Pisces IV Specifications

GENERAL DATA

• Length: 20'
• Width: 10' 6"
• Height: 11'
• Weight: 13 tons
• Payload: 600 lbs.
• Crew: 1 Pilot 2 Observers
• Life Support: 140 hours for 3 people
• Max. Operating Depth: 6,500 ft.
• Power: Two lead-acid battery systems:
  • 120 VDC at 330 Ah capacity
  • 12-24 VDC at 220 Ah cap.
• Propulsion : two side mounted reversible thrusters tiltable through 100 degrees
• Speed: 2 Kts.
• Duration: 7 - 10 hours

CONSTRUCTION

• Builder:
  • International Hydrodynamics of Vancouver, British Columbia
  • Classed by American Bureau of Shipping
• Materials: Personnel sphere, Trim spheres: HY 100 steel
• Frame: Welded, oil-filled, pressure compensated tubular steel.
• Viewports: 3 forward looking acrylic windows, 6" diameter
• Penetrators: 316 SS inserts to pass electrical, hydraulic, air and oxygen supplies through the hull.

LIFE SUPPORT

• Oxygen and CO₂ absorbant for daily use is sufficient for twice normal mission duration.
• Independent emergency supplies available for 120 hours for 3 people.
• Full face air masks available in case of cabin air contamination.

SYSTEMS

• Soft ballast tanks displace a total of 1904 lbs. Using H.P. air.
• Droppable descent/ascent weights.
• Hard ballast tanks and hydraulically powered seawater pump give 450 lbs. Of trim adjustment.

• Carried in 5 externally mounted cylinders with a total capacity of 600 scf at 3000 psi.
• Used for ballast system and emergency breathing apparatus.

• Two 20 liter cylinders available for daily use.
• Independent emergency supply in 4 externally mounted cylinders has a capacity of 480 cu. ft. at 3000 psi.

• Cabin Atmosphere is monitored by oxygen analyzers.
• Oxygen level is maintained by constant flow.
• CO₂ is removed by a electrically powered scrubber unit and granular CO₂ absorbent material.

• Electric pump and solenoids provide 3 gallons per minute at 1000 psi to the following equipment:
• HYCO manipulator
• Basket lift
• Ascent/Descent weight drop cylinders
• Thruster tilt
• Movable drop weights
• Camera pan and tilt system
• Spares and special equipment
• A separate dedicated hydraulic system operates a Schilling manipulator.

• The pilot has available all controls necessary for the operation of all submersible systems in both normal and emergency situations including thruster controls, buoyancy controls and indicators, battery condition instruments, depth and pressure gauges, magnetic compass, life support monitoring instruments and controls, and radio and underwater telephone.

• The submersible is equipped with the following items and can be configured as necessary to accommodate a variety of mission requirements.
• Sony digital video camera
• Digital video recorder
• Two hydraulically operated manipulators
• General purpose science basket
• Seabird Electronics CTD profiler
• Tritech scanning sonar
• Simrad altimeter
• ORE ultra-short baseline acoustic tracking system
• External lights
• Externally mounted thermistors and internal meters
• Pinger locating system
• Niskin bottle sampling system
• Suction sampler
• Hydraulic cutters
• Laser scaling system

• Jettison Equipment
  • 1 main dropweight at 500 lbs.
  • 2 fwd drop weights at 500 lbs.
  • 2 thrusters totaling 238 lbs.
• Extended life support capacity
• Salt water leak detectors in battery boxes and electrical junction box
• Strobe light for locating on the surface
• Acoustic tracking/locating system
• Smoke flares
• Emergency breathing system
• Fairings to prevent fouling of external equipment

This page maintained by:

the HURL webmaster