Divers working underwater are often using hand tools with hydraulic propulsion. These tools have strong impact on divers work conditions, which are entirely different than conditions of work of the people acting in workshops. For the submerged diver acting underwater, where foam suit and life support system provide him a chance to survive and execute his task - the modified diagram of "man-machine" ergonomic system must be applied. The proposed schematic diagram of the "diver-tool" ergonomic system for underwater conditions is shown on Figure 1.

The mechanized hand tool as element of this system is effected by different factors connected with the water as medium, and hydrostatic pressure. This consideration of the hand tool is mainly based on expirience with the developement of hydraulic drilers.

The hydraulic driller as element of ergonomic system is effected by the factors:

  • cold water with high specific heat is acting as a cooling medium of drill;

  • cold water is acting as cooling medium of the diller;

  • water with high viscosity and density is lubricating drill movement;

  • diver hands and fingers which are earring and operating the driller are effected by cold water.

Divers working underwater are often using hand tools with hydraulic propulsion. These tools have strong impact on divers work conditions, which are entirely different than conditions of work of the people acting in workshops. For the submerged diver acting underwater, where foam suit and life support system provide him a chance to survive and execute his task - the modified diagram of "man-machine" ergonomic system must be applied. The proposed schematic diagram of the "diver-tool" ergonomic system for underwater conditions is shown on Figure 1.

Fig. 1

The schematic diagram of the "diver-tool" ergonomic system.

Fig. 1

The schematic diagram of the "diver-tool" ergonomic system.

Close modal

The mechanized hand tool as element of this system is effected by different factors connected with the water as medium, and hydrostatic pressure. This consideration of the hand tool is mainly based on expirience with the developement of hydraulic drilers.

The hydraulic driller as element of ergonomic system is effected by the factors:

  • cold water with high specific heat is acting as a cooling medium of drill;

  • cold water is acting as cooling medium of the diller;

  • water with high viscosity and density is lubricating drill movement;

  • diver hands and fingers which are earring and operating the driller are effected by cold water.

The operating of driller is also effected by "weightlessness" of a diver, diver stresses connected with hazardous situation, poor visibility, etc.

The project to develop the set of, hydraulic hand tools started few years ago. In this project teams from Technical Universities in Szczecin and Poznan were involved.

The first generation of the hand tools have been worked out, where the basic mechanical criteria were considered. The driler from this set, WH-25 was built and tested. Then, in the next step the ergonomical criteria for underwater tools were elaborated. The second generation of the tools based on this criteria was designed. One from the set - hydraulic driller WH-25E was constructed. At that time third type of the driiler was constructed - the hydraulic impact driller WH-10.

To test this three type of drillers and to recognize the relations between performance of the "diver-driller" system and the effecting underwater factors - the tests of the system have been proposed. The diving tests in the open sea conditions are extremly costly and difficult to carry, so the tests in the water tank located in laboratory hall were elaborated. The water tank (1.6m x 1.6m x 2.5 m high) is equipped with cooling system, which gives opportunity to control water temperature in the tank. The two experiments were carried out in the testing tank. During the tests submerged divers were performing typical tasks using hydraulic drilers, when water temperature in the tank was: 4°, 8° and 12°C.

In the first experiment divers were using consecutively three types of drillers: WH-25, WH-25E and WH-10 to bore holes in steel plates during 1-hour tests. The tests results showed relation beetwen both: water temperature and type of the driller for driling performance. (Piotrowski, 1991).

At the second experiment divers were using impact driller WH-10 to bore holes in granite slabs. The driller was equipped with full pitch or small pitch percussion device. The length of holes bored in granite were measured and statistically calculated in correlation with temperature of water and vibration level of the tool.

During the experiments the drillers were tested and several improvements in their construction have been proposed.

The drillers were also ergonomicly attested. The developed method of ergonomic attestation was applied. The results of attestation are consistent with results of the tests.

Further procedure of the hand tool development should be based on:

  • information from the commercial users concerning durabilty, efficiency and other operational features;

  • next series of the laboratory tests in the water tank, where improved tools (drilers) will be tested.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Papers presented at SPE meetings are subject to publication review by Editorial Committees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Permission to copy is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words. Illustrations may not be copied. The abstract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper is presented. Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836, U.S.A. Telex, 163245 SPEUT.

Dmochowski
J.
,
Pacholski
L.
,: "
Ergonomic testing of the "man-machine" system underwater
". In:
Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Health, Safety and Environment in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production
,
Hague
1991
,
SPE 23237
, vol.
1
, pp.
345
348
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Dmochowski
J.
,
Pacholski
L.
: "
Man-tool" ergonomic system underwater
" In: "
The Ergonomics of Manual Work
",
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Piotrowski
,
K.
,: "
Badanie me tod realizacji wybranych operacji technologicznych zwia-zanych z wykorzystaniem zmechanizowanych narzedzi recznych w eksploatacji urzadzen off-shore
"
(doctor thesis - not published)
,
Technical University of Poznan
,
1991
.