Microbial Gas Production Used to Achieve Autonomous Buoyancy Control

Abstract

We have constructed and successfully laboratory tested a device that can periodically change from a submerged to a buoyant state using gas generated by microbes alone. The duration of the buoyant state and the switching frequency from the submerged to buoyant state can be controlled. If the type of microbes used is native to the deployment location, gas generation will not create an identifiable acoustic signature disclose the presence and operation of the device. In this report, we discuss the operation and testing of the device, the microbes that we use to test the operation of the device, and the test results.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA550377

Entities

People

  • Barry J. Spargo
  • Bradley R. Ringeisen
  • Brian H. Houston
  • Joseph Bucaro
  • Justin C Biffinger
  • Lisa A. Fitzgerald
  • Peter K. Wu

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acoustic Signatures
  • Buoyancy
  • Center Of Gravity
  • Chemical Kinetics
  • Control Systems
  • Demographic Cohorts
  • Deployment
  • Detectors
  • Environment
  • Frequency
  • Fuel Cells
  • Gas Evolution
  • Microorganisms
  • Military Research
  • Orientation (Direction)
  • Production
  • Solid Phases

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Microbial Pathology

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology