Oceano R5 – New Acoustic Release, robustness and reliability in a more compact version
| Leveraging 40 years of experience and with over 15,000 units delivered across the globe, iXblue’s acoustic releases have proven their reliability and robustness by meeting the most demanding needs of scientific campaigns and offshore works. Strength, accuracy, long-battery life and a permanent concern for quality make iXblue’s Oceano acoustic releases a state-of-the-art product range designed for payloads from 200 kg to 5,000 kg and available for coastal to ultra-deep deployments. To meet customers’ demand for lighter and smaller product, but without compromising on robustness and reliability, the Oceano series is evolving. The first model of the Series to be released is the Oceano R5, the successor of the well-proven Oceano AR861B2S unit (with more than 3,000 units sold over the last 20 years). |  |
A MORE COMPACT UNIT AND A NEW MECHANICAL DESIGN
Conceived for deployment of long-term instrumented moorings down to 6,000 m water depth, this new model has been redesigned in smaller dimensions compared to the previous version. The overall length of the Oceano R5 is shortened by 150 mm and the weight in air down by 5 kg, making it possible to be handled by one operator only. Its reduced weight in water also lowers the need for floatation package, ensuring a more cost-effective deployment and recovery operations for users.
A special care has also been taken to improve the mechanical design of the Oceano R5 to maximise corrosion resistance. With a housing built of high tensile strength super duplex stainless steel and thanks to the reduction of mechanical interfaces, the new Oceano R5 offers an excellent robustness to corrosion, reinforcing its endurance in harsh environments. Furthermore, the release mechanism has also been redesigned to improve the reliability of the release function and to overcome concretion or biological deposits. The Oceano R5 is now fitted with a 2 500 kg full positive drive-off release mechanism ensuring safe recovery of equipment and sensors. Finally, this unit is obviously equipped with the newest generation electronics.
DURABILITY AND EASE-OF-USE
The standard features include a safe working load of 2 500 kg for lifting operations, long ranging capability as well as pinger mode and diagnostic built-in functions. Like the whole Oceano Series, the Oceano R5 operates with off-the-shelf alkaline batteries, making it easy for customers to operate and maintain. It also includes a backup battery cell to secure the release process when the main battery pack is almost empty. Its autonomy (3 years with alkaline batteries and 7 years with lithium batteries) addresses most of the users’ requirements for durability. The Oceano R5 acoustic release can be actuated from any low frequency deck set unit from iXblue’s range.Overall, this compact yet durable design of the new Oceano R5 acoustic release offers great reliability and robustness without compromising on performance and is ideal for long-term deployment and recovery of moorings in harsh working conditions. In the future, the whole Oceano Series will benefit from this new and more compact design.
More info about Oceano Series and Oceano R5 HERE
