HOV Buoyancy

Human-occupied Vehicles (HOVs) require man-rated buoyancy to safely support human exploration at deeper depths for extended periods of time. To effectively mitigate the increased risks associated with the crushing hydrostatic pressures of the deep sea, choosing the right syntactic material is critical. ESS low-density syntactic foams provide high compressive strength and long material life for maximized passenger safety and reliable, long-term vehicle operation.

Designed to provide the highest possible buoyancy from the surface to the ocean floor, ESS syntactic foams optimize energy consumption and maximize payload capacity to safety extend mission duration. Ultra-durable buoyancy assemblies can be fully machined to exact customer specifications and include protective skins and coatings for improved impact resistance and reduced water absorption. ESS offers buoyancy for new vehicle construction, vehicle upgrade, modular buoyancy or complete vehicle refurbishment.

 

 
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“Because this is a manned submersible, we used a greater safety factor. So we had to get stronger foam that could go deeper, but we didn’t want it to be heavier.”

Rod Catanach
Senior Engineer, Deep Submergence Laboratory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Learn more about WHOI’s application and Alvin...