A new navigation strategy for underwater robot in reactor pool combined propeller speed detection and dynamics analysis with sonar data correction

The navigation reliability of remote-operated vehicle (ROV) in nuclear power plant is very important. It is necessary to carry out redundant navigation design using components with stronger anti-radiation performance compared with traditional navigation devices, to ensure relatively high precision navigation in the case of failure of traditional navigation equipment. The paper proposes a new navigation algorithm for ROV working in the reactor pool combined propellers’ rotating speed detection with hydrodynamics analysis and sonar data correction without using other sensors, just as a redundant navigation strategy. The designed ROV can work at any water depth thanks to the high-precision depth control algorithm. At first, the hydrodynamics analysis of ROV is completed. After that, the dead reckoning (DR) is implemented combined with rotating speed detection of high-performance propellers with dynamics analysis of ROV. Then, the error of DR is analyzed and compensated through repeated field experiments. At last, the sonar data are added to correct the deduced position of ROV when it stops. Field experiment verifies that the precision of the proposed algorithm is high enough to be used as a redundant navigation strategy for ROV working in the reactor pool of the nuclear power plant.