your problem about hovercraft. But I think hovercrafts are used only for transport purposes and not for combat purposes right. Any way I will think it over.

Hovercrafts are how they land vehicles on beaches - army vehicles. The hovercrafts come out of the larger ships offshore and travel through the shallows with the land vehicles on board.

 

[Raama]

What are the changes that you expect? Will this project work?

 

[JaredJames]

What are the changes that you expect? Will this project work?

Changes? I outlined the issues I have with it.

Will it work? Based on your concept and initial outline, no.